I love offbeat and quirky kinds of places – for just the reasons that they are offbeat and quirky. I’ve been known to drive out of my way to see the “biggest,” “smallest,” “world’s only,” “oldest” thing or place or whatever. Why not?! Although the Hurricane Sandy did a lot of damage on the Jersey shore, it didn’t harm one of the shore’s iconically quirky attractions – Lucy the Elephant. Lucy is a six story, 90 ton elephant made of wood and tin sheeting. She was put up 1881 to attract tourism and development to the south Atlantic City area, and while she was architecturally unique at the time, she soon became merely the first of several zoomorphic (animal-shaped) buildings. Did you even know there was such a thing a zoomorphic architecture? Since she was originally constructed, Lucy has been a […]
Read MorePostcard from the Shower
One of the real treats of a luxury stay in a tropical resort is an outdoor shower. On a trip to the Mexico, for a stay in the Maya Riviera, I found that I preferred to step outside every morning to enjoy a shower beneath the sky. How about you? Do you like an outdoor shower?
Read MoreAnother Map Update
I love lists and maps, and when I can combine them together it’s a very good (and fun thing). I’ve now updated the list (and map) of the countries that I’ve visited. After my trip to Tokyo, I’ve got a country in Asia to check off, but still missing from the list is a visit to Africa and Australia. I must get to work on that. Here’s what the map looks like now: Create your own travel map – TravBuddy
Read MoreArizona Bound: Speaking at PhoCus Wright
After a couple weeks in Spain for TBEX Europe followed by a week in Tokyo, it was good to be home in Seattle for awhile. Now, it’s time to hit the road again, this time to Scottsdale, Arizona. I haven’t been to Arizona for quite some time, and while I hope to squeeze in a few hours of personal time, the primary purpose of the visit is to speak at PhoCus Wright. PhoCusWright is an executive level conference of travel industry leaders who meet to discover, confront, and capitalize on the latest trends and opportunities in travel. This is a group of people who are shaping the face of travel for consumers. So what am I doing there? I’ll be on a panel titled “The New Rules of Social Engagement,” one of the hot trends in the travel industry right […]
Read MorePostcard From: Chicago O’Hare Airport
One of the reasons I like Chicago O’Hare so much is that it’s filled with so much art. This is a walkway from the terminal to the train station.
Read MoreTokyo: 12 Things I Didn’t Know Until I Got There
I love researching travel. I love reading guide books, checking out travel blogs, looking at photos on Pinterest, and pretty much everything about the process of learning about a destination. From the massaging of flight schedules to selecting accommodations and tours, from reading restaurant reviews and learning about food trends to learning about which sights are worth visiting, it’s all a delightful challenge to me. But no matter how much you prepare yourself, there are things you will encounter that you just didn’t know before you got to your destination. When it comes to travel to Tokyo, here are the things I just didn’t know till I got there: Tokyo goes right. In Tokyo they drive on the right hand side of the road, the vehicles are right hand drive, and in crowded spaces you stand to the left and […]
Read MorePostcard: From the Wedding
In my touring around Tokyo, I was fortunate to happen upon a number of traditional weddings, giving me an opportunity to learn more about the customs and traditions involved. In this post-wedding reception, a helpful mom assists with her daughter’s wedding kimono.
Read MoreFinnair Flight Attendants: Tales from a Thousand and One Flights
Finnair Flight Attendants have published a collection of stories from their lives in the skies aptly titled Airborne: Tales From A Thousand And One Flights, Drawing on decades of flight attendant history and experiences, Airborne is a collection of true stories written by the professionals who’ve seen it all. You think they make this stuff up, huh? Not a chance! There are too many crazy true stories, you just don’t have to make it up. The book is available in English and Finnish, with profits from the sale donated to the Finnish Central Association for Mental Health to be used in the prevention of mental health issues among children and adolescents. Finnair won the World Airline Award for Best Airline Northern Europe for the past three years running. Photo credit: Atar Publishing
Read MorePostcard from the Air: ANA Dreamliner at 40,000 Feet
I flew from Seattle to Tokyo on ANA’s inaugural Dreamliner flight. There was plenty of mood lighting, during boarding as well as this peaceful post-dinner evening lighting. This aircraft, and ANA’s business class service, has me spoiled about luxury flying. See more pictures in my Tokyo flickr stream.
Read MoreUpdated Map of Where I’ve Been
Now that I’m back from TBEX in Spain, it’s time to update my map of how much of the world I’ve visited. I still have lots (and lots!) of countries to visit, but plan on checking another one off this coming week. Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com
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