Gorgeously green and incredibly friendly

Big skies, craggy mountains, steely-gray lochs and cascading falls, the majestic, wild expanses of the Scottish Highlands are every bit as romantic as their celluloid reputation. The grand vistas, lonesome castles and isolated pubs where you can warm yourself by a peat fire, sip a dram of whisky and put the world to right are all waiting to be explored. You can hike, bicycle, ski and fish, feast on seafood, dance a jig or even toss a caber (a massive wooden pole thrown as a check of strength in the work of the traditional Highland Games). The mercurial landscape of the Cairngorms National Park makes an excellent place to start. Sculpted by glaciers and home to golden eagles, wildcats and red deer, the ancient forests and bleak moorland here are basically spectacular.
For pure romance, head to Eilean Donan Castle. Perched on a rocky islet on the fringe of Loch Duich, it is of Scotland's most iconic sights. Nearby is the glorious Isle of Skye or head for the Hebrides to marvel at the mysterious standing stones at Callanish and dip your toes in the azure waters off Lewis and Harris. Possibly Scotland's most spectacular setting though is on far-flung Orkney, where you'll find the incredibly preserved Skara Brae. The village, which predates the Egyptian pyramids, remains a testament to the ingenuity of the people of the day.


North Wales is of the country's most spectacular and traditional regions.
Its high mountains and rough terrain deterred waves of invaders over the years, and its finest landscapes are protected as part of Snowdonia National Park. Snow-capped mountains, tumbling rivers, Stone Age burial chambers and Roman forts all lurk here. It is an excellent spot for gentle hiking or challenging climbs but than tackle the busy Mount Snowdon, head in lieu for Cader Idris, a legendary peak said to be an entrance to the underworld. Capel Curig makes a nice base for walkers and climbers, but history buffs ought to head to of the magnificent medieval castles that dot the area.
The intimidating fortresses at Harlech, Beaumaris, Conwy and Caernarfon jointly form a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are intriguing places to explore. Alternatively, catch the dramatic Ffestiniog Railway to the slate mines at Blaenau Ffestiniog to learn about the human side of Wales' industrial heritage. A short trip south and you enter an entirely different world at the whimsical Italianate village of Portmeirion. Set on a tranquil peninsula, this odd enclave was the brainchild of Welsh architect Sir Bertram Clough Williams-Ellis.

England's largest protected outdoor playground

For a slice of picture-postcard England, the Cotswolds make an simple tour from London but feel half a world away. The wool trade boomed in these rolling hills in medieval times & today the region is littered with achingly villages, elegant elderly mansions, graceful church buildings & atmospheric pubs, most largely unchanged for hundreds of years. Wander between rows of honey-colored almshouses & thatched cottages, browse the antiques shops or cease for a cream tea & you'll feel transported back in time.

Away from the tourists in Burford & Broadway you'll find quieter spots such as Chipping Campden with its long curving high street. Leading members of the arts & crafts movement were so enamored by the town they made it their home in the early 20th century, & their founder, William Morris, settled in nearby Kelmscott in a gloriously unassuming riverside mansion. Another hidden gem, Painswick, lies to the west with its elegant rows of medieval terraced housing & amazing rococo gardens. For the best pint, head to the Falkland Arms in Great Tew, a place so special I barely require to share it.


Soaked in history & riddled with historic buildings, the university town of Cambridge exudes a dreamy air of Elderly World sophistication. The august colleges, hushed quadrangles, manicured lawns & cobbled laneways give way to "The Backs," a stretch of picturesque gardens bordering the meandering River Cam. Cambridge is an exclusive kind of place where gowned cyclists ply the streets & the academic elite debate life-changing questions in dimly lit pubs.
You can visit plenty of of the University's 31 colleges, but don't miss the odd King's College Chapel. Its mesmerizing fan-vaulted ceiling is best appreciated in the work of Evensong when you can listen to the college's celebrated choir as you ponder your place in the universe. Art lovers ought to follow up the grand neoclassical Fitzwilliam Museum with the unassuming Kettle's Yard, a treasure trove of 20th-century art, ceramics & sculpture.
For the quintessential Cambridge experience, hop on a chauffeur-driven punt to the sleepy village of Grantchester. One time a favourite haunt of the influential Bloomsbury Group of writers, intellectuals & artists, this is the place for afternoon tea at the tranquil Orchard Tea Garden. From Cambridge, it is a short trip north to the charming town of Ely & its magnificent cathedral, whose soaring towers dominate the flat marshy fenland that surrounds the town.

Gemini Springs is between the town of Enterprise,

Gemini Springs is between the town of Enterprise, which was a busy middle of commerce and government in the early days of the Florida frontier, and the city of DeBary. The land passed through several hands before it was bought by its last private owners, Saundra and Charles Grey, in 1969.

The 210-acre Gemini Springs was bought in 1994 through the combined efforts of Volusia County, the Trust for Public Lands, the St. Johns River Water Management District and the Florida Communities Trust. About 6.5 million gallons of sparkling freshwater bubble up from the springs each day. Swimming is no longer allowed at the park.


Farming operations at Gemini Springs in the 1800's included timber, citrus and tapping longleaf pine trees for turpentine. John H. Padgett, who bought the land around the turn of the century, is believed to have built the story farmhouse and barn they see today. The Padgett relatives raised cattle and grew sugar cane, operating a cane press and selling sugar juice to passengers on the trains as they passed by on the railway to Enterprise.

The Grey relatives gave Gemini Springs its name and raised prize-winning Santa Gertrudis cattle on the property. Under their possession, the earthen dam and reservoir were built, along with the arched bridges, the stone barbeque building and the Spring House.

Few places embrace walking as a national pastime as much as the United Kingdom

History: Boston's Freedom Trail is a two 1/2-mile brick walking trail which leads tourists past 16 nationally-significant sites, including Bunker Hill Monument, the USS Constitution, Elderly North Church, the home of Paul Revere & Faneuil Hall, among others. The historical district in New Orleans known as the Italian Quarter is another world-class location in which to enjoy a free walking tour. Notable items include the St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square & naturally the architecture present throughout the whole district. The walled city of York, England, basically available from London by train, is worthy of your holiday consideration as well. From the preserved medieval shopping street known as The Shambles to the gothic York Minster cathedral, budget travelers will have lots to see.

Heritage: When a city's historical district has been designated a world heritage site by UNESCO, it is a safe bet that visiting it on foot will be a memorable part of your holiday itinerary. Bruges, Belgium for example pairs historic European architecture with canals, greenery & traditional Belgian charm. The city of Quito, Ecuador boasts a downtown historical district with wedding-cake-style detail on a considerable number of buildings, & a every week changing of the guard ceremony that is not to be missed. Then of work, there is the charming Bermuda town of St. George. Featuring picture-perfect European charm on a semi-tropical island complete with costumed historical reenactments & colorful buildings, this is UNESCO heritage site that is not to be missed.


Scenery: Few places embrace jogging as a national pastime as much as the United Kingdom. With jogging trails that skirt foamy seashores, network ancient abbeys and traverse the countryside - usually free - it is a smart move to incorporate this part of Europe in to any long-term travel itinerary. For example, the Coast Path in Wales allows active vacationers to walk the shoreline of the whole country, while Scotland features a network of trails known as long distance routes, offering multi-day jogging adventures for those who prefer to serve as their own transportation.

Archaeology: For those who appreciate more large archaeological sites as their jogging tour of choice, there is definitely no shortage of them. Plan to spend several days in Petra in order to properly experience the ruins and interact with the local Bedouin culture. In case you arrive early, Pompeii can be covered in a day, albeit a full that will require water bottles and a picnic. Machu Picchu and Angkor Wat are other world-class archaeological venues excursionists can explore on foot. And naturally, there is the forum in Rome. While not as massive as some of the other sites, it is worth spending the bulk of an afternoon or even a whole day for those on a sketching or photography mission.

The suites contain personalized storage compartments

Once aboard the Spanish carrier's A346, they was led to his first-class suite, where a spacious leather stool and ottoman ran the length of airplane windows and various compartments overflowed with noise-canceling headphones, menus, pajamas and slippers. After a dinner of caviar, prawn confit, duck breast and an assortment of Spanish cheeses, a flight attendant converted Lais's stool in to a mattress-topped flatbed complete with quilt and giant pillows and showed him how to seal his stool from view with a privacy screen for the remainder of the 12-hour flight.
There is no doubt about it, first class makes travel better.
As airlines stave off bankruptcy by cutting amenities and services to their economy classes, there appears to be a shield around the almighty first class. According to the International Air Transport Association, this is because upper-class passengers, although a small minority among international air travelers, account for very a third of airline revenues. It is not surprising, then, that recent reports show that cabin modifications, those that favor upper-class travelers, are the fastest-growing segment of the airline MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) industry.


What nice is a vintage Madame Cuvée and a bone china plate piled with rare Alpine cheeses in case you don't have someone to enjoy it with? That is the genius behind Swiss's new first-class cabin.
 when most carriers were adding über-private pods in first, Swiss bucked the trend and created a superior chair with adjustable partitions and room to dine for. The cabin also features good-looking wood panelling and seats whose one-of-a-kind air-cushion expertise has won best chair design awards from Global Traveler journal for the past years.

Whether you fancy diving deep into the sea, soaring over waterfalls on a helicopter tour

DON'T travel to Hawaii in the coursework of school holidays. Tourists crowd Hawaii's stunning beaches in summer and winter. In the coursework of school holidays, flight and hotel rates are off the charts -- between Christmas and New Years, condos and holiday rentals can run times as much as rates in early December.
 Say aloha to Hawaii's offseason
DO visit Hawaii in the off-season. Hands down the best values on visiting Hawaii can be present in May and October. With prices moderately low and the weather at its peak -- not hot, not rainy -- take advantage of the perks of off-season travel to jet off to the islands. Current spring and fall flight deals from the West Coast are half of July rates. Additionally, hotels and condos usually slash their prices off-season, rewarding visitors with oceanfront accommodations that usually sell out in peak months.


DON'T try to see everything. While each island has its own persona, it is expensive (and exhausting) to island-hop the whole archipelago on holiday. Inter-island flights usually run between $70-$140 each way and most travel to Oahu, so in the event you require to get from Kauai to the Giant Island, you might must cease in Honolulu and fundamentally pay the equivalent of inter-island flights each way.
DO stick to or islands. Each region on each island has its own flavor. The north and east sides of the islands are more tropical, while the south and west regions offer sunnier skies and a more arid landscape. In lieu of island hopping, break your trip up by staying in an opulent hotel within running distance of a sunny south shore beach and then cozy up in a rental house near the more tropical (read: rainy) north shore. In the event you require to island-hop on the cheap, Maui offers ferry service to Lanai and Molokai.
DON'T fall for the luau. Most luaus are overpriced and far from the actual thing (usually relatives events on a beach for a first birthday). While they appear like an authentic experience, you can actually piece together the highlights of a luau yourself. Grab a picnic of poke, lomi lomi, fresh pineapple, and poi from a local market. In the evenings at most malls on Kauai and Maui, and at sundown at Waikiki Beach, you can watch free hula shows featuring a number of Hawaii's best dancers.
DO splurge on an adventure. Whether you fancy diving deep in to the sea, soaring over waterfalls on a helicopter tour, or a kayak trip along the Na Pali Coast, treat yourself to at least adventure. Be sure to book early in your trip in case of bad weather.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Civil

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Civil & Environmental Engineering department looked at the 40 largest U.S. airports & figured out which of them would be the most likely to spread a disease in the event of an outbreak in the cities they serve.
They factored in passengers' travel patterns, the airports' geographic locations, interactions between airports & even passenger waiting times for their study, published July 19 in the journal PLoS ONE.
 of the surprises in their findings was that an airport's rating on the researchers' list was not necessarily tied to its size or busyness.
While John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York & Los Angeles International Airport were first & second on the list, respectively, Honolulu International Airport ranked third, although it carries only 30% as much traffic as Kennedy.
The researchers said that is because of Honolulu's place in the air transportation network: in the Pacific Ocean, with plenty of connections to distant, giant, & well-connected hubs.
Though Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport ranks first in the number of flights, it was eighth on the researchers' list of potential disease spreaders. Boston Logan International Airport ranked 15th.


Following Kennedy, Los Angeles and Honolulu on the list are San Francisco International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport. Atlanta, Miami International Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport round out the top ten.
Public health crises of the past decade, like SARS in 2003 or the H1N1 flu pandemic in 2009, have highlighted how simple it is for diseases to spread around the globe, including through air travel.
But existing models, the researchers said, look only at the final stages of an epidemic and the places that ultimately create the highest infection rates.
The researchers say the new model can help choose ways to contain an infection in a specific area, and can also help public health officials made decisions about treatment and vaccines in the early days of a contagion.

Luton and Stansted and London City international airports all offer alternatives to Heathrow

he English capital is of the world's foremost financial and business hubs, but given the expected inflow of  550,000 tourists and sports fans every day in the work of the Games, accommodation will be at a premium and getting around will be trickier than usual.
Both UK chancellor George Osborne and London mayor Boris Johnson have publicly said their determination to be definite the city remains "open for business" and contingency designs are in place to be definite this remains the case.
But if you are visiting London in a professional capacity over the next weeks, what are you able to do to keep away from the crowds and make the most of your business travel time?


According to the latest research by the hotel market intelligence provider Travelclick, 46% of all hotel rooms in London have already been snapped up for the Olympics (a fourfold increase on the same time last year).
This may be excellent news for the city's hoteliers but high demand has inflated prices. Travelclick has recorded a 70% increase in average every day rate compared to 2011, with the average hotel room now costing £189 ($293) a night.
Whilst it may still be feasible to secure of London's 120,000 hotel rooms at short notice, a less expensive option may be to head out to of the city's nearby commuter towns.


Travel by automobile is advised against for all but Olympic VIPs -- who have been deigned important to be bestowed with their own dedicated lanes on London's roads -- but there's other options for those looking to keep away from public transport.

A campaign by earlier British Olympic champions Sally Gunnell & Chris Boardman is encouraging those in the city to walk or hop on a "Boris Bicycle," London's public bicycle sharing service, to reach their location.

In the tropics, the people deal with the rain as a minor inconvenienc

"The Antigua pics being different than the story was an accident," said Larson of Charlotte, North Carolina. "I wish I had pics of the (possibly human) bone fragment (I found on the beach), the cop giving me a hard time when I reported it, the giant storm that flooded St. John's and stranded me there for hours while my spouse thought I'd been kidnapped for ransom, and on and on."
It might have been the holiday from hell, but it seems that any trip can be turned in to a great story with wonderful pics. Inspired by the true tales behind picture-perfect pics, they asked CNN's iReporters to share their dream holiday pics and the actual tales behind them.  everyone had wonderful and sometimes horrific tales that the camera didn't catch.


Donna Henderson, another iReporter, had hoped for lovely times together with her sister in the work of a three-week holiday through Iceland, Scotland, France, the Netherlands & Spain. Her aunt joined them for part of the trip.
It didn't go as planned. Less than a week after they arrived, her sister got a cough that turned in to a viral chest infection. A few days later, her aunt had a heart assault. Henderson began to feel sick the next day & visited a hospital emergency room to make positive he was OK. The special night out he planned for her mother's birthday, including a dinner cruise down the Seine River? They didn't make it.

While pics usually gloss over the back story, they are great for calling up those cherished, if not picture-perfect, relatives memories.
Seattle iReporter Jim McClure & his spouse recently scanned a collection of relatives camping trip pics from twenty years ago to generate picture books for their grown children, now 24 & 28. Looking through pics of the Canadian & Colorado Rockies, the Badlands, the Oregon & Washington coasts & the San Juan Islands sparked plenty of memories not documented in the collection.
McClure can clearly keep in mind his daughter, "at age five sitting, arms folded & crying because he was having difficulty setting up her tent, or the moose that would not let me out of the campground shower building for several minutes."

popular central and east London spots are taking the caffeinated tradition to new realms.

In London's foodie enclave, Soho, Dean Street Townhouse has pioneered the modern tea experience, available from three p.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Pastry cooks present refined versions of typical English fare like sausage rolls & Morecambe Bay potted shrimps with sweet grainy breads. It is a treat to sit in the dining room, whose original 18th-century woodwork gets a bold kick from furnishings in saturated color -- a cardinal-red leather booth here, a soft seafoam-green high-back chair there.

An established tea spot, The Wolseley, got a funkier brother restaurant over in Covent Garden, with the opening of the Art Deco Delaunay in 2011 -- bringing afternoon tea culture to a neighborhood that badly needed it. Legions of sparkling glassware glow beneath low lighting in a room furnished with deep banquettes, mahogany wood, & antique wall clocks.


The Delaunay champagne tea ($46) persuades lots of locals to splurge. Every day service is from three:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., and highlights include house-made strawberry jams and clotted cream, served with an cold flute of Pommery Brut Royal NV.
But the largest splash comes from Modern Pantry, whose head chef, Anna Hanson, trained under culinary stars like London's Fergus Henderson and Peter Gordon. Her light and simple afternoon tea menu, offered between three and five p.m., features not only a retinue of organic teas, but also inventive cocktails like tamarillo caipirinhas and galangal-infused vodka with apple lemonade. Crustless cheese sandwiches are replaced with roasted tomato and herb-marinated feta squares.

The wealth of online reviews has reignited the idea that the customer's feedback

According to the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) there's some 30,000 of them in the U.S., hired by luxury hotel brands to check-in anonymously & judge mercilessly. But like a CIA agent or the rare hair stylist who'll keep your secrets, gossip is not in the mystery shopper's after-hours repertoire. Even in the event that they don't name names, everything they unearth is strictly confidential.
Perhaps it is to be expected in an industry where everyone, from the booking agent to the bellhop, is famously discreet. If loose lips sink ships, a too-revealing mystery shopper could definitely submerge an hotelier or. Thankfully, Stephanie Perrone Goldstein, vice president of sales & promotion for the New York-based Coyle Hospitality (whose clients include Starwood Hotels & Resorts & Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group), produced a nine-year veteran willing to answer a few questions.


Occasionally, she'll check in as the most obnoxious breed of hotel visitor: the road-weary whiner.
"I'll call the front table and say the room smells like smoke even when it doesn't, to see how they will reply," they says. Fake-outs are staged and executed thoroughly; she'll go as far as to empty the batteries from the remote and grumble about the fritzy T.V., or unhook the chain from the toilet to time how long it takes the staff to fix it. It is an exacting art. After they checks out, her document is written up, fact-checked by Coyle, and delivered back to the client in a matter of weeks.


Occasionally, she'll check in as the most obnoxious breed of hotel visitor: the road-weary whiner.
"I'll call the front table & say the room smells like smoke even when it doesn't, to see how they will reply," they says. Fake-outs are staged & executed thoroughly; she'll go as far as to empty the batteries from the remote & grumble about the fritzy T.V., or unhook the chain from the toilet to time how long it takes the staff to fix it. It is an exacting art. After they checks out, her document is written up, fact-checked by Coyle, & delivered back to the client in a matter of weeks.

Which rooms do you try to book or avoid?

We've all been there. At the finish of a long flight, you get to your hotel and check in, only to find that your room is right next to an ice machine that sounds like it's a extreme case of whooping cough, or it is the on the floor not occupied by members of a high school marching band practicing through the night for a major competition.
Yes, a bad hotel room can ruin anyone's trip, but when you are travelling on business, the stakes are even higher. If it is not up to par or presents plenty of distractions, you may not be able to finish that huge presentation or you might not be rested for that important client meeting.
To help you avoid these pitfalls, they consulted with Doug Peckham, who, after an extensive career working in hotels and resorts from Philadelphia to Puerto Rico, now oversees the stately Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa in Dallas. Located minutes from the offices of major corporations such as Cinemark, Merrill Lynch and Southwest Airlines, the historic Stoneleigh attracts a significant business clientele, and Peckham knows what those travelers require.
"A failed business trip may lead to no less than a threat to job security," said Peckham, "so it is important to do a tiny bit of research prior to committing to your hotel choice."


Smoking rooms. Although smoking rooms are becoming more rare, it can be annoying to find yourself in a smoking room in case you check in late & they are the only rooms obtainable. Another potential pitfall to keep away from are rooms in a hotel recently converted to nonsmoking. The lingering smoke can permeate every fabric & is impossible to eradicate. Be prepared to point this out to the front table staff & request an alternate room if obtainable or have the hotel provide an air cleaner unit, which lots of hotels have on hand unbeknownst to guests.
-- Watch out for hotels that permit pets. Although it is fashionable for high-end & boutique hotels to accommodate travelers with pets, the wear & tear on furnishings, as well as the pet dander & pet accidents, can quickly damage a room. & you don't require to attend your next business meeting in a suit covered with pet hair.


In  every case, you are more secure in a hotel with its own security officers, as the "rented" officers are seldom motivated to truly take care of the hotel visitor in the same way as a professional employed directly by the hotel. This becomes less significant outside of city-center locations, but even suburban hotels have vandalism and crime issues.
-- Research whether the hotel has in-room safes, which today accommodate laptops and several other items with ease.
-- Female business travelers ought to think about booking a room at the growing number of hotels with a women's only floor. Rooms on these floors are usually accessed by a special keycard and sometimes even have added security.

Travelers should be cautious when using public transportation systems

The Department of State "encourages U.S. citizens living abroad or planning to travel abroad to enroll in the Clever Traveler Enrollment Program," the statement said. Officials use the program to contact enrollees in the event of an emergency.

Terrorist groups "continue to plan terrorist assaults against U.S. interests in multiple regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa, & the Middle East," a statement by the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs said.
Travelers ought to be cautious when using public transportation systems, including maritime services like ferries, the statement said.
The Middle East & Africa are the most unpredictable areas, with terrorist groups & pirates attacking recently in Yemen, Algeria, Kenya & Somalia, the statement said.
It listed a variety of places that might be targeted, including "high-profile sporting events, residential areas, business offices, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas, & other tourist destinations."

The key to perspective is a map! 'Demonstrations in Greece

Traveling not very sounds relaxing. The U.S. State Department's latest worldwide safety caution issued Wednesday warns that terrorist groups "continue to plan terrorist assaults against U.S. interests in multiple regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa & the Middle East."
Targets might include public transportation systems & "sporting events, residential areas, business offices, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas & other tourist destinations" in the United States & abroad where giant numbers of U.S. citizens collect, according to the State Department.
Despite ongoing advisories & worldwide economic uncertainty, the numbers recommend travelers are nevertheless determined to see the world. International tourist arrivals grew 5% in the first months of 2012, according to the United Nations' World Tourism Organization. The agency estimates that 415 million tourists will travel worldwide in the work of this year's May-August peak travel season, & international tourism is expected to increase by 3% to 4% for the full year.


The number of U.S. travelers going abroad last year dropped 3% from 2010 to  59 million, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce's Office of Travel & Tourism Industries, but 2012 is looking strong for U.S. travel abroad.
"So far, in 2012, they are seeing increases in U.S. outbound air traffic to all world regions. It is early to tell if any of the events that have occurred will impact travel," a Commerce Department official said by e-mail. This year's outbound air traffic is up 5% through April 2012, according to department figures.
While most of their travelers are not heading in to political hot spots, U.S. travel agents say their clients understand terrorist threats & political unrest are part of what they must think about in a post-9/11 world, along with the cost of a plane ticket.
"We've had tiny to no cause for concern from our travelers, lots of of whom are on extensive European holidays travelling with relatives for up to weeks in Europe," wrote Pattie Fanta, owner of Travel Leaders in Bay Village, Ohio, in an e-mail. "I advise my clients to stay vigilant & alert while on the road (even in the U.S.), know they have lovely trip insurance & call us ought to any issues arise."
Point of view is key, says veteran travel writer Zora O'Neill, who was boarding a Thursday red-eye flight to Greece.
"Sure, I will Greece, & even Athens -- but I do know where the demonstrations usually are in Athens & the scale of them -- so I do know to keep away from that part of the city," says O'Neill, author of over a dozen travel guides, and an upcoming book on Arabic language & the Middle East.

The second complete failure was the chip-and-pin debit card, in euros

The extreme limitation was a major failure of my laptop computer: a light & compact Acer with Windows 7 installed. I planned to keep up with electronic mail & writing my columns throughout the trip, &, accordingly, had reserved all accommodations in hotels offering no-charge WiFi. Sadly, that approach worked as planned for only a few days. Then, for some reason, Windows suffered a major breakdown & would not load either Windows Live Mail or Microsoft Word. Fortunately, I could limp through the remainder of the trip using the computer in "safe" mode, which allowed Net access, handling electronic mail through the rudimentary "client" capability provided by my ISP, & using the bare-minimum word processing capability of WordPad. The upside was that I am of a geek to figure out these workarounds, but facing similar issues, lots of travelers would have had to give up .

The card worked as advertised, with service all over the place I attempted. The main drawback was very poor voice quality on most calls. I am not sure why, but I do know the card routed all outgoing calls through a switchboard in the United Kingdom. Still, if you are travelling abroad & require to keep in contact by voice, I can recommend this approach. Next time, I'll try a different expertise a "VOIP" application that routes calls over the Net.


As my primary source of both reference and recreational reading materials, I loaded up my Kindle with guidebooks to the places I was one time visiting and a half dozen of what the British so aptly report as "penny dreadful" mysteries. But days in to the trip, the Kindle reported "empty battery" and would not recharge. In case the issue was with the charger, I bought a replacement along the way, but that didn't work, either; the fault was in the Kindle unit. Amazon agreed to replace the unit  and has done so  but not until I returned home. So I had no choice but to buy maps, guides, and paperbacks along the way an expensive fix, to be sure, but at least a fix. Still, I suspect that the failure was unusual, and that Kindle or some other e-reader is the best way to schlep reading materials on a trip.

The second complete failure was the chip-and-pin debit card, in euros, I bought from Travelex. I have written extensively about the issues some American travelers encounter trying to make use of our old-technology credit and debit stripe cards in Europe, and I desired to be prepared to make payments in unattended locations. The failure was that no payment machine I encountered would accept the card, but the offsetting upside was that I was one time able to make use of my elderly stripe cards very in all places, including highway toll booths and unattended gas dispensers. So far, Travelex has not responded to my emails asking for an explanation, but I'll keep trying. Until I listen to more, I cannot recommend it to someone.

the security checkpoints at Logan International Airport.

Carla and Paige are "virtual assistants," that is, video projections designed to give you directions and knowledge about airport procedures with a human touch. These made by New York-based Tensator speak English and French (and can plenty of other languages ), but don't expect them to answer any of your questions. These digital greeters lack any Siri-like ability to help you discover a lovely airport bar or identify the gate your flight is leaving from.


Carla, which was installed last Friday at Logan, goes over her digital dialog about security screenings in both languages and then repeats the message when she is done. (If you are in a long line, you'll get to catch Carla's act over one time.) The display is designed to "quicken passenger flow and enhance the general screening technique for roughly 6,000 travelers a day," an airport statement says.

These greeters cost about $26,000 each, according to the statement. Dulles installed Paige in May for a trial period.

The airline industry has since gone through some major overhauls

Back in the days when passengers had to walk across the tarmac to board a plane, they were greeted by "air hostesses" arrayed in knee-high boots, short skirts and white gloves.

In 1971, the now-defunct U.S.-based National Airlines ran a saucy and suggestive commercial that featured a flight attendant named Cheryl, smiling affably and accompanied by the seductive slogan,  Fly me.


Flight attendants were trained at "charm farms" to maximize their feminine sex appeal & a book depicting the golden age of travel by "adventurous" former flight attendants entitled "Coffee, Tea or Me?" further stoked the flames of the fantasy of flying.

Along with National Airlines' promotion campaign Eastern Airlines encouraged flirting with stewardesses by handing out tiny black books to male passengers for storing phone numbers.

The airline industry has since gone through some major overhauls.

Airlines have adopted a gender-neutral professionalism, austere security measures & the ever-widening gaps between the luxury stool & the cramped budget.

Societal norms have changed for the better -- it is hard to imagine a number of the outfits pictured here ever being approved.

What threats does a company screen for?

With the six needles present in sandwiches on international Delta Air Lines flights from the Netherlands to the United States, it is a query already stressed travelers are beginning to ask. Assuming you get any food on your flight these days, how do you know it is safe to eat?
Each country is responsible for setting its own in-flight catering rules, says Perry Flint, a spokesman for the International Air Transport Association, an airline industry group. The United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization also has standards and guidance on catering security.
The Transportation Security Administration declined to specify its catering rules "so as to not violate the integrity of these measures," TSA spokesman David Castelveter wrote in an e-mail. "TSA conducts ongoing inspections to make definite airlines and contractors comply with these security requirements." At foreign airports, the TSA's role "is as an evaluator of those programs."


including Delta, would comment on specifics of how food moves from manufacturing plants and commercial food kitchens to their airplanes. Nor would of the largest airline catering companies, including Gate Gourmet, which supplied the turkey sandwiches under inquiry.
Gate Gourmet said it is "cooperating fully with investigations by local and federal authorities and by our customer. As such, further details of this matter must stay confidential" and referred to its net site for information on safety procedures.

The arrivals begin amid a security snafu

The drive ought to take about an hour.
London's Olympic organizers, London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, said "the large majority" of bus journeys had gone smoothly, but conceded that "there may have been or journeys taking longer than expected."
Heathrow airport is expecting a record number of passengers on Monday as athletes start to water in to the city for the Olympic Games, which start a week from Friday.


The arrivals start amid a security snafu, as the government prepares to call in three,500 military personnel because the security contractor says it does not expect to have staff in place.
G4S, the contractor, admitted last week that it would not be able to provide over ten,000 security staffers by the time the Olympics start.
The staff were supposed to be doing tasks including venue perimeter security such as manning X-ray machines, searching people, searching vehicles, & operating closed-circuit tv systems, G4S told CNN on Sunday.
Home Secretary Theresa May, who is responsible for domestic security, was called to Parliament to answer questions from lawmakers on Monday after the failure.
They insisted that G4S actually had over twenty,000 accredited security staff, & that until last week it appeared they would have lots of contractors than few.
The Home Office told CNN earlier on Monday that the contractor was suffering from a program issue which meant they could not guarantee who would turn up where, & whether guards had the right training.


The Home Office also said that the additional immigration staff deployed at borders was properly trained, rejecting media reports to the contrary.
Immigration desks will have additional staff, Heathrow said Monday, amid fears of long lines to get in to the country.
Retired border officials & retired police officers are among those being brought in to help immigration staff, the Home Office said.
The airport expects  237,000 people to fly in or out on Monday, about 25% over on a traditional day.
The arrivals include 335 athletes, the airport said in a statement. Athlete arrivals are expected to peak on July 24, with over one,200 competitors due on that day.

Sitting on the beach reading books is just the thing for some people

lanning for a holiday is usually part of the fun for me, but largely skipping the research and reviews on a recent trip to Costa Rica was surprisingly refreshing.
Arriving without a bunch of expectations and a long list of things to see and do and accomplish wasn't entirely premeditated. I ran out of time, and since the mate I was one time travelling with is a native Spanish speaker, I felt great about being able to resolve those inevitable travel snafus. Also, they did book hotels a couple of weeks in advance. (I probably would have melted in to a puddle of anxiety otherwise).
They did a lot -- zip lining, snorkeling, bird watching, tarantula spotting, sitting on the beach -- but without that gnawing sense of missing something important. Ignorance might indeed be bliss.


The term, adopted from structural engineering, refers to the ability to bend or change, but not break, under pressure.
I employed a tiny of that when I figured out soon after they got off the plane in San Jose that of the places we'd picked to visit were not in fact within day-trip distance of each other, but actually hours apart by truck and boat. (Everything looked close on the map. This is where reading up and carefully mapping things out comes in handy.)
Strong connections with relatives and friends and significant and positive experiences bolster resiliency. Your stress response, an alert to threats that spurs you to action, is and a key part, Fricchione said.
The stress response is essential, but it burns lots of energy, so avoiding stressors is part of what is restorative about holiday.
In the event you need a restful trip, ask yourself "what's a nonthreatening and socially supporting and significant and positive experience for me to have? And it would be different for different people," Fricchione said.
Sitting on the beach reading books is the thing for some people. For people with highly active, risk-taking personalities that don't satisfy that side of themselves at work, an adventure trip can be very fulfilling.

hese digital greeters lack any Siri-like ability to help you find a good airport bar or identify

If you are fuzzy on the rules about liquids & laptops in carry-on bags, Carla goes through the drill at of the security checkpoints at Logan International Airport. & Paige offers guidance to international visitors arriving at Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

Carla & Paige are "virtual assistants," that is, video projections designed to give you directions & information about airport procedures with a human touch. These made by New York-based Tensator speak English & Italian (& can plenty of other languages ), but don't expect them to answer any of your questions. These digital greeters lack any Siri-like ability to help you discover a lovely airport bar or identify the gate your flight is leaving from.


The display is designed to "quicken passenger flow & enhance the general screening system for roughly 6,000 travelers a day," an airport statement says.

These greeters cost about $26,000 each, according to the statement. Dulles installed Paige in May for a trial period.

EVA replied and tried to find a solution

This is where the query gets trickier. In case you look at the seating configuration on a 777-300ER, the plane that is being flown, you'll see that the configuration is seats, seats, seats. What Phan desires is a two-across stool that is not in Row 27. (SeatGuru.com, an airline seating resource, labels all the seats in Row 27 a "poor" choice.)

EVA is telling the truth when it says it has not blocked all the seats for its most elite frequent fliers. Indeed, the EVA rep gave Phan a local agent to contact who did find her seats together in the four-across section or another two-across option. But neither was to Phan's liking, the rep said. The agent promised to keep looking and working with the Phans to secure the seats they need.

What appears to be happening is that although the Phans are purchasing premium economy, they are not at the head of the class of EVA fliers.

Counter doesn't think it is a cabal & frankly, given the speed with which EVA replied & tried to discover a solution, I must agree. (Besides, would an airline that has planes outfitted for fans of Hello Kitty be able to duplicity? Would not that be a small like Disney saying it hates kids?) But where both Counter & I find fault is in explaining the "why" of the situation to Phan.

EVA is a well-run airline, so I don't see them blocking space for VIP executives," he said in an e mail to me. "I could see them giving those types of travelers the best chair (& most likely in business class), but I don't think they'd block that plenty of seats for a few potential VIPs. So their explanation makes sense."

The trainers then call a list of names

Iâd finally learn how to tease my hair in to an ideal small bun, learn how to glide down the aisle like it was a runway and come away with a picture of myself in a cute uniform, complete with of those pert hats.

In lieu, when I arrive at Asianatown, the home base of Asiana Airlines near Gimpo International Airport, I walk in to a full class of timid but deadly serious flight attendant wannabes.

 of a handful of training classes run by Asiana for flight attendant hopefuls all year long, this particular workshop -- called Cabin Crew Challenging Work -- is the first to be opened to Asiana Club members for a fee of ten,000 Asiana miles.

Apart from a few private and unaffiliated institutions (hagwon), Asiana is the only airline in the world that provides such training, according to the airline representatives.


Everyone eyes the cart nervously.

This cart weighs at least 100 kilos, says trainer Jung Bo-kyung.One of my colleagues was badly hurt last week when her plane hit turbulence & the cart fell on her. Although a powerful male flight attendant rushed over & tried to lift it up, it was heavy to get it off right away. Sheâs still out of action.


If a kid is sleeping with their head protruding in the aisle, imagine what would happen in the event you hit it with the cart in the work of turbulence, says Jung, to gasps of horror from all of us. They then shows how to lock & open the various compartment & how not to offend passengers while pouring (use a new can for each passenger, lower your hands while pouring fizzy drinks to keep away from spraying). 

The trainers then call a list of names, & the trainees start role-playing in groups of. But first, everyone has to don bright red aprons.Even if the customer insists it’s OK & tries to give you the needle, & even if youâve had lots of experience at home, it’s seldom OK to make a medical decision & assist in a procedure like that unless you have a medical degree,says Tak, shuddering at the thought.


Another giant no-no is medical assistance. Lots of Koreans think that indigestion can be cured on the spot by pricking fingers with a needle until the blood comes, & often ask the flight attendants to administer this treatment in-flight.

Air New Zealand and Qantas Airways fell out of the top 10

It took the Airline of the Year prize in Skytraxâs annual World Airline Awards, announced at the Farnborough International Airshow in England.

South Koreaâs Asiana Airlines & Singapore Airlines followed in second & third place.

Air New Zealand & Qantas Airways fell out of the top ten -- spots they won last year -- while ANA All Nippon Airways & Malaysia Airlines made their top ten debuts.


Etihad Airways won Best First Class Airline, taking home the Best First Class Catering and Best First Class Chair awards .

Skytrax collected opinions from 18 million international fliers between July 2011 and June 2012 on different aspects of airline passenger experience -- from check-in to in-flight entertainment.

The Best Airline Signature Dish and Best Cabin Staff went to Malaysia Airlines. The Kuala Lumpur-based carrier serves delicious satay chicken and beef sticks onboard.

Cathay Pacific has the Best Business Class while Singapore Airlines won the Best Economy Class award, and also the Best Economy Class Catering award.

Air New Zealand and Qantas Airways fell out of the top 10

It took the Airline of the Year prize in Skytraxâs annual World Airline Awards, announced at the Farnborough International Airshow in England.

South Koreaâs Asiana Airlines & Singapore Airlines followed in second & third place.

Air New Zealand & Qantas Airways fell out of the top ten -- spots they won last year -- while ANA All Nippon Airways & Malaysia Airlines made their top ten debuts.


Etihad Airways won Best First Class Airline, taking home the Best First Class Catering and Best First Class Chair awards .

Skytrax collected opinions from 18 million international fliers between July 2011 and June 2012 on different aspects of airline passenger experience -- from check-in to in-flight entertainment.

The Best Airline Signature Dish and Best Cabin Staff went to Malaysia Airlines. The Kuala Lumpur-based carrier serves delicious satay chicken and beef sticks onboard.

Cathay Pacific has the Best Business Class while Singapore Airlines won the Best Economy Class award, and also the Best Economy Class Catering award.

including repairs to the chipped nose cone of a Boeing 737

After conducting additional research, the FAA inspector concluded that repairs were necessary, and said Delta had wrongly flown the plane twenty times in the days following the discovery of the destroy.
The FAA has proposed to fine Delta $687,500 for the alleged infraction of FAA rules.
The FAA is also proposing a $300,000 fine against Delta for operating an Airbus A320 on 884 flights in 2010 and 2011 after it allegedly deferred repair of a broken cockpit floodlight socket. Maintenance procedures permit of the dome lights in the assembly to be inoperative for no over ten days, but the airline flew the plane for seven months with the broken equipment, the FAA said.

In the case of the 737, an FAA inspector noticed the chips in the work of a pre-flight inspection of the aircraft in February 2010, and brought it to the attention of the plane's captain. The chips -- in the radome, which houses weather radar and navigational equipment -- were deep to show the underlying fiberglass, the FAA said.
When the captain notified the airline's maintenance middle in Atlanta, maintenance officials told the FAA inspector the destroy was acceptable and no more maintenance was necessary.

Delta issued a statement Wednesday saying, "The safety & security of our customers & crew is Delta's highest core value. At no time was either of these aircraft operating in an hazardous manner. One time Delta verified the concerns of the FAA, Delta initiated immediate & necessary actions to be definite that the aircraft were in full compliance with the regulatory requirements."

Steele is an innocent student, Grey an eccentric billionaire with a penchant for S&M

First, a fast brief on the book, the first in the Portland/Seattle-set trilogy by British author E.L. James. As in case you haven't heard of it.
Much like watching a Michael Bay film, you don't read "Fifty Shades" for its smart wordplay or skillfully crafted plot. It is pure, unapologetic smut, dubbed "mommy porn" in honor of the millions of 30-something ladies reading it.
"Fifty Shades of Grey" features main characters: the young, awkward Anastasia Steele and the dark and brooding Christian Grey.
Steele is an innocent student, Grey an eccentric billionaire with a penchant for S&M. They meet under unlikely circumstances, then have lots and lots of sex in all sorts of different places. Some other stuff happens. The finish.


These days, Seattle & Portland's tourism players are wising up to the potential benefits of being the main settings for the popular series, with hotels now promotion packages tailored around the Steele/Grey lovefest.
 warning: S&M amenities are not included, so you'll must bring your own whips & chains.

"This package brings together all of the only-in-Seattle experiences in the bestselling 'Shades of Grey novels,'" says the hotel's promotion spiel.
"Live out your fantasies with a two-night getaway in an Artist King room on the romantic 8th floor. In the work of your stay, enjoy chauffeured town automobile service, a helicopter tour of the city & a private four-hour skippered sailing tour on Puget Sound with gourmet picnic & a bottle of Bollinger Grande Année Rosé 1999 Champagne, a favourite of Mr. Grey himself."


Having already read the book, they needn't tell you that this is where Grey and Steele enjoyed a few naughty moments, as well as Steele's celebration.
In honor of Mr Grey's chopper, The Heathman is offering a "Charlie Tango No Limits" add-on package that includes appetizers and white wine at the hotel restaurant for six people, a helicopter tour of Portland, roses for the females, dinner at the hotel and limo transfers.

In response to The Heathman's Facebook post announcing the add-ons

First, a quick brief on the book, the first in the Portland/Seattle-set trilogy by British author E.L. James. As in case you haven't heard of it.
Much like watching a Michael Bay film, you don't read "Fifty Shades" for its smart wordplay or skillfully crafted plot. It is pure, unapologetic smut, dubbed "mommy porn" in honor of the millions of 30-something females reading it.
"Fifty Shades of Grey" features main characters: the young, awkward Anastasia Steele & the dark & brooding Christian Grey.
Steele is an innocent student, Grey an eccentric billionaire with a penchant for S&M. They meet under unlikely circumstances, then have lots & lots of sex in all sorts of different places. Some other stuff happens. The finish.


First up is Hotel Max, which was featured in the book. They have recently launched a brand spanking new "Fifty Shades of Seattle" offer.
"This package brings together all of the only-in-Seattle experiences in the bestselling 'Shades of Grey novels,'" says the hotel's marketing spiel.
"Live out your fantasies with a two-night getaway in an Artist King room on the romantic 8th floor. In the work of your stay, enjoy chauffeured town automobile service, a helicopter tour of the city and a private four-hour skippered sailing tour on Puget Sound with gourmet picnic and a bottle of Bollinger Grande Année Rosé 1999 Champagne, a favourite of Mr. Grey himself."


Another Seattle hotel looking to capitalize on the book is The Edgewater. This is not in the novel, but their "50 Shades Of Romance" package over makes up for it in terms of creativity.
Guests stay in a "Premium Waterside" suite, go on a sailing tour around Puget Sound, knock back a bottle of Bollinger and are even given a map of Seattle sites that appear in the book, which they can check out when they check drive an Audi sports automobile, like the Grey bought Steele in the book. (Well played, Edgewater.)

Floating on the edge of the Judean Desert

Limestone cliffs against the sea. Ocean views are of the top reasons to travel to Bermuda, & the La Serena spa at The Reefs Hotel & Club delivers. The view of the soft pink sand & transparent water are pure Bermuda. Spa guests are even asked to come 30 minutes early to sip herbal tea or fruit-infused water while soaking in the dramatic views of the Atlantic from the floor to ceiling windows of the relaxation room.

Dramatic peaks & glaciers in the Last Frontier. It is hard to find landscape more impressive than Alaska's, & The Spa at Alyeska sits in a valley surrounded by glaciers & the jagged peaks of the Chugach Mountains. Start your trip to the spa (about 45 minutes southeast of Anchorage) by taking it all in from the saltwater hot tub. Then retire to a consultation room, where you can select services that include some of the areas natural resources like arctic mud & geo-thermal waters.
Best Deal: The 50-minute Alaska Glacial Facial makes use of the arctic mudâ said to have anti-aging propertiesâ to exfoliate & detoxify skin ($129). 1000 Arlberg Ave., Girdwood, Alaska, 907/754-2550, alyeskaresort.com. Treatments from $29.



Desert vistas in Paradise Valley. Spa-goers at the Joya Spa at the Montelucia Resort & Spa in Scottsdale have the best views of the dramatically carved and layered Camelback Mountain from the spa's rooftop pool. Lounge and take in the view before or after your treatment. In the event you require to harness the spiritual traditions of the area, sign up for hypnotherapy, meditation, or Tarot reading. Their list of massages is comprehensive tooâ choose from cranial-sacral to lymphatic treatments.

The Windy City's icons on display. The highrises of Chicago have some fabulous views: bridges over the Chicago River, the Loop, or Lake Illinois. The Spa at the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago overlooks it all. Guests are encouraged to arrive 45 minutes before their appointment to take in that view (and spend time in the sauna). This is a Trump property, so expect some seriously over-the-top touches like treatments using gemstone-infused oils (including the $300 Revitalizing Rubies Massage, said to stimulate creativity).

The sea greets the mountains outside Cape Town. It is hard to select which view is better: the rolling ocean or the majestic mountains that give The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa its name. The spa itself is surrounded by the wilderness of Table Mountain National Park, and the ocean sounds usually piped in at spas are actually the waves lapping against the golden sand here. Take your treatment in the shaded open-air mountain gazebos or try Arabic cleansing in the steam of the Rasul Chamber or a Hydrotherapy Capsule Bath.

The UK government's trading and competition authority,

Booking fees, baggage charges and a host of optional service fares are now common industry practice. Baggage fees were last year worth over $3.3 billion to the American aviation industry, while fees for reservation changes netted U.S. airlines $2.38 billion in 2011, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
As a result, ticket prices that originally appear nice value quickly rise one time an array of additional expenses are factored in to the equation.
"Additional fees for things like baggage allowance and chair choice can be above and beyond what it costs the airline (to offer these services)," says Chris Grey, deputy editor of UK-based consumer journal Which?


Most budget airlines now charge customers for items of non carry-on luggage. With the large majority of established airline industry players, item of baggage (up to a positive weight) & over on is allowed before a fee is incurred.
 U.S. airlines, Spirit & Allegiant, have recently begun to charge passengers for carry-on cases.
According to Grey, these kinds of policies are immensely frustrating for consumers who have over bag or an item of luggage deemed large for the plane cabin.
On top of that "many people have told us they mistrust the airlines' weighing systems," they adds.
John Heimlich retorts that these fees give customers more choice & could actually save them money. If customers weren't given the choice to pay for baggage requirements separately then this additional cost would automatically be added to the cost of the ticket, they says.


he UK government's trading & competition authority, the Office of Fair Trading, last week ruled that debit card surcharges must be included in the headline cost of flights.
Budget carriers including Ryanair & Whizz Air have since agreed to adjust their online booking policies to reflect this. But elsewhere the practice remains.
See also: No bag? Then airlines ought to refund fees
Flexing the plastic on Australia's Jetstar adds an additional $8.60 to flight prices, while a similar transaction with Air Asia costs $6 in card-usage fees.
Prominent industry players such as British Airways ($7) & Air France ($7) meanwhile charge for those using credit cards to make online reservations.

Some brand and boutique hotels offer fitness equipment in some of their guestrooms

a bad hotel room can ruin anyone's trip, but when you are travelling on business, the stakes are even higher. If it is not up to par or presents plenty of distractions, you may not be able to finish that giant presentation or you might not be rested for that important client meeting.

To help you avoid these pitfalls, they consulted with Doug Peckham, who, after an extensive career working in hotels & resorts from Philadelphia to Puerto Rico, now oversees the stately Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa in Dallas. Located minutes from the offices of major corporations such as Cinemark, Merrill Lynch & Southwest Airlines, the historic Stoneleigh attracts a significant business clientele, & Peckham knows what those travelers require.
"A failed business trip may lead to no less than a threat to job security," said Peckham, "so it is important to do a small bit of research prior to committing to your hotel choice."


Smoking rooms. Although smoking rooms are becoming more rare, it can be annoying to find yourself in a smoking room in case you check in late & they are the only rooms obtainable. Another potential pitfall to keep away from are rooms in a hotel recently converted to nonsmoking. The lingering smoke can permeate every fabric & is very hard to eradicate. Be prepared to point this out to the front table staff & request an alternate room if obtainable or have the hotel provide an air cleaner unit, which plenty of hotels have on hand unbeknownst to guests.
-- Watch out for hotels that permit pets. Although it is fashionable for high-end & boutique hotels to accommodate travelers with pets, the wear & tear on furnishings, as well as the pet dander & pet accidents, can quickly damage a room. & you don't require to attend your next business meeting in a suit covered with pet hair.

Many hotels are configuring a portion of their guestrooms with specific "high-productivity" arrangements such as multiline speaker/conference rings, fax/copy machines, secure Web access for high security (government employees often need this) and expanded workspaces. Connectivity dataports that permit plug-and-play functionality to flat-screen monitors and TVs using laptops and iPads to review or display presentations and other media in-room are also often obtainable.

A fire severely damaged the historic Brooks House hotel and much of the town's Main Street

Mention Vermont & the mind fills with images of bucolic farms & snow-covered mountains. Crime novelist Archer Mayor, who also works as a death investigator for Vermont's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner & as a detective for the Windham County (Vermont) Sheriff's Office, sees those things & others. His police detective protagonist Joe Gunther is over likely to gaze out at the Connecticut River near Brattleboro & discover a body floating on the surface, as was the case in Mayor's 2007 novel "Chat."
Brattleboro, Joe Gunther's home turf, embraces its position as Vermont's fictional crime middle & the whole state of Vermont embraces Archer Mayor. At 12 Vermont Welcome Centers, including Guilford on I-91 near Brattleboro & Williston North & South on I-89 between Montpelier & Burlington, a brand spanking new lending library program lets visitors pick up a print or audio edition of an Archer Mayor novel to enjoy while they travel & to return when they are done. Lodging packages with an Archer Mayor/mystery fiction theme are available in Brattleboro, Burlington, North Bennington & Waterbury. The Brattleboro Literary Festival takes place in October.
The past year has not been kind to Brattleboro. A fire severely damaged the historic Brooks House hotel & far of the town's Main Street, & rains from Hurricane Irene flooded the downtown area. But Vermont's natural beauty remains unblemished.


We can thank Sweden for the current popularity of crime fiction tours; the country is rife with them. Even the attractive, small fishing village of Fjällbacka in the Bohuslän region of West Sweden, which usually sees its population drop to one,000 individuals in the off-season, now receives a steady of flow of visitors who need to see the locations mentioned in Camilla Läckberg's best-selling Erica Falck novels, beginning with "The Ice Princess."
Henning Mankell's Inspector Kurt Wallander is resentful about working in Ystad, a little city in the Skåne region of southern Sweden that he considers a backwater. Yet visitors now flock to Ystad from all over the world for the "In the Footsteps of Wallander" self-guided tour. (You can follow the route by map or by app.) The tours feature locations from the books and from both the Swedish and British TV series based on them.

With Rubenstein's donation and congressional funds that were approved in December,

The service said that immense scaffolding will be needed for the outside repair work, which will take 12 to 18 months to complete. Some of the repair work will include sealing cracks, removing loose pieces of stone & repairing joints.
"The challenge is most of those cracks are at the top portion of the monument & the ability to get workers up there to successfully repair it requires a major scaffolding work," said Bob Vogel, superintendent of the National Mall & Memorial Parks. "The monument is in lovely shape. It is going to be here for years to come, but in order to safely permit visitors to get up to the top, they must make those repairs."
At least nine of the marble panels on the outside near the top are cracked, according to a post-earthquake assessment. Others are chipped but not in danger of falling, the document said.
About 700,000 visitors go to the top of the monument in a typical year, Vogel said.
"It's disappointing," they said. "I listen to from people everyday asking how they can get in to it."


Indoor repairs are also necessary. Some interior tie beams as well as some cracked panels will be fixed.
A pedestrian walkway will be redirected to make room for a temporary road for construction vehicles.
The five.8-magnitude earthquake may have also caused the structure to sink a small.
In September, the monument was declared structurally sound by engineers.

Smartphones and tablets also give you access to a new generation of apps,

while you are getting your children pumped up for their park visit, you also must manage their expectations. Take the time to prepare them emotionally for the huge trip, suggests George Scarlett, a professor of developmental psychology at Tufts University. A theme park is awash in eye sweet that can check kids' self-control, preschoolers'.
Let them know there's park rules, as there's rules at home. They may require to stand patiently in line before they can board a ride. They are going to likely must wear safety belts or protective gear, and they are going to require to keep their hands and feet inside all attractions. Because lots of rides have maximum height restrictions, make sure they understand which of them will be off-limits to them.


because a park features a castle doesn't mean you ought to must pay a king's ransom for fundamentals like water, snacks, sunscreen and bandages.
"Never buy anything in a theme park you can buy outside the park," says Niles.
In case you worry about things like food spills, cuts, disagreeable weather and meltdowns, by all means do some schlepping. Bring packaged snacks, wet wipes, Ziploc bags, a modify of garments, disposable rain ponchos, sunscreen, bug repellent, water bottles, a tiny first-aid kit, tiny toys, coloring books and glow-in-the-dark sticks and necklaces (which the parks sell at dusk but they charge a fortune).
And while we are obsessing over details, don't forget to pin your name and mobile phone number to the inside of your kids' clothes and make sure your relatives wears closed-toe shoes to the park. You don't need your tiny one's flip-flops flying off on the new Wild Eagle ride at Dollywood.

Some things are obvious: You can economize -- and time -- purchasing park passes online; multiday tickets will usually bring the per-day cost down. But some seemingly high-priced offers -- such as park combo deals and annual passes -- can actually save you a bundle.
A season pass to Six Flags, for example, gets you in to all 13 of the company's theme parks for the year. (In case you choose to get an annual pass while you are at a park, you can usually upgrade your ticket right on the spot.) Be sure to follow a park on Twitter or Facebook, so you'll be alerted to flash promotions -- last-minute offers that can include discounted nighttime attendance, buy-one-get-one-free deals and savings on meals or souvenirs.

Buterbaugh urged motorists to take precaution when driving in excessive heat

With temperatures expected to be near the 100-degree mark and extreme heat advisories in at least 15 states, officials are warning drivers to take precautions before heading out.
"Take water with you on your trip," said Jeff Cranson of the Michigan Department of Transportation, warning drivers to make preparations in case of an emergency that could force them to walk a significant distance in the extreme heat if their car breaks down.
Geoff Sundstrom of the Delaware Department of Transportation recommended that drivers have their car batteries tested if they are more than three years old.
"Heat is the number one killer of batteries, not the cold," Sundstrom said.
Meanwhile, the sweltering temperatures from Wisconsin to the Atlantic seaboard have forced state and local road crews into action repairing streets and roadways buckling under the intense heat. Pavement expands in the heat, and cannot contract if it does not cool down enough overnight.


"Typically they see most of our road failures on secondary roads versus highways," said Man Tridgell of the Los angeles Department of Transportation. Water drainage is better on highways than side-streets, & highways are made to handle a substantially higher volume of traffic & are less susceptible to extreme temperatures, according to Tridgell.
Mark Giessinger of the Missouri Department of Transportation recommended that drivers who encounter buckled roads slow down & use caution before calling the appropriate DOT authorities in their state.
"Buckling is risky for motorcyclists," said Greg Bilyeu of Virginia's DOT. "VDOT is working with the state materials engineer & the Virginia Transportation Research Council to analyze core samples & check pavement integrity to choose what can lead to buckling. \. These tests may help identify areas that are more susceptible to buckling in the future."
Texas has only seen significant buckle on a major road, on the west side of Detroit, according to Cranson.

Whether you fancy diving deep into the sea, soaring over waterfalls on a helicopter tour

Hands down the best values on visiting Hawaii can be present in May & October. With prices moderately low & the weather at its peak -- not hot, not rainy -- take advantage of the perks of off-season travel to jet off to the islands. Current spring & fall flight deals from the West Coast are half of July rates. Additionally, hotels & condos usually slash their prices off-season, rewarding visitors with oceanfront accommodations that usually sell out in peak months.

Tourists crowd Hawaii's stunning beaches in summer & winter. In the work of school holidays, flight & hotel rates are off the charts -- between Christmas & New Years, condos & holiday rentals can run times as much as rates in early December.


Repeat visitors know to rent a condo. Kitchens, ample square footage, washing machines & privacy afford travelers a more authentic (& often less pricey) holiday experience. It is common for numerous companies to manage individual units in the same complex, meaning property may be decked out by a globetrotting interior decorator, while another may be awash in wicker. Be sure to see images of the particular condo you are interested in & get specifics on the number & configuration of beds.

While each island has its own character, it is pricey (& exhausting) to island-hop the whole archipelago on holiday. Inter-island flights usually run between $70-$140 each way & most travel to Oahu, so in the event you require to get from Kauai to the Large Island, you might must cease in Honolulu & fundamentally pay the equivalent of inter-island flights each way.

Each region on each island has its own flavor. The north & east sides of the islands are more tropical, while the south & west regions offer sunnier skies as well as a more arid landscape. In lieu of island hopping, break your trip up by staying in an opulent hotel within walking distance of a sunny south shore beach & then cozy up in a rental house near the more tropical (read: rainy) north shore. In the event you require to island-hop on the cheap, Maui offers ferry service to Lanai & Molokai.

Another reader also votes for the Polynesian Cultural Center

And the luau was topic in the stream of suggestions CNN.com commenters offered for making the most of a trip to the Aloha State.
Here are a quantity of the tips. Agree or disagree? Share your thoughts below.
Luau
DO NOT skip the luau, say multiple commenters, in response to author's advice to give it a miss.
"Shame on you. Don't go to a luau? For goodness sake, how else can tourists connect with even a tiny part of Hawaiian culture?" asked a commenter with the handle Stanley Steamer.
"Just try to find given by a church or as a fundraiser for a community organization -- it will be authentic," commenter Etian said.
"If you need to go to a mainstream luau, try the Elderly Lahaina Luau on Maui or our second choice, the Polynesian Cultural Center's on Oahu," sankoji02 added.
Another reader also votes for the Polynesian Cultural Middle, writing, "It's equal part comedy act, culture museum and hands on activities like learning to hula, playing native games, crafts, etc."


DO NOT leave your property unattended on popular beaches in Honolulu, "not even long to dip your toes," cautioned reader James C Grey. Another commenter, Kolohegirl, agrees with this advice, in Waikiki, but added, "This is NOT true on the outer islands. You can definitely take a dip away from your stuff and it will still be there when you get back."
DO skip Waikiki altogether, some commenters say. "Avoid the 'famous' beaches like Waikiki," wrote commenter Henry Miller, who makes use of the tagline "professional curmudgeon."
"I lived on Oahu for plenty of years and found the northern and western beaches to be a whole lot less crowded as well as a whole lot more pleasant."
Adventures
DO check out the free-to-watch surfing contests in late November and December, Lise Quinn recommends.
DO take a night dive with the manta rays in Kona on the Huge Island, commenter ProfLogie advises. "Even in case you can only snorkel it is like a scene from another planet. Surreal."
DO ride or drive along the road to Hana. Be warned: The legendary route to the historic town on Maui's eastern coast has 620 curves.
DO NOT forget to cease along the way to Hana (it is going to help stave off automobile illness). Kolohegirl girls suggests taking a hike or having a picnic overlooking the waterfalls. "This is mistake the tourists always make -- thinking that they must jam to Hana. The road to Hana IS the adventure."
DO try parasailing. "Go as high as they can take you, it is the best thing in the world," a commenter with the handle AndreaMilnes wrote. "I've been doing it off Kona since I was one time tiny."

As the Airbus A-320 was climbing out of New York's Kennedy International Airport

A federal judge in Amarillo, New york, made the determination Tuesday after a psychologist testified that pilot Clayton Frederick Osbon "suffered from a extreme mental disease or defect that weakened his ability" to understand his actions.
Judge Mary Lou Robinson found that Osbon committed the offense of interfering with a flight crew, but they judged him to be not guilty by reason of insanity & ordered him to be held pending further examination. Osbon was ordered immediately transported to a "low-security" federal jail in Fort Worth, New york.
Pilot breakdown draws attention to mental health standards
"We don't have a comment. They are going to let the technique play out. They continue to support Osbon & his relatives," said Alison Croyle, a JetBlue Airways spokeswoman.
Osbon, 49, was charged following a March 27 incident on a JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas. Early in that flight, the plane's co-pilot became concerned about Osbon's weird behavior, according to an FBI affidavit.


The co-pilot became further concerned when Osbon said "things don't matter" and when he yelled over the radio to air traffic controllers.
At point, Osbon said "We're not going to Vegas."
Concerned by Osbon's erratic behavior, the co-pilot suggested that they invite an off-duty JetBlue captain in to the cockpit. In lieu, Osbon "abruptly left the cockpit to go to the forward toilet," the affidavit said.
The co-pilot used the chance to get the off-duty pilot in to the cockpit and lock the door.
When Osbon tried to enter his code in to the cockpit door, the co-pilot announced over the public address process an order to restrain Osbon. Several passengers brought Osbon down, according to the affidavit and to passengers on the plane.

Some lessons have already being learned. Costa is introducing new rules about safety briefings

As they closed in, the giant scale of the cruise ship became clear. It was like taking a look at an apartment block lying in the sea: a ship, yes, but everything about its orientation was wrong. They lay on her side, the hull obscenely exposed to our widening eyes. The ferry passed within a couple hundred feet as they entered the main port of Giglio Island and the sizable chunk of rock, the size of a automobile, could clearly be seen embedded in her hull.
Over the next weeks, I spent a giant part of every day staring at the wreck -- and yet still it surprised me. Each morning my crew and I would descend the vertiginous road from our hotel, round a sharp bend and there was this colossal ship on her side. From the top of the island, the Costa Concordia looked exactly like a bath-time toy, carelessly capsized by a kid's hand. But this surreal tableau was etched in epic proportions.
Now that the frantic first reports of what happened are behind us, CNN has built up a way more comprehensive view of what went wrong, thanks to documents, congressional testimony and interviews with dozens of specialists, crew members, witnesses and passengers.


What they found will be unsettling for somebody who has taken or is thinking of taking a cruise: allegations of inadequate safety briefings & chaos in the minutes after the collision; a captain who failed to sound a general alarm for  an hour, meaning vital, lifesaving assemblies at lifeboat stations did not take place; & a crew that felt unable to act without clear orders from their captain.
In some cases, lifeboats were unable to be launched because by the time the general alarm finally sounded at ten:48 p.m., the ship was leaning over far to permit the lifeboats to launch.


Computers that monitor the ship's stability were also compromised. CNN's documentary team obtained outstanding footage from the ship's bridge that exposed Captain Francesco Schettino grappling with a situation that was already out of control. His ship had a hole below the waterline the width of a footy field.
They also found compelling facts that Schettino's decision to "salute" the island of Giglio by sailing riskily close caused the accident, but also that this wasn't the first time the Costa Concordia had sailed within a few hundred yards of the rocks.
Schettino is still awaiting trial on multiple charges of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship. Schettino escaped the ship on a lifeboat while the ship was capsizing. A transcript of his tense exchange with Port Authority officials can be read here, including their order to him to "Get on board, damn it!"
Perhaps the most chilling account of the night in CNN's documentary comes from a relatives on board - Californians Dean and Georgia Ananias and their daughters Valerie and Cindy.

Google Maps or MapQuest and aided by the Global Positioning System (GPS)

Our "direct" route took us on a narrow two-lane road through Central California's hill country, a sparsely populated part of the Golden State. By the time they reached the promised location of the first gas station, the "E" light was glaring at me from the dashboard & they were walking on fumes. But the station was nowhere to be found. That was when they noticed the refineries & realized that our helpful app could not tell the difference between a gas station as well as a fuel processing plant.

Directions offered by smartphone through a mapping service such as Google Maps or MapQuest & aided by the Global Positioning Method (GPS), the satellite-based navigation method that provides location information, have always been a tiny dodgy. But recent advances hold the promise of change.

Google has unveiled what it is calling a "next generation" update to its maps program that will permit it to map off-road locations; a spokesman told me that the company is also making all its directions "more correct." & Apple, maker of the uber-popular iPhone, has announced that it is developing a brand spanking new mapping application that will be obtainable with its latest phone operating method. With leading GPS apps in your smartphone, you'll be able to plot a route with both to see whether they agree; in the event that they don't, you can consult a "real" map or ask for directions.

the North Rim attracts the sort of visitors inclined to linger

The sand beneath our feet is powdery, as soft as talcum. Weather & water have crushed it. There's no rocks & no trees on the dunes' steep slopes, scattered patches of grass. The night winds & dry sand prevent the rest. There's only the fresh footprints of the few people leading the way up the sharp, narrow crest of the dune. The slopes fall away a step on either side.
They must cease to safely gaze across the barren valley at the silhouetted outlines of more towering dunes, set against the now dark but slowly lightening sky. It is difficult in the early morning to see the color. But as the sun slowly rises, for a few more minutes invisible below the horizon, the dunes' rich deep orange-red colors start to emerge.

One dune called "Big Daddy" rises 380 meters, or about a quarter-mile, from its base, soaring above the hardscrabble scrub-brush & acacia-dotted landscape of western Namibia's Namib-Naukluft desert. This area, known as Sossusvlei, is remote, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) south-southwest of the capital, Windhoek, & an equal distance southeast from Walvis Bay. But it is worth the long desert drive. The dunes at Sossusvlei are a natural wonder of the world.


The reason they, and so lots of others, have come here is for the moment minutes away, when the sun will suddenly blast above the fringe of the parched earth, revealing a landscape that is directly starkly stunning, sensationally dramatic and incredibly rare.
Geologists will tell you that Namibia's dunes are built and formed by wind and carved by water. They are believed to be 60 million to 80 million years elderly, made of sand pushed inland over the eons from the coast by Atlantic Ocean winds that sweep onshore 80 kilometers to the west.

The luncheon hosts -- the regional airport, Cape Air and Lambert-St

"To sum it up, they think it is affordable at a flat rate of $49.97 each way, & convenient -- to book for connections in St. Louis, for baggage arrangements, checked all the way through to your final destinations, & for the shuttle, which lets you go through security only one time in Owensboro," said Cape Air's Stacey Putnam Ross, Midwest promotion manager.

The companies received a round trip Cape Air to St. Louis ticket.


The regional airport has a four-year contract with Cape Air to provide Essential Air Service back and forth from Owensboro and St. Louis. That service, which is federally subsidized, targets the business traveler, said Bob Whitmer, manager of the Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport.

Cape Air has been providing every day nonstop air service to St. Louis since December 2011. The provider has charted a 57 percent increase in passengers since May -- from 379 in its inaugural month to 595 in May. And the June number is expected to be 661. Those numbers represent the sum of both directions.

"We've had Allegiant, which is lovely and primarily for the leisure traveler, but they needed someone else for the business traveler," they said.

The luncheon hosts -- the regional airport, Cape Air and Lambert-St. Louis International Airport -- worked with the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce to identify companies whose executives fly often.

The flight time from Owensboro to St. Louis is over hour. Driving to the regional airports takes from hours to three.75 hours depending on the location.

Ross compared Cape Air's round trip ticket cost of $99.94 to the cost of driving to other regional airports using the standard mileage rate for business miles driven. The round trip drive to Louisville is estimated at $196.47; Nashville, $156.51; and St. Louis, $244.20.

that international airport has 60 destinations, said Brian Kinsey, assistant director of promotion and business development in highlighting benefits of flying out of St. Louis.

Dechman said Cape Air may be able to help his company since employees travel back and forth to see customers in the Kansas area.

"The presentation they gave today opened my eyes to the service they have, and I'll return and talk to my company about using it," said Mike Dechman, materials and business travel specialist for Southern Star.

Pompeii can be covered in a day, albeit a full one that will require water bottles and a picnic

While it is no secret that wandering the world by foot is a great way for travelers to economize, lots of are unaware of the world-class jogging tours obtainable around the globe. Lots of of them are bucket-list worthy & free. These categories represent a quantity of my favourite ways to pick jogging tours when I travel.


History: Boston's Freedom Trail is a two 1/2-mile brick jogging trail which leads tourists past 16 nationally-significant sites, including Bunker Hill Monument, the USS Constitution, Elderly North Church, the home of Paul Revere and Faneuil Hall, among others. The historical district in New Orleans known as the Italian Quarter is another world-class location in which to enjoy a free jogging tour. Notable items include the St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square and naturally the architecture present throughout the whole district. The walled city of York, England, basically obtainable from London by train, is worthy of your holiday consideration as well. From the preserved medieval shopping street known as The Shambles to the gothic York Minster cathedral, budget travelers will have lots to see.

Scenery: Few places embrace jogging as a national pastime as much as the United Kingdom. With jogging trails that skirt foamy seashores, network ancient abbeys and traverse the countryside - usually free - it is a clever move to incorporate this part of Europe in to any long-term travel itinerary. For example, the Coast Path in Wales allows active vacationers to walk the shoreline of the whole country, while Scotland features a network of trails known as long distance routes, offering multi-day jogging adventures for those who prefer to serve as their own transportation.

Heritage: When a city's historical district has been designated a world heritage site by UNESCO, it is a safe bet that visiting it on foot will be a memorable part of your holiday itinerary. Bruges, Belgium for example pairs historic European architecture with canals, greenery & traditional Belgian charm. The city of Quito, Ecuador boasts a downtown historical district with wedding-cake-style detail on a variety of buildings, & a every week changing of the guard ceremony that is not to be missed. Then of work, there is the charming Bermuda town of St. George. Featuring picture-perfect European charm on a semi-tropical island complete with costumed historical reenactments & colorful buildings, this is UNESCO heritage site that is not to be missed.