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By the Numbers: May 2013 Travel

May was a fairly typical travel month for me. Nothing major, just routine travel. Let’s take a look: HNL/SEA – Returning home from Travel Weekly’s Hawaii Leadership Forum at the Royal Hawaiian Resort – 2,680 miles SEA/OAK/LIH/SEA/SAN/SEA – 7,939 miles SEA/SJC/OGG/OAK/SEA/ORD/SEA – 9,513 miles SEA/KOA/SJC/SEA/SFO/SEA – 7,134 miles SEA/ORD/YYZ – 2,154 Total miles flown in May: 26,740 Total hotel nights in May: 13 Year-to-Date Miles flown 2013: 115,961 Hotel nights 2013: 57 Photo credit: personal collection

Rolling Along in Antwerp Belgium

I rolled into Antwerp by train, like many visitors to the city, arriving at the city’s ornate Central Station. I’d heard that the station was impressive, it makes the most beautiful list often enough, and the stone, iron, and glass architecture didn’t disappoint. I’ll let the architectural community argue over the appropriate style of the station, and I’ll just appreciate the dome and the turrets, the marble and the glass, and the gold. The Central Station was completed in 1905, and although it has been refurbished and expanded a couple different time, the station’s opulence has not been diminished. Today the station has four levels and 14 tracks that connect Antwerp with the rest of the country and the rest of Europe. Does it look somehow familiar? Perhaps you’ve seen the Sound of Music flash mob video Belgium is one […]

Postcard: Downtown Seattle Skyline

I’ve lived in the greater Seattle area most all of my life, and during that time I’ve seen a lot of changes in the downtown skyline. No matter which direction you’re looking, there’s always something to catch your eye.

Guest Appearance on This Week in Travel

Last week I joined the This Week in Travel team of Chris Christensen, Gary Arndt, and Jen Leo to talk about all things travel – and, of course, TBEX (Travel Blog Exchange) coming up June 1-2 in Toronto, Canada. Take a look.

By the Numbers: April 2013 Travel

April’s travel plans were sidelined a bit by a nasty little allergy attack. I’m a chronic allergy sufferer, and although I usually manage to keep my sinuses clear and my ears unblocked, I know better than to fly when I can’t do it. Pain or a blown eardrum just aren’t worth it. So here’s where I did go this month: SEA/SAN/BOS/SAN/SEA – 7,183 miles SEA/ORD/SEA – 3,436 miles SEA/HNL – 2,680 miles (Headed off to Honolulu to speak at Travel Weekly’s Hawaii Leadership Forum at the Royal Hawaiian Resort) Total miles flown in April: 13,299 Total hotel nights in April: 5 Year-to-Date Miles flown 2013: 89,221 Hotel nights 2013: 44 Photo credit: personal collection

Interview on the Travel Bloggers Podcast

While I was at ITB Berlin last month, I sat down for an interview with Gary Bembridge of the Travel Bloggers Podcast. Along with me, was Rick Calvert, CEO of TBEX and the CEO and co-founder of New Media Expo. Set in the midst of the world’s largest travel trade show, it was a busy and noisy time, but I always welcome the opportunity to talk about TBEX, to talk about travel blogging and its future, and to talk about travel. Take a listen.

Mother Nature: A Fickle Photo Essay of Spring

Mother Nature can be a fickle friend, teasing us with sun and blooms one day and the next sending showers bordering on snow. As travelers, we learn to make the best of it, ducking into a museum in inclement times and walking in the park in better ones. Despite a Spring with weather all over the map (literally and figuratively), I still marvel at what Mother Nature has wrought. Ah, springtime! While in Dublin you confused me into thinking I was back home in Seattle. Overcast days, a spot of rain now and again, and a peek of blue sky. We layered up to walk around the cemeteries and ruins outside of Dublin. And when we finally got to the gardens at Powerscourt, we were rewarded with a bit of blue sky and a hint of sun. After Dublin it […]

Postcard from Roses

On rainy Seattle days, I enjoy thinking about how lovely the coast of Spain is. Roses, located on the north end of the Bay of Roses, is a great beach getaway spot. And the Hotel Vistabella, where I stayed, provides a lovely view of the sand and surf.

By the Numbers: March 2013 Travel

Lots of traveling going on this month with a long trip to Europe starting things off. Let’s count up the miles! Flights SEA/IAD/BRU/DUB – 6,677 miles (a round about way – more on that later – to get Dublin for a TBEX site visit) DUB/SXF – 826 miles (in Berlin for a week at ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade show) SXF/BRU – 401 miles (back to Brussels for a few days of sightseeing before meeting up with travel blogger pal Chris Gray Faust to head to Antwerp and the start of a Vantage River Cruise (the inaugural sailing of the River Splendor). AMS/IAD/SEA – 6,164 miles SEA/HNL/SJC/LIH – 10,266 miles SEA/ORD/SEA – 3,436 miles SEA/LIH/OAK/SEA – 5,833 miles And with that, and the last flight coming home today, I’m done with traveling for the month. Total miles flown […]

Finding Time to Visit Britain

Time is relative, proved Albert Einstein, but it is also relevant as visitors to Greenwich, a district of south London, are quick to discover. This district has achieved significance importance for lending its name to the standard used to regulate time and set clocks around the world — Greenwich Mean Time. If you’ve ever tried tried to coordinate a business phone call with participants located around the globe, you’re probably familiar with using GMT to set the appointment time. A visit to the once small fishing village of Greenwich will likely include a visit to the Royal Observatory and the surrounding grounds which contain the Royal Maritime Museum and the Queen’s House. Collectively called the Royal Museums Greenwich, the area has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Royal Observatory includes Flamsteed House, the original observatory dating back […]