Beautiful and exotic, Japan often seems like a destination that will overwhelm travelers. The language, both written and spoken, is not easy to follow along in a guide book, the capital city of Tokyo is home to around 12 million people (in the greater Tokyo area), and food may be different that what we’re accustomed to at home. It’s understandable that some travelers may not want to rise to the challenge of visiting Japan. And as my recent trip to Tokyo proved, letting the myths of traveling to Japan get in the way of traveling there is a big mistake.’ I’ve written about the things that I didn’t know till I got to Japan, some of the things that surprised me, and later today I’ll be speaking at the Seattle Golf & Travel Show about how you can create a […]
Read MorePostcard: Toronto Skyline
Since yesterday was the last day to submit speaker proposals for TBEX 13 in Toronto, I was thinking about the earlier site visit that we made to the city. Our kinds hosts showed us a few of the sites, but more importantly, they showed us the warm hospitality that Toronto is known for. Looking forward to going back soon!
Read MoreRomantic Travel: A Blog Roundup
For some people, February is the most romantic month of the year. For others, romance is a year round event. Travelers find the beauty of romance is a variety of ways. And locations. Just take a look — and if you have a romantic travel post that would fit our theme, please add it to our link round up below. Loading InLinkz … Photo credit: shutterstock
Read MoreBy the Numbers: January 2013 Travel
I’ve decided to keep track of just how many miles I rack up and how many nights I spend on the road. Between all the hats I wear, and all the roles I fill, I know it’s plenty. January wasn’t a busy travel month. I enjoyed time at home in the aftermath of the holidays, and there wasn’t a whole lot on the calendar. Let’s take a look back at January. Flights: SEA/LAS/SEA – 1,736 miles (I was in Las Vegas for NMX) SEA/SMF/OGG/BLI/OGG/SEA – 11,023 miles SEA/PHX/PDX/KOA/SJC/SEA – 7,812 miles Total miles flown in January 2013: 20,571 Total hotel nights: 11 Photo credit: personal collection
Read MoreThis Week in Travel: Dreamliner Declared too Young to Smoke (#131)
Over the weekend I had the opportunity to be a guest on This Week in Travel. It was an opportunity to dish about some of the latest in travel news with a few bloggers that I’ve grown to have the utmost respect for – Gary Arndt, of Everything Everywhere, Chris Christensen of the Amateur Traveler, and Jen Leo of Best Kids Apps. The program was recorded using Google Hangouts. Clearly I have to master the art of best camera angles and staying in the shot, as well as dressing for the fish eye on my computer, but cut me a little slack on that, and instead enjoy an informative, and often irreverent take, on the week’s travel news. This Week in Travel is available in iTunes.
Read MorePostcard from Fort Vancouver
Located in the southern part of Washington state, Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost for the Hudson Bay Company. Today it is part of the National Park System, with living history events and a world-class archaeology collection. In the blacksmith shop, a top-notch nail maker could make one in 12 seconds flat.
Read MoreA Shopper’s Guide to York: Best Vintage Offerings
The reasons why people head for York (England) are extremely diverse – after all, this beautiful city offers so much, including a rich heritage, medieval cobbled streets, ghost stories and of course, the towering basilica that is York Minster. But what about the shopping opportunities? Sure, it has its fair share of high street stores, but what if you want something a little different, a little retro? Spend a day in this superb city, have a look at some of the cheap hotels in York that are available, and explore some of the amazing vintage and retro-inspired shops on offer. The retro and vintage style has made a massive comeback over recent years, so it’s no wonder the volume of stores that cater to the attire have increased too. York provides its fair share of retro offerings – you just […]
Read MorePostcard from the Venetian, Las Vegas
Since I just got back from NMX in Las Vegas, I had to share a photo from that vibrant city. The Christmas display at the Venetian Resort was still up and it was spectacular.
Read MorePostcard from Seattle: New Year’s Day 2012
Seattle looked all bright and shiny, full of hope and purpose, as I welcomed in 2012. Looking back at they year, it’s been a pretty good one. Now onward to 2013.
Read More2012: The Travel Year in Review
2012 was a far busier year of travel than I originally anticipated. Oh sure, my “day job” takes me to Hawaii a couple times a month and I make an effort to be a tourist here at home in Seattle, but there was much more on the calendar this year. And I even got to cross something off my fairly detailed and specific bucket list. Here are the highlights of travel in 2012. Riviera Maya I joined several other travel bloggers and travel writers for a We Go Mexico trip to the Riviera Maya. It was an opportunity to check out the new Blue Diamond Riviera Maya (then in soft opening) and to explore some Maya culture. The Blue Diamond is an adult only, all-suite, 5-star luxury resort and is truly spectacular. Although our itinerary kept us really busy, an […]
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