inFLIGHTout Travel Tip: Label Your Laptop Computer

By Mike Grasso

The airport is an interesting place where emotions often run high: sadness for departure, joy of arrival and panic for tight connections, to name a few. Something just happens at airports that can sometimes mentally throw us off. And the security checkpoints certainly don't provide any relief. At the intersection of these emotions is the possibility that we forget even the simplest things...such as remember to retrieve all your personal items from the scanning machine! Countless times I've watched passengers, usually in a dazed and confused look (probably having just finished waiting in a long security line) confidently grabbing their shoes and personal belongings then marching off from the checkpoint, but forgetting their laptop computer which was placed in a separate bin. Ouch!

So... here's the tip: Place a temporary label across the top of the computer with your name and phone number. This way if you accidentally leave it behind, those honest folks at TSA can page or call you while you're still at the airport.

Five Destinations Cool With Same-Sex Marriage

Despite the overturn of Prop 8 yesterday, same-sex marriages are still on hold in California for a little while longer. However there are other places around the world where same-sex couples are clearly welcomed. This post on SFGate today talks about five such destinations. Be sure to read the reader comments for other ideas as well.

inFLIGHTout Travel Tip: That Empty Water Bottle

By Mike Grasso

OK, I admit this travel tip rests somewhere between a wonderfully smart and miserably cheap traveler. You know those bottles of water they sell at the airport for $3 or $4 a piece? What a ripoff! Bring your own water bottle from home (can’t you buy a CASE of water for $4?). Be sure the bottle is empty as you enter the security checkpoint, but fill it up once you are post-security. Where do you fill up the bottle you ask? I use water fountains, but in-airport restaurants and fast food chains are often willing to refill them for the asking.

Armed with a full water bottle, you are now ready to board your plane. Even though beverage service is often limited in coach class, you will at least have a full (and free) bottle of water with you as you breeze through the skies.

inFLIGHTout Tip - Your Printed Itinerary

Before you set sail for your next flight be sure you have a copy of your flight itinerary with you. This valuable document often contains your confirmation and ticket numbers, and most importantly your return trip details. Often the excitement of voyage ends up blocking any thoughts of the return flight. So when it comes time to fly back home, recalling the exact time of departure isn't so clear without a printed itinerary. 

Also, a complete itinerary in-hand is also helpful during tight connections. If your initial flight arrives late at your connection city, show the flight attendant your document so they can make arrangements for you to deplane first. 

Finally, a copy of the itinerary is great because they remind you what time you will be landing. Most boarding passes do not provide this detail. 

Tips to Make Air Travel Easy

By Kelly Kilpatrick
Guest Contributor

Taking to the air is often the shortest route between two places, especially if they’re far away. But not many people are comfortable
flying – some are plain scared while others don’t like being cooped in a seat that’s too small for them in a small area that could get claustrophobic. Frequent air travelers resort to certain tricks to make their journey more comfortable, so if you’re apprehensive about air travel, you’d benefit too by implementing these tips:

·Plan your journey well in advance.
·If you’re travelling far, choose a flight plan that allows you to stop over at airports that are known to be comfort havens for travelers.
·If you’re traveling long distances and expect to be jet lagged, book flights that get in at night so you can rest overnight and begin your work refreshed the day after.
·Plan for traffic jams and other impediments when you leave for the airport.
·If you like to be undisturbed during the flight, book a window seat, but if you’d like to get up and move around, ask for an aisle location.
·If you have the option of checking in over the Internet from home, use it to save you some time.
·If you’re travelling with children and/or the elderly, allow enough time for emergencies and delays.
·Aircraft cabins are pressurized, and this tends to dehydrate you. So, as tempting as those in-flight drinks are, avoid them because they only tend to make you thirstier.
·If you’re prone to stiff legs or hate long journeys, walk around the aisles of your plane when it’s safe to.
·Read up on security instructions for carryon and other luggage before you travel.
·Tag your bags with bright colors so that they’re easily identified on the conveyor.
·Wear comfortable clothes and loose shoes so that you’re able to fit your legs into them even if they’re swollen because of the long journey.
·Keep your travel documents carefully.
·Make sure you know enough about the country/place you’re travelling to.
·Talk to others who have been there before, especially about cab fares to and from the airport.
Most drivers tend to rook foreigners and take them for a ride, both literally and figuratively.
·Follow security rules at the airport to avoid unnecessary hassles.

Travelling is a fun experience, and if you have planned your trip well enough, you should come out of it longing for the next one.

This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of Visa airline card offers. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com

Airship Ventures Zeppelin Expected This Weekend

Back in June 2007 we reported on the anticipated arrival of the Airship Ventures Zeppelin to the San Francisco Bay Area. And now we hear the arrival of the "big bird" is just a few days away.

One of only three Zeppelins in the world, and the first to come to the United States, the Zeppelin is slated to fly up the coast and over the Golden Gate Bridge this weekend, around October 25th, weather permitting.

This historic flight will mark the first time in 71 years that a Zeppelin has flown in the skies over the United States. This landmark transit flight will also be dedicated to the memory of aviation adventurer Steve Fossett, who set the airship speed record in the Zeppelin -- a record that still stands today. Says Steve Fossett's widow Peggy Fossett, "I am honored that Airship Ventures would dedicate this flight to Steve's memory. He was truly proud to have been part of the Zeppelin project."

Once in the San Francisco Bay Area, the airship will offer the only passenger airship flight service in America. "Flightseeing" tours will be offered from several Bay Area locations, showcasing the San Francisco Bay/Silicon Valley, Sonoma/Napa wine regions, and Monterey/Big Sur coastline.

The airship will also be used for a variety of technological and scientific research missions.Round-trip rides from historic Moffett Field will begin in late October 2008, with flights from Oakland International and Sonoma County Airport starting in November. Tickets start at $495 per person. Packages are available for group charters, corporate events, and custom tours.

Photo above: May 2008 Maiden Flight

Source: Company Press Release

"Will Work for Travel": How To Take Free (Or Nearly Free) Vacations

With the slowing economy and increased cost of goods and services, consumers are finding monthly disposable income a bit pinched these days. Taking that family vacation to Italy for example may have to wait in response to higher airfares, pricey hotel accommodations and the devaluation of the U.S Dollar.

But, don't despair, there are some great alternatives you and your family can consider, without the need to take out a second mortgage just for a vacation.

Check out this great article from IgoUgo, where users from have composed creative ways travelers can enjoy free or inexpensive travel. My favorite is the Timeshare tour, in which you visit a particular property, participate in a 90-minute presentation about a time-share, then enjoy a complimentary, or highly discounted 2 or 3 night stay. Locally, these deals have been found around the Lake Tahoe region and around the Monterey/Carmel vicinity.

Read here for other ideas on how to take a free (or nearly free) vacation from IgoUgo.

Destination Idea: Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in Southern Africa
From Wikipedia: "Although Victoria Falls constitute neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, the claim it is the largest is based on a width of 1.7 kilometers (1 mi) and height of 108 meters (360 ft), forming the largest sheet of falling water in the world. The falls' maximum flow rate compares well with that of other major waterfalls."

"The unusual form of Victoria Falls enables virtually the whole width of the falls to be viewed face-on, at the same level as the top, from as close as 60 meters (200 ft), because the whole Zambezi river drops into a deep, narrow slotlike chasm, connected to a long series of gorges. Few other waterfalls allow such a close approach on foot. Many of Africa's animals and birds can be seen in the immediate vicinity of Victoria Falls, and the continent's range of river fish is also well represented in the Zambezi, enabling wildlife viewing and sport fishing to be combined with sightseeing."b

Check out Fogonazos blog for more great pictures and videos of Victoria Falls.