The Window Seat

Aspire to Greener Trips This Year? Finally An Eco Travel Solution.

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:06:51 -0600

Make this your year to green your travel. It’s easy, I promise. Travelocity launched a unique set of green pages that help you select green options for your next vacation. Because these days, there is so much green talk, and as we all find out sooner or later, talk is cheap. It’s actions that really matter. Especially where there is a high potential for green-washing. As the travel industry strives to green itself there is a lot to do and even more to learn. But if you care about preserving the places you visit the good news is that a whole lot is happening to make tourism more sustainable these days. Travel providers have a key seat at the global green table and how the travel industry responds to climate change, preservation, and conservation are critical to the future of places we love.

That said, this is an emerging area in many ways and the industry is in a time of transition as it explores how to go green, or at least start, down that path. It’s not always easy or profitable for a business to be more sustainable which is why those who care must take action to seek out and support greener options. And that is why Travelocity is bringing you a unique set of Green Pages. At www.travelocity.com/greentravel you will find a plethora of hotels and destinations that are helping to green the face of travel.

Traveling Abroad Is Affordable Once Again

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:08:25 -0600

Think there’s no bright side to the U.S. economy being in the toilet? Flush those silly notions! In addition to the insane travel deals we’re seeing right now, exchange rates are better than they’ve been in a long time. In fact, as I write this, every 1 U.S. dollar is worth .77 euros. Fair citizens of America! We are almost back to a one-to-one ratio with Europe!

This week USA Today identified 10 Great Places to Get Global Vacation Values and the list was very tempting. Ireland? Yes, please! Peru? No pralima! Mexico? Si! But there was one notable omission on their list: Thailand. Thanks to last year’s political unrest and the world’s economic downturn, the Land of Smiles is in a position to make your bank account happy too.

Q&A: Bringing Peru to America, Sip by Sip

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

The Window Seat recently had the chance to chat with Melanie Asher, owner and distributor of the Peruvian brandy, Macchu Pisco. As the drink gets more and more popular here in the U.S., I asked Melanie all about the pisco sour and the Peruvian heritage that stands behind it.

The Window Seat: First of all, what is a pisco sour?
Melanie Asher: The pisco sour is a quintessential Peruvian cocktail, made with pisco, a Peruvian brandy and sour mix. Oddly enough it was invented by an American in the 1920s who travelled to Peru and liked his piscos so much that he decided to stay and open the Morris Bar where the pisco sour was born.

TWS: Why is a pisco sour better than a margarita?
MA: There is something magical about a pisco sour. It makes you instantaneously happy, very chirpy, and it goes straight to your head… in a good way. It is also smoother than a margarita.

TWS: What is your connection to Peru?
MA: I was born in Lima, Peru (my mother is Peruvian) before moving to the States. We produce our pisco in Ica, though, which is near the Nazca Lines. Ica is the cradle of pisco production and the fascinating thing about it is that it is located in the Peruvian desert where you’ll find pockets of vineyard oases and the tallest sand-dunes in the world.

Yes We Can (Be Prepared for Inauguration Day in DC)!

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 20:21:49 -0600

Much has already been said, recommended, and warned of with regard to the 2009 Inauguration of the President of the United States already -- some of it is essential and not necessarily obvious to someone who doesn’t live in DC, but other advice I’ve read has been so basic that if you didn’t already plan for it, I am curious about how you’ve made it this far without falling into a well-marked hole somewhere. For instance, I trust The Window Seat readers who plan to attend are smart enough to know to wear comfortable walking shoes and expect to get a lot of use out of them over the next couple of days. And if you didn’t already plan to bring a warm jacket and dress in layers with a granola bar or two tucked in the pockets (Secret Service says no backpacks or bags allowed), you should probably just plan stay home and watch it on TV at this point.

I don’t mean to sound edgy, except that I am. You see, while I am ridiculously excited to join in the celebratory fray this inauguration day, I’m equally anxious that we’re all so eager to be a part of it, we haven’t done our homework to prepare and that’s going to cause problems not just for us, but for everyone around us. So I’ve outlined the five most important things for an inauguration rookie to know, based on my five years of living in DC and my attendance at the other raucous inauguration in recent memory, the contentious swearing-in of George W. Bush in 2000, at which protesters threw oranges to symbolize the Florida recount, and supporters in fur coats and cowboy hats tangled with enormous crowds of angry college kids, retired hippies, and disappointed environmentalists shouting “not my president!”

Inauguration Hotel Deals

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:22:39 -0600

When Barack Obama won the election in November, eager travelers from coast to coast attempted to book trips to the inaugural events, but online searches were unfruitful. A little known fact is that “hotels withdrew their rooms from online travel services in order to exert tighter control over their bookings,” reported The Washington Post.

Now, only days before the inauguration, the story has changed. The Washington Post reported that 15,000 hotel rooms are available in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and the District. A search on Travelocity confirms availability, yielding hundreds of options for travelers who still want to get in on the inauguration action.

Here are a few inauguration hotel deals for travel Jan. 18-21:

Washington Plaza Hotel for $149/night
St. Gregory Hotel for $229/night
Crowne Plaza Baltimore North for $199/night
Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort for $242/night

Photo by IgoUgo Member Shady Ady.

Wear Red, Get a Free Drink?

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:35:09 -0600

I'm finally flying Virgin America this weekend, something I've wanted to do since the airline began service in August 2007 (what can I say, it takes me a little while to get to everything on my to-do list!)

I'm excited for a couple of reasons: the surprisingly low price I paid for a flight from San Francisco to San Diego, the promise of a decent in-flight entertainment system, and the lure of checking in at the gleaming International terminal at SFO (complete with a Sephora for last-minute beauty purchases!) But there's one thing I'm most excited about: a rumor I've heard about flying with Virgin America. I can't wait to find out if it's true.

Over and Under-Rated Travel Experiences

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

A friend and I were talking recently about how—in a world overflowing with images and guidebooks—sometimes you can come upon a place when traveling and feel you’ve seen it all before. Sadly, this happened to me in the Louvre in Paris, when I struggled my way in to see the Mona Lisa and found myself in a camera-flashing, elbow-bumping mob of Mona- manic tourists who almost entirely blocked the view of the poor little Lisa who smiled enigmatically nonetheless beneath several inches of plate glass.

Those cities that fall in the overrated category are now the subject of an essay by British stockbroker-turned-traveler Leon Logothetis, who has filmed a TV series called “Amazing Adventures of a Nobody,” which will air later this month on Fox Reality Channel. An article on the San Francisco Chronicle's website talks about how Logothetis’s criteria for what makes a city overrated really boils down to the people themselves and the varying degrees to which they are “unfriendly and mean.”

Booking It: A House in Fez

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 06:00:00 -0600

I don’t know about you, but I morph into the procrastinator of the century when it comes to home improvements. I’ve gone down in too many battles with curtain rods, caked too much Spackle to my head, and turned too many light fixtures into glass-shard showers to take any pleasure in repairing anything. I’ll stick to fixing up trips, thank you.

So I need to profess some deep admiration for Australia-based journalist Suzanna Clarke after reading A House in Fez, her rip-roaring but thoughtful account of purchasing and restoring a centuries-old riad in the Fez medina. She and her husband, Sandy McCutcheon, persevere through layers and layers of red tape, language barriers, plumbing disasters, deceptive contractors, structural scares, 26-hour flights, and a donkey-napping to lovingly rebuild their new home in methods true to Fassi architectural heritage.

Photo courtesy of Suzanna Clarke

Flight Fixation: It Will Cost You

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:13:25 -0600

You know that saying "do as I say, not as I do?" This is one of those times. I am about to tell you not to do something I have done on nearly every trip I have ever taken: obsess over the cost of the flight.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Judibo

Who's to Blame When the Concierge Is Wrong?

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0600

In planning our big trip to Thailand, one of the top adventures on our list was having bespoke suits made for my husband. He really needs a new suit, but we live in California, the land of every day Casual Friday so we can never bring ourselves to fork over the princely sum. Having suits made in Thailand seemed like the perfect solution. I studied Holly’s post and read about it in my Lonely Planet guidebook, and the one thing I concluded was: it’s easy to get scammed by disreputable tailors.

Savvy traveler that I am, I swore this wasn’t going to happen to me. Oh no! Not clever, insider me! I decided the best way to avoid this was to secure a recommendation from the concierge at our resort. Granted, I knew concierges can be paid off, but we were staying at a high-end, American-owned hotel chain that is known for its customer service and integrity.

50 Under $56: Cruises for Less than $56 Per Night, Per Person

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:00:00 -0600

Many, if not most, industries have been impacted by the economy, and the travel industry is no exception. But what’s bad for the industry is good for the consumer, because as I predicted in the Associated Press, 2009 will be the year of the travel deal. From discounted room rates at hotels to softening airfare, it’s a buyer’s market out there – so take advantage of the silver lining in this economic mess if you’re planning a getaway.

In my opinion, the best deals available right now are found on cruises; after all, a cruise includes your accommodations, all meals, onboard entertainment and transportation between ports. In fact, I was seeing such great pricing in cruises – many under $56 per night – that I asked our cruise team to do a little digging. They did, and what they found was that there are many – more than 50 in fact – cruises to be had for less than $56 per night, per person.

There’s no easy way to organize this information to present to you, but I will give it my best shot. Below are our cruise deals organized by departure month January through September 2009. Pricing on all of these cruises is accurate at time of publication, any fluctuation in pricing is likely due to stateroom categories selling out. But the beauty of a massive list like this is if one cruise sells out, there’s very likely another that will suit your budget. Don’t forget to factor in extras like free stateroom upgrades and onboard ship credits that make a cruise an even better value.

Photo of Carnival Elation courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines.

Guilt Trips on the Rise

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:34:14 -0600

At the beginning of every year, like many travelers out there, I make planning my vacation days a priority. So, for the most part, I already know where I’m going in 2009, who’s going with me, and how much money I need to save to get there.

But I’m feeling a little awkward about those plans this year. In light of the recession, many a naycationer has given me a funny look when I’ve said I’m not planning to cut travel in 2009. I could tell them it’s because there are great deals everywhere, because Europe is cheaper than it’s been in a long time, because I have ready-to-expire caches of frequent-flier miles and flight vouchers; mostly, I just gloss over details and change the subject. In fact, sometimes when people assume a trip I’m taking is for work, I sort of let them believe that. My travel guilt hit a new high the other day when someone I hadn’t seen in a few years told me he’d heard I’d joined the Peace Corps. No, I had to tell him, just been traveling...a lot.

2009: Year of the "NAYcation" or "YAYcation"?

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:14:43 -0600

I’m all for a good pun—especially in a bad economy, they come cheap. That’s why “staycation” works for me as a vacation term for last year. But I refuse to accept the “naycation,” which I’ve started seeing in the press as a word to characterize travel in 2009. First, I don’t believe it. Yes, the economy is down, but the bargains are better than ever.

Fishing With Dad Along the Sacramento River

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 03:30:59 -0600

I grew up with a dad who scheduled his work life around the fishing seasons, and so this winter, with the rainbow trout still biting along the Sacramento River, I wanted to tag along with my dad to squeeze in some quality father-daughter time and possibly learn how to bait fish.

Getting Crafty With Vacation Photos

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0600

I don’t know about you, but in the day of the digital camera, I’m a prolific and perfectly undisciplined photographer on my vacations, snapping random pictures of every flower, tree, rock, and seascape that catches my eye. Funny-looking bird? I take a picture. Pink sunset clouds? Shutter-click. Friends laughing at some inane joke we’ll never remember later while posing in front of a very serious statue? Smile for the camera.

When I return from my trips, I always look forward to downloading my camera’s memory card and seeing the pictures in their full pixellated glory. At most, I might then download these photos from my computer onto a public gallery site, to share with my friends and family, but I admit that beyond that, I haven’t made an actual physical photo album in years.

But, there are a few ways to parlay pictures into practical day-to-day items. Here are a few crafty, non-album ways to put your favorite vacation photos to use: