Travel plan idea blog

Vancouver Island vacation experience

I couldn't find any good travel news for you, so I started searching for blogs that were talking travel and found this article on Vancouver Island. It's only part 1 of the vacation experience and more "episodes" are promised.

This one talks about the car ride, the ferry ride (combined it was a 14 hour trip), and the house they stayed in. I wonder if the house was a vacation rental or what. There's also a link to some pictures.

New cruise ships

Seabourn Cruise Line, known for luxury cruises, is adding 2 new ships. NCL is adding new ships. Holland America and Princess are also getting new ships. Here's an article with some details on each ship.

Saving money and making the right decision with vacation rentals

Here's an article where the author stayed in Buenos Aires for a week in a 2 bedroom apartment for $300. Split 2 or 3 ways (or even not split at all), that's a very affordable vacation! The article also warns you about checking the location (most residences are a bit removed from the main tourist attractions after all), and to be sure you can survive without a hotel cleaning person. I thought it was an interesting read.

How do we look?

Bear with me as I try to add a few graphics to make my blog a little more attractive. When I started this blog in January 2004, blogs weren't supposed to be fancy. Plus I had a very small audience.

Now, nearly 3 years later, blogs are usually fancy looking. And this blog must be one of the most popular travel blogs around (over 36,000 different people have visited so far in November). So I've been thinking I need a new image. I'm almost finished getting the pieces together.

Thanks for reading my blog! I'm really happy that a lot of people will see my new design. Hopefully everyone likes it, but please let me know what you think in the comments below.

Beaches Negril Resort & Spa in Jamaica

This Washington Post article suggests that the all-inclusive is a great family vacation destination:

There is, without doubt, something for everyone -- plenty of relaxation for dad, fun games and activities for every family member, steaks and hamburgers to eat and, for mom, the world-class Red Lane Spa and fine-dining choices.

All this and an extraordinary dedication to children -- ensuring that the smallest ones have a vacation as memorable and fun as their older siblings and parents.

For infants and toddlers, the red-shirted Nanny Brigade is constantly prepared to offer its young charges plenty of fun, often with the accompaniment of beloved Sesame Street characters. The beach is kept free of peddlers and beggars.

Since I don't have kids, I'll be heading to one of the adult-only resorts instead.

A dating service's take on niche cruises

Speaking of niche cruises, here's one that must be a bit more exciting than the Macmania cruise. It's a cruise for rich Chinese men and the women who want to date them:

"This really is the most natural way to meet someone because everyone is here for the same reason. Out in the world, you can't just walk up to someone and ask if they're single," said the man, a manager in his late 30s who declined to give his name.

More British couples getting married at sea

Here's an interesting article about how British cruise ships are giving up registry in the UK in favor of Bermuda, primarily so they can offer weddings at sea (which British law does not allow). Reminds me how I had trouble getting married in Italy. I just don't see the point behind laws that tell you where you can get married.

Which 7 "New wonders of the world" are you voting for?

Which 7 attractions are you voting for in the new 7 wonders of the world survey? I haven't decided yet, but some of the wonders seem to lag way behind the others. For me, the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, and the Sydney Opera House are cool, even great. But do they really compare to India's Taj Mahal or Turkey's Hagia Sophia? Anyway, what do you think? Who are you voting for?

Is Sandals trying to destabilize St. Lucia?

Here's one I thought was interesting. Maybe because I used to be in the Political Affairs Club in college or maybe because I once wrote a blog entry about selling Sandals Resorts vacations. Anyway, St. Lucia's attorney-General, Victor La Corbiniere, is claiming that Sandals is trying to destabilize the country by announcing 100 job cuts (services like security are being outsourced) at an inopportune time (election time). Is Sandals playing politics?

Cruise & Holmes dancing in the Maldives

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, currently on a yacht leant to them by the richest man in Australia off the Maldives capital Male have been invited to dance with locals while on their honeymoon.

Love them, hate them, or ambivalent about them, you have to admit that's pretty cool. Getting to meet the locals is what traveling is all about. Government spokesman Mohamed Hussain Shareef said, "People would really love to meet them, show their culture and say 'hello' at the least. People are really curious and they feel they should show some of their culture, especially dancing."

Are volunteer vacations going to get more popular?

This article on a survey about American's travel wishes indicates that volunteer vacations may get more popular in the future:

VOLUNTEER VACATIONS: One-quarter (24%) of travelers said they were currently interested in taking a volunteer or service-based vacation. More than one in ten travelers (11%) said they were MORE interested now compared to five years ago in taking a volunteer or service-based vacation. Interest was strongest among baby boomers, with the largest share (47%) of those interested in taking a volunteer vacation falling into the 35 – 54 year old age range.

I wonder if people are just saying they'd like to do a volunteer vacation or if they will really start booking these vacations. I mean I'm interested, but I haven't done one yet...

Timeshare warnings - reasons not to buy

From broken promises about room quality to rising maintenance fees, to problems exchanging weeks through RCI, here's an article that outlines numerous problems with timeshare ownership. People complain about the big companies like Marriott as well as the little ones.

Here are a few blog entries about timeshares that got some interesting / useful comments:
St. Kitts Mariott Timeshare, reslae timeshare information, should I buy a Marriott timeshare?

Personally, I've been warned by enough people. Even though I know some people who love their Disney timeshare, I don't think I'll ever go timeshare shopping.

Enjoying the holiday and/or travel with family

First, safe travel to those of you going somewhere for Thanksgiving. Strangely I haven't seen too many articles on Thanksgiving travel but here's a weird one that suggests avoiding Thanksgiving in the first half and then offers a few tips on making the holiday a success. It's not my brand of humor but maybe someone else will like it.

Here's an article on how to reduce stress when traveling with kids. I especially like the part about the confiscated peanut butter and jelly sandwich (TSA knew that the peanut butter was safe but with jelly it's hard to be sure).

Speaking of kids, we did get a vacation plan for kids a while back and commenters left us some good tips on traveling with 2-year-old kids.

Encouraging comments on a few old and very old travel posts

In case you missed the Holland America not honoring its advertised prices post, this one is setting a record for most comments on my blog (complaints about Carnival cruises is barely in the lead). Feel free to tell us what you think.

British actress Keira Knightley, the 21-year-old made famous by Pirates of the Caribbean wants an Italian wedding like Tom Cruise had (several comments there as well). "We've already decided to get married in Italy. Tom Cruise is living my dream by marrying in a castle," the actress said. If you have or want to get married in Italy, read or comment on this thread about me trying to get married in Italy.

This one wasn't as popular with commenters, but maybe someone feels like talking about German sausage? Saving money on a cruise is more likely to interest most readers I suppose. If you feel like getting political, there's always Cuba. If you want to feel sad or angry, there were a number of comments on the Jude Jarvis cosmetic surgery in India post.

The newest lifts and ski trails

Here's an article about various ski resorts in North America; it seems that many of them are expanding. Among the ski areas mentioned are Wyoming's Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, California's Northstar-at-Tahoe, the Canyons Resort in Utah, British Columbia's Big White, Oregon's Mt. Bachelor, Colorado's Crested Butte, Steamboat, Deer Valley in Utah, the Canyons, Whistler Blackcomb, Sun Peaks, Silver Star, and the list goes on but you get the idea. A lot of this is about newer and bigger lifts, new trails, and other good stuff for people going skiing this winter.

See also: cool ski accommodations (some of these are really cool in case you missed this post a week or so ago).

Miami vacation itinerary – submission for travel writing contest

Here's one of the last minute submissions to the writing contest I told you about. Enjoy Miami!

All restaurants mentioned here probably require reservations for dinner.

Day 1:

Arrive in Miami and check into The Hotel of South Beach, which is located right where you need to be to enjoy the South beach nightlife. The staff is friendly, the pool is great because you can sip frozen mojitos (or other drinks) in it, and the hotel restaurant is fine. The rooms are bright and cheery and a good value although somewhat expensive at $225.00/night.

After settling in at the hotel, you might as well go out for dinner. Have a steak at 444 Brickell Avenue, The Capital Grille. This will set you back about $50/person but the food is excellent.

Day 2:

You spend the morning in the Lowe Art Museum, located at 131 Stanford Drive in Coral Gables (on the University of Miami campus). The museum isn’t too huge so there’s plenty of time left for an afternoon on the beach. Why else did you get a hotel right by South Beach?

You have dinner in the Duo Restaurant at 1421 S Miami Ave. This is simply the best restaurant in Miami. We save it for the second day so that you experience at least one other good restaurant (the Capital Grille from the day before) while in Miami.

Day 3:

You try a different museum in the morning, something truly different. The World Erotic Art Museum has a few too many penis sculptures, but the Kama Sutra temple carvings from India are educational as are the Victorian hand-painted peek-a-boo boxes. The Beatles poster that shows the famous band without trousers is one of the most popular exhibits.

Your afternoon is spent (as usual) on the beach. You resist the urge to return to Duo Restaurant and instead go to Sheba, an Ethiopian restaurant. Be prepared to eat with your hands and spend $30/person. This is at 4029 N. Miami Ave.

Day 4:

You go to the Miami’s Seaquarium on Virginia Key in Biscayne Bay, a few minutes away from downtown Miami. In addition to the normal aquarium stuff, you see dolphin and sea lion shows.

After your usual afternoon at the beach, you are In the mood for another good steak so you go to Smith & Wollensky. It’s an expensive steak but you’re on vacation and it beats the McDonalds of steakhouses (the Outback of course).

Day 5:

You snuck over to the hotel pool and bar a few times when no one was looking but now you have to go in order to pass the time until your flight. Floating in the warm pool sipping frozen drinks is a fine way to end your Miami vacation.

Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes married in Rome, honeymooning in the Maldives

Tom Cruise got his Italian wedding, although he and Katie Holmes were officially married in LA (the commenter on my previous post wrote about how he did the paperwork in America but the ceremony in Italy so this must be how it's done).

We've got a ton of articles on the Cruise - Holmes wedding. One is cleverly named Marriage Improbable:

AS one might expect from Tom Cruise, it was a production of Hollywood proportions. His wedding to Katie Holmes yesterday in the 15th-century Castle Odescalchi outside Rome had a budget of more than £1.2m, with guest stars including Jennifer Lopez, Jim Carrey, Will Smith and Brooke Shields, a lavish banquet, fireworks and thousands of rose-scented candles.

Then there's the list of celebrities that attended the wedding and a few other details. And here's something that includes a little blurb on their honeymoon in the Maldives.

Holland America's cruise price mistake and alienated passengers

Holland America accidentally sold cabins that normally cost $1,399 on the Noordam from for $849. However anyone who thought they were getting a bargain cruise was wrong. Holland America is demanding more money or allowing the people who bought the cheap cruises to cancel.

One woman paid $1,656.52 for a March cruise on the Noordam. Holland America says she has to pay $1,100 more. The customer had paid in full and received a confirmation.

"This is not a situation we took lightly," says Holland America spokeswoman Rose Abello. "After fully reviewing all the facts, however, our conclusion was that we were not able to offer the mistaken rate." Instead, Holland America is offering a $100 shipboard credit.

I don't know how much Holland America would have lost if they had honored the prices they advertised, but I do think it's bad business to send someone a confirmation and then tell them they are only confirmed if they pay an extra $1,000 or so. Do you think this will hurt Holland America's brand?

Home exchange websites and costs

First, the winter vacation writing contest is over. We didn't get many entries, but I did get a few last minute ones that I'll be publishing over the next few days.

I've written several blog entries about exchanging homes on vacation. You save money on the hotel and you get a home rather than a room. Of course there are a few risks, but the stories you hear in the news are positive ones. If people do have bad experiences they are being pretty quiet for the most part. Anyway, here's some info from an old article about different websites that do home exchanges:

Homelink.org lists one home for $80 a year. Additional listings cost $15 each.

Intervac.us offers a variety of membership options (Web only or catalogue and Web), starting at $78.88 a year.

HomeExchange.com is offering a special $59.95 for one year, and if you don't exchange your home during the first year you get a second year free.

Invented-City.com charges a fee of $50/year and allows you to conduct as many home exchanges during that time as you wish.

If anyone has used another site, please leave a comment!

Spa dentistry near Chicago

This article on a dental spa got me thinking about a few things (warning; this may be one of my least organized blog posts ever). First, this other blog's entry about the qualifications of people working in a spa. It may not matter too much when getting a massage (although with a Thai massage you're practically getting a chiropractic adjustment so that person had better know what they're doing - which by the way reminds me that my wife and I didn't know what we were doing when we got our special massage in China). The point is that when you're getting medical procedures or dental work done, you probably want a real doctor.

And since the dental spa in the article is in the suburbs of Chicago, I figured I might as well introduce my newest site: it's on Chicago sports tourism. This is when I beg you to leave comments about Chicago attractions either here or on my Chicago site itself so that I actually have a few reader reviews on the new site.

Honeymoon, conceptionmoon, babymoon, recoverymoon, petmoon, anniversarymoon, familymoon, divorcemoon

That's the vacationmoon order and here's an article that discusses the cultural implication of all these moons. It's quite interesting:

"To be honest, some of it is tied to marketing by the travel industry, but it's also a reflection of how consumers are now looking at their life stages," says Howard Green, co-founder of MoonRings Inc., a Chicago-based travel firm that specializes in honeymoons and other "moons." The travel industry is leveraging people's emotional connections to the turning points in their lives, he says, "and creating products to help them celebrate those events."

The article doesn't go into too much more detail about culture, but they do give some examples. It's worth a read.

Winter vacation part 2: Lisbon Ohio

Another piece of my winter vacation has fallen into place. In addition to Connecticut, I'll be roleplaying in Ohio from Jan. 5 - Jan. 7. If you've never been to a live action role-playing game before, visit the web site and see if you want to give it a try. If you like LARPing, come meet me in Ohio.

The campsite is in Lisbon Ohio so it looks like I'll be fairly close to Canton (where the pro-football hall of fame is) and Cleveland (where the rock n roll hall of fame is) and Akron (it looks big on the map but is there anything to do there?). Youngstown is another possibility and it has The Butler Institute of American Art (and that has an excellent collection of American, including Native American, art). I could also visit Pittsburgh if there's something to do there.

Does anyone have any advice for me about where to visit around Lisbon and how to stay warm (I'll be sleeping in heated cabins but will be outside much of the day and a large portion of the night)?

Interesting accommodations for your winter ski vacation

I really enjoyed this article. Let me summarize some of the different accommodations and if you want more details follow the link and read the article.

One of the places they mention: "the cabins at Strawberry Park Hot Springs eight miles from Colorado's Steamboat Ski Resort.... Earth-heated water fills three rock-lined pools in a forest setting of stream, boulders and snow. It's like soaking in a scene from a Sierra Club calendar..."

If you're going to Mount Hood, an hour's drive east of Portland, Timberline Lodge is a publicly owned ski-in/ski-out lodge: "Opening in 1937, Timberline began as a Great Depression employment project for out-of-work craftspeople.... The resulting structure, filmed as the outdoor backdrop for The Shining, looks worthy of a national park."

In Huntington, Vermont On the Loose Yurts is a few minutes from Mad River Glen and Sugarbush Resort: "a modern yurt is a tent-like structure whose circular shape and conical roof make it resemble a colossal cupcake. Foil-laminate walls stretch over a folding latticework frame, spoke-like rafters support the roof, and an acrylic apex dome creates a skylight. With a well-stoked fire, it can easily reach 80 degrees inside in even the coldest climate."

In Colorado, a half-hour's drive from the Winter Park Ski Resort, C Lazy U Guest Ranch turns wrangler fantasies into Western realities: "Shuttles leave three times daily for the ski areas. Those opting not to go downhilling can choose from an array of other free, on-ranch activities that include sleighing, sledding, ice-skating, cross-country skiing and horseback riding."

The place that I want to stay at is California's Fantasy Inn in South Lake Tahoe. The basic rooms are fine, but the 15 theme rooms ($179-$399) that set the place apart: "One can go from downhilling to decadence in the Anthony and Cleopatra Room, complete with its marbled columns, black- and gold-draped walls and tiger-striped carpet. There is the Romeo and Juliet Room with fireplace, sunken spa and circular bed set in a mirrored alcove. The Elvis-inspired Graceland Room offers a guitar-shaped coffee table and heart-shaped spa, while the cowboy-style Western room has rocking chairs and saddle. Add in the Tropical Treehouse, Arabian Nights, Sultan's Tent, Caesars Indulgence, Mystic Mountain, Marie Antoinette, Penthouse, Rainforest, Tahoe and Romans rooms, and guests can find a setting to indulge nearly any flight of fancy.

''People will stay here a week and change rooms every day,'' says employee Robert Matsumoto. "They come back from skiing, get new keys and they're all set.''

Lastly we have Quebec's Ice Hotel near the ski areas of Stoneham, Le Massif and Mont-Sainte-Anne: "Overnight guests slumber in sleeping bags atop pelt- and pad-insulated ''mattresses'' of ice. Basic rooms feature unadorned walls and few furnishings. More exciting are the annually changing theme suites featuring frigid fantasies of art and architecture. Previous motifs have included a King Tut-adorned Pharaoh fantasia, an Eiffel-towered Parisian parlor and a voodoo-haunted Shaman suite."

Aitutaki South Pacific travel experience

Before talking about the Aitutaki South Pacific travel experience, let me remind you that the travel writing contest deadline is November 15th. I just received two more submissions which I'll hopefully publish over the next couple of days. Get me your submissions before the 16th (as long as it still Nov. 15 somewhere in the world, you're OK) for consideration.

Aitutaki South Pacific travel experience

Here's a really helpful article for anyone who wants to vacation in Aitutaki, an island in the South Pacific. The author shares his experience and gives specific advice on where to stay, where to eat, where to rent a motor scooter, where to rent a kayak, where to get a cruise around the islands, when to go, etc.

The author thinks the 17.5 hour flight from LA was well worth it:

Traveling to Aitutaki last summer, I spent 11 days on this remote island that sits in the corner of a glistening lagoon surrounded by a handful of smaller islands called "motus." For honeymooners and those looking to get away from it all, Aitutaki provides the perfect haven.

What I really like is that the author gives us enough information to start planning our own Aitutaki vacations to see if he is correct or not.

Getting married in Italy is hard (What Tom Cruise has in common with me)

Like my wife and I wanted five years ago, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes want to travel to Italy for their wedding ceremony. Like we had five years ago, Cruise and Holmes are finding that getting married in Italy is hard. It seems that Cruise has 2 problems. First, the church doesn't want a divorced scientologist getting married there. Second, there's a paperwork issue: "I don't think it (the wedding) will be legal,'' the town's mayor, Patrizia Riccioni said. "On an Italian level, there are papers and documents that we certainly don't have (for a wedding).''

The second problem is the same one my wife and I had 5 years ago. I called the Italian embassy, and they wanted my birth certificate translated into Italian and with some sort of official seal. So I call New York State and tell them what I need.

"We don't do that," said New York. In other words, I couldn't get an official birth certificate translated into Italian. I spent a week calling people who would talk to me for free (if I had money I would have just hired a lawyer to take care of it all). I ended up not getting married in Italy...

Has anyone here had an Italian wedding? How did you do it? How were you able to make arrangements?

Here's a glowing review of a Disney Cruise

Here's a very positive article on Disney cruise lines. The author likes the destination, the service, and the ship itself (clean and entertaining). Personally, I had never considered a Disney cruise until I read about the adult beach on Castaway Cay and the adult pool on the ship. I don't have kids and if I spend too much time near them I go crazy...

Movie tourism in Italy: Casino Royale, Star Wars, and more

Here's an interesting blog entry on an Italian vacation that involved lots of movie-related attractions. I'm not talking about the famous places in Rome, but I am talking about places like Villa Balbianello on Lake Como (scenes in the upcoming Casino Royale were shot there). And places like Reggia Caserta where palace grounds, the waterfall, and buildings were used for the coronation scene in Star Wars: Episode One (computer modifications changed the look quite a bit apparently).

Anyway, for some interesting movie tourism ideas in Italy, follow the link above.

How to travel free or at least real cheap

I've been meaning to blog this CNN article for about a week or two so it's a little old. Still good though. It talks about different ways to travel free or cheap. One I've talked about a lot on this blog - home exchanges.

Some of the others are more unique. One was something a friend of mine wanted to try in high school - a driveaway. Here, you drive someone else's car because they can't get the car where it needs to be themselves. One experienced driveaway vacationer was inspired by one of my favorite books:

Ever since reading Jack Kerouac's On the Road in college, Jankiewicz has volunteered for driveaway duty whenever he could. A driveaway situation arises when a car owner needs his vehicle moved to a new location and either can't or doesn't want to do the driving. Rather than pay to ship the car, the owner signs his ride up for a driveaway program -- essentially giving a free car rental to a volunteer. "You encounter places you never knew existed, and meet people with the most interesting stories," says Jankiewicz. "It's cheaper than any other kind of travel. No one believes this even exists anymore."

Other free vacation ideas include hospitality exchanges, volunteering to work on a farm, getting involved with a rotary club or sister city program, or becoming a hiking trail volunteer. By the way I worked on a hiking trail during my one month as a boy scout and it is hard work.

Procreation ski vacation (Jackson Hole Skiing in Wyoming)

Yesterday I blogged about a few procreation vacation ideas. Today I found another one: Teton Mountain Lodge special offers page has a Procreation ski vacation:

Travel packages that pamper newly pregnant couples are the buzz, but what about folks who want to set the stage appropriately when they're trying to start a new family? That's certainly one of life's great adventures, and what better way to set the tone for a new adventure than with, well, adventure? Along with skiing or snowboarding and a dogsled trip into a romantic backcountry hot springs, the Lodge's Procreation Ski Vacation attends to the details of romance to make sure the mood is right - a couple's massage treatment, an in-room candlelit dinner for two, champagne and chocolates on arrival. In 20 years, you can pass along that your child was conceived in Jackson Hole. Or not.

Four nights in a Sundance Junior Suite with a fireplace and dining area.
Two days of skiing for two at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
Dogsled trip to Granite Hot Springs.
Couples spa treatment at the Teton Mountain Lodge Spa.
Candle-lit dinner for two made to order by Cascade Grill House served on your night of choice in the your room.
Chilled champagne and chocolates in your room on arrival.
The Procreation Ski Vacation starts at $950 per person (based on two-person occupancy

Offered Dates: Dec 02 to April 08, 2007
Prices vary according to dates of stay and does not include tax or resort fee.

What is this place? I had to look it up myself. Teton Mountain Lodge is a slopeside mountain resort for people skiing at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. This is a luxury hotel with ski-in convenience just steps away from the gondola. The breath-taking wilderness of Grand Teton National Park is also less than 1 mile away.

What is a MacMania cruise like?

Well after talking about specialty cruises, people asked about ones for singles and ones for pets. I haven't found any for pets. There are plenty of singles cruises, but I'm married so haven't felt like researching them yet. I've been too embarrassed to go looking for the swinger cruises someone asked about but I'll work up some courage one day soon. But here's an interesting one: a cruise for people who use Mac computers. I don't, but people keep recommending them to me.

Anyway, the cruise sounds good. I'm not sure how much time I would really spend in the classroom, but here's a cool excerpt:

As part of the hike, we climbed a lookout tower with amazing views of the Rio Dulce, Lake Izabal, and the Guatemalan countryside; we could even see the neighboring country of Belize in the distance. Just below the lookout was a small rubber/latex plantation where we learned about latex being farmed.

Get pregnant in style on a procreation vacation

Where do you go for a procreation vacation? Try Chesapeake Bay, the Caribbean, or Singapore:

The Westin Grand Bahama's package, which incorporates traditional Caribbean fertility treatments like thrice-daily doses of sea moss (the Caribbean's version of Viagra) crumpled into evaporated milk, starts at $1,893.

If funky mossy milk concoctions don't do it for you, the 'Birds and the Bees' package at the Five Gables Inn & Spa on Chesapeake Bay invites reproducers to enjoy a two-night stay, a couples massage, oysters and wine, a pair of heart print boxers and a Barry White CD for about $810.

Procreators with $1800 and the desire to get busy on a ship can book a trip to be ferried to a romantic island on Singapore sex guru Dr. Wei Siang Yu's "Love Boat."

Florida vacation deals: Miami, Disney, and more

A few days ago I was busy blogging about lines in Disney (thank you for the comments on that one) and Port Orleans vs. Caribbean Beach (again, we got some very useful comments). Today we have a nice range of Florida vacation deals. Deals include St. Augustine, Miami Beach, the Florida Keys, Daytona Beach, and Disney.

Toward the end are some deals for Hawaii, the Netherlands, Maine, and Provo in Turks and Caicos.

NASCAR infield party at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama

I used to travel to folk festivals for the partying that happened in the campground but I don't think I've experienced anything quite like a Talladega NASCAR infield party. 250,000 NASCAR fans come to a rural town of 15,000 people. According to the author he was the only non-white person out of these 250,000 people.

The author (an Asian guy who writes for Giant Robot - see below) was impressed by the friendly people offering food and beer and the women showing their breasts (the author calls this "a less talked about side of the famous southern hospitality").

However, he seems less impressed with the grandmother who high-fives him when her 15-year-old granddaughter shows a bunch of old drunk men her breasts (after dancing in her underwear for a while men yelled at her to take her shirt off), when 13 year-old girls posing for pictures ask if they should pose with their tops on or off, or when a father convinces his daughter to flash some guy in exchange for a free drink (the father got the drink, not the daughter who had to do the flashing).

I've never been to a NASCAR race, but are the infield parties as bad as the author describes in terms of underage nudity? If you've experienced this, is it safe to bring your family to a NASCAR race? Perhaps most people go enjoy the race while a few wack jobs leer at the under 18-year-olds? I guess I' asking what's it like?

Giant Robot magazine

The only reason I can write this blog is because a friend gave me a magazine called Giant Robot for my birthday. It seems to be an Asian magazine written in English and mostly about modern art. But there's an article by Doug Kim about what he observed in Talladega. This was basically the only travel article in issue 43, October 2006.

Related articles: Spa and the Belgian Grand Prix (Formula One), the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Richard Petty racing experience (takes you to another site).

Active & adventure travel ideas

Here's an article with some interesting statistics on active and adventure travel. Scroll past the statistics and you see some travel ideas:

Whistler Heli-skiing (ski runs beyond the ski lifts of Whistler and Blackcomb).

TerraTrek (packages ranging from kayaking to bicycling, camping to staying in inns along the way).

Boundless Journeys (hiking on the Olympic Peninsula or kayaking about the San Juan Islands).

Mountain Trek Fitness Retreat and Health Spa (weight-loss programs, yoga, supervised fasting, spa cuisine and massage).

Green Valley Spa and Tennis Resort (hike, walk, meditate, take fitness classes, play tennis, and learn how to eat better).

The Aspen Club & Spa (mind and body wellness retreats with indoor or outdoor fitness).

I've abbreviated these quite a bit. If any sound interesting go to the article I'm linking to and get some more information, including contact information for each company.

Vacation deals for Hawaii, Bahamas, Bali, Ireland, and more

This USA Today article talks about some nice island vacation travel deals:

Four nights in the Bahamas from $299
Five nights in Hawaii from $433
Seven nights at an all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic from $569
Three nights in Ireland from $499
Seven nights in Singapore and Bali from $799
Six nights in Tahiti from $1,198
Eight nights in the Greek Isles from $1,299
Seven nights in New Zealand from $1,399

Slovak Tourist Authority unhappy about Hostel and now Hostel 2

Apparently Eli Roth has created a very disturbing horror movie. Horror movie buffs love Hostel, but the Slovak Tourist Authority hates it. The movie is about tourists being tortured in Bratislava:

Eli Roth, the writer and director of last year's in-your-face horror hit Hostel, got himself a pile of hate mail from Slovakia after shooting the film in these parts. This time around, someone just may try to run him over.

I probably won't watch this movie but they say it is far more violent than "soft" American horror movies.

Disney's Port Orleans or Caribbean Beach Resort: which is better?

I have a friend going on a business trip to Disney World for IBM's Lotusphere 2007 from January 20-25 (that's when lines are short in Disney World). He can stay at Disney's Port Orleans and at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. He wants some advice about which one to stay at. I've collected some comments from friends, but feel free to add your own comments if you've stayed at Port Orleans or Caribbean Beach Resort.

One person who just stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort last month called the rooms "OK" and the resort "decent." The Caribbean Beach was "fine, same category as Port Orleans."

Someone who has stayed at both calls Port Orleans "a smaller, and thus quieter resort than the Caribbean Beach Resort. There are 2 Port Orleans resorts, the French Quarter, and the Riverside. Both are very nice. The Caribbean Beach resort is also one of the largest resorts on Disney property, so if you use Disney's bus transportation to get around, it will take a little longer. The Port Orleans is a little nicer, with a better selection of food. Also, the Port Orleans resorts are closest to Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island. Caribbean Beach is closest to Epcot and Disney-MGM Studios.

Another person, someone who has stayed only at Port Orleans says it's "beautiful, the rooms are nice - we stayed there because it's one of the few resorts with rooms for 5 - they have a nice ferry service to Downtown Disney too. This is a really cool boat ride to Downtown Disney. One hint - if you stay there, walk to the lobby bus stop when embarking to the parks in the morning - Port Orleans has several stops, and the buses bypass them once they're full, which leads to many people waiting at the end of the line."

Another friend recommended staying at Port Orleans in May when the Magnolia trees bloom: "One of the best-smelling places I've ever been in. Next time we go, I'll make it a 2-week trip. One week was too hectic - really exhausting."

One person who can't stand the bus system says you're better off staying at a resort with monorail service: Caribbean Bay does have a cool beach theme, obviously, and some good pools. The restaurant fare is mostly American (burgers, pizza). At first, you have to really watch the bus schedule so you know which one to grab and don't end up riding in circles on the wrong bus. Sometimes, the bus will maddeningly pass right by a stop you want to get off on, so don't assume anything. If we had it to do over again, we'd stay at a monorail-connected resort like the Polynesian. LOTS of time was wasted riding the buses, and it's not worth it for a vacation."

Some other related blog entries: Disney resort experiences and recommendations, Recommended Disney hotels, Diseney Magic European Cruise 2007 dates, 10 days in the Tampa Bay Area with Orlando side trip, Disney timeshares at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Halloween at Disney's Magic Kingdom.

When are the lines short in Disney World?

I've heard from a couple of people who say that the best time to go to Disney World is January/early February. You can avoid the big crowds and one person claims to have done the entire park in one day using the fastpass ticketing system. However I was warned that Disney World hours are shorter during this time and that they often choose this time to randomly close rides for maintenance. When did you go to Disney World and how were the crowds / lines?

St. Kitts Mariott timeshares

St. Kitts is a Caribbean island with good temperatures year-round, great beaches, lava formations, tropical forest, and lagoons. It's bot too crowded and has done well preserving its ecosystem, which makes nature treks on the island and scuba diving popular.

St. Kitts also has great Colonial architecture in Basseterre (the capital). A new Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI) resort is being opened about 10 minutes away from Basseterre and the Saint Kitts Robert Bradshaw International Airport.

Royal St. Kitts Marriott Resort should not overcrowd the island, with 88 two and three bedroom villas ready for owners in January 2007. Marriott timeshares aren't cheap: 1 week will cost you from $16, 400 to $69, 500. I wonder how that compares with the new Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge timeshares. There are some good comments here on resale timshares and timshare ownership in general.

Ghost hunting vacations around the world

A few days ago I wrote about a few haunted mansions, bars, and churches. Today in my email I had a guest article on ghost hunting organizations. I guess the thinking is you can travel within the US or take one of those offseason deals to Europe and tour a haunted castle or something on vacation. People visit castles on vacation all the time - ghost hunting in a castle might be a little less touristy. Anyway, here's the guest article:

In the past, ghost hunters were thought to be abnormal and people were very leery of their findings and adventures. Today there are numerous ghost-hunting organizations throughout the world that are increasing in members on a regular basis.

With so many different ghost hunting organizations out there, it is impossible to list them all but here is just a preview of what is available for those who have an interest in hunting for the ghosts that haunt us. There is the International Ghost Hunters Society that claims to have completed over 1,500 investigations into the sightings of ghosts and the places they haunt. You can locate a ghost hunting organization in almost every state. For example: The Utah Ghost Hunters Society, Philadelphia Ghost Hunters Alliance, Ghost Hunters of Southern Michigan, New Jersey Ghost Hunters, and countless others.

There are also numerous places around the world that offer ghost hunts for those of us that would like something different for our next vacation. Pengersick Castle is located in Cornwall in the United Kingdom. It is said to be haunted by many ghosts including murder victims that died in the tower, as well as a monk that was killed by Henry Pengersick in the 14th century, and even children that were reported to have died in the castle.

Tours and ghost hunts of the Pengersick Castle can be taken on Saturday evenings from April through October from 8:00 pm to 1:00 am. If you would like to book a ghost tour, you can contact Pengersick Ghost Nights by phone at 01736 331206, or visit their website at www.ghosthunting.org.uk.

If your traveling overseas, make sure to look for haunted locations and tours in the area you will be visiting. A company called Haunted Castles and Hotels offers tours all over the world. One is the Dragsholm-Slot Hotel in Sealand, Denmark that claims to be home to three ghosts, a gray lady, a white lady and the ghost of the Earl of Bothwell. It is said that every night you can hear the Earl’s horse drawn carriage approaching the hotel, but when you look outside, it is not there. They also offer tours of eight different castles throughout England, the Brissac castle in France, the Bran Castle in Romania, ten castles throughout Scotland, three castles and hotels in Ireland, and four castles in Wales. They offer tours such as the Best of Britain and Ireland tours that provide the guest with several tours in a single visit! If you would like to know more, you can get more information at www.hauntedcastlesandhotels.com on the various tours they offer and more detailed information and history on each castle they visit.

Many people enjoy being a bit frightened and feed on the excitement of ghost hunting. Do a little research and find a ghost hunting organization that is near your location. Give them a call and go with them one n