Talking travel with the CEO of Kayak.com

by Jerry Guo on

Kayak is one of our favorite companies to write about. The leading airfare metacrawler processes some 40 million travel requests per month, making it one of the most popular travel sites out there. TIME Magazine has called it one of the “50 Coolest Websites” and the “Best Search Aid” by Travel + Leisure Magazine.

Instead of random musings this time, we’ve got Steve Hafner on the line. He’s the co-founder and CEO, a guy who’s more than qualified in his position–he helped found Orbitz in 1999.

How is a metacrawler better than a regular search engine?

Studies show consumers search four to five Web sites before making a purchase. Kayak.com saves the consumer time by searching all of these Web sites in seconds and displaying rates and availability for more than 440 travel brands. We provide the user with powerful filtering and sorting tools, so they can find exactly what they’re looking for quickly and easily. Then, Kayak.com then lets the user decide where to purchase-direct from a supplier such as the airline’s own website, or from on online travel agency like Orbitz. Unlike the online travel agencies, Kayak.com is free to use.

Do you plan on getting into the package market or will you continue to metacrawl?

Kayak.com launched a beta version of a package product on Thursday, June 26. We hope to add several more providers over the next two weeks and formally launch the vacations product soon. Kayak.com is the first travel site to offer a true meta-search product for vacation packages.

Will you ever implement a feature to pick a destination by “region” instead of city? As in Europe instead of Paris?

Excellent idea. We launched such a product in 2005 (see announcement). Kayak Buzz displays the lowest fares to the 25 most popular destinations within a region from a consumer’s hometown. To get the Buzz, input a departure airport or city in the Buzz section of the homepage, along with desired month of travel and region of interest. Within seconds, Kayak Buzz displays a list of 25 cities organized by popularity with an interactive Google Map that plots destinations. Regions include world, U.S., Europe, Caribbean, South America, Asia, Africa and Australia/Oceania. Consumers can also register to receive customized Kayak Buzz Alerts by email. Consumers and media really love it, so we’ve enhanced Kayak Buzz several times.

Does your software have the ability to do that?

Kayak.com keeps all search data for one year. Kayak Buzz prices are actual fares found by other Kayakers over the past two days. Our data warehouse of fares is used for several Kayak.com tools including Best Fare Trend Chart, Fare History and Fare Alerts.

What is the advantage of your metacrawler over other engines such as Mobissimo or Sidestep?

Kayak.com is the leader in the space for a reason. Kayak.com is the only travel search site that offers a complete package-comprehensive search, powerful filtering tools, variety of useful search tools such as Flexible Search or Weekend Search, personalization and ease of use (Note: Kayak.com’s search engine has powered SideStep.com since the December 2007 acquisition). As a technology company, Kayak.com is able to enhance and innovate the site at a rapid pace-which keeps us ahead of other travel search sites and the OTAs. Many new features come directly from consumer requests, as every Kayak.com employee reads every piece of user feedback every day and we respond to new feature requests in order of popularity.

What are some features we should expect to see in the near future?

On Thursday, June 26, Kayak.com launched Flight Quality functionality which allows the user to filter red-eyes, departure/return from same airport, aircraft type, etc. A warning message is also displayed to flights that meet a criteria deemed undesirable by some travelers including flights with terrible on-time records, layovers longer than four hours, red-eyes, last flight of the day, etc. Kayak.com also launched an Airline Fee Chart which summarizes the five most popular fees tacked on by airlines including those for baggage, meals, pets, unaccompanied minors and seat assignment/legroom. Kayak.com is working on integrating these fees into the search results and we hope to launch this capability by the end of July.

When Kayak.com acquired SideStep.com, a hotel review site called Travelpost.com came with the package. Our plan is to turn Travelpost.com into a true competitor to TripAdvisor. Although TripAdvisor is the hotel review leader, we think it’s a terrible user experience and we know we can do it better. Our engineering team is in the process of adding the Kayak.com UI to Travelpost.com and then we’ll start enhancing the site with better functionality. You’ll start hearing about Travelpost.com around the watercooler soon.

Do you have any stats on Kayak’s usage / popularity to wow us?

More than 35 million people visited Kayak.com last month, and we processed more than 40 million requests for travel information. That makes us a top 10 travel site in the U.S., bigger than just about every airline and hotel website. Plus, we recently launched websites in the U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Italy and India. The amazing part is how little we spend on marketing compared to our competitors.

As someone who helped found Orbitz, why did you end up leaving? In your opinion, what’s wrong about their service right now?

Orbitz is a great company. But many consumers use it to search for travel information and then book at the airline or hotel website directly. So, it is really a search engine-but not a very good one. Not every airline or hotel is available on Orbitz, the sorting and filtering tools are rudimentary and there is no real personalization. So I left to start a Web site that tried to be a travel search engine and not a seller of travel services.

What can Kayak do better? What is the search engine’s biggest weakness?

We’re still not very good at what we do. We don’t search every airline and hotel, we take too long to conduct a search and the result set is not as personalized as it should be. The bright side is that we still do it better than everyone else. And, we’re making progress on each of those weaknesses.

What are your top three favorite travel destinations?

It’s hard to beat the French Riviera (especially Antibes), St. Barts in the Caribbean and my local favorite: New York City.

What are some bizarre travel trends you’ve picked up from Kayak users?

When Kayak.com launched a redesign of the hotel search, we asked users about hotel stays. You wouldn’t believe what people have found in their hotel rooms! The results still make me laugh every time I read them.

For travelers in other countries, is there any way to avoid booking a ticket through a travel agency? Are there solid search engines for particular geographic regions (like Southeast Asia or South America)?

The rest of the world is beyond the U.S. in terms of sophistication in online travel. Kayak.com has improved the online travel experience in some countries by launching local sites in the U.K., France, Ger
many, Italy, Spain and India.

Galley Gossip: Naked on a plane – everything you ever wanted to know, and more…

by Heather Poole on

I can’t remember the precise destination we were working, but what I do remember was the shocked look on my coworkers face when he came running up to the first class galley and exclaimed, “There’s a naked woman in coach!”

“What!” two of us cried in unison.

Needless to say, the breakfast service was now on hold. How could we serve bagels when there was a nekkid lady aboard the flight? Into the oven the bread went, and off and running we went, ignoring any passengers who may have tried to wave us down as we headed straight to the the back of the airplane, a blur of four dressed in blue.

“There she is. The last row,” said one of my coworkers as we neared the last row.

“Oh my god,” I remember thinking, or saying, I can’t remember, it was just too crazy to remember. What I do remember is she was young, cute, and naked. College aged, I’d say.

Now this was pre 9/11, so the flight was empty, and the thought of terrorists were the furthest from our minds. The only thing on our minds, besides this naked lady, was why in the world the lady would get naked on the airplane in the first place? Unfortunately, we would never find out.

Quietly the young woman sat in her seat with the seat belt buckled across her…umm…naked…lap, and smiled. I think I may have smiled back, but in all honesty, I can’t remember. I mean we’re talking naked lady here!

The one not wearing clothes had decided to take it all off right after she exited the lavatory, which was right after the flight attendants in coach had pulled the beverage cart up to the front of the coach cabin. Totally naked, as in one hundred percent nude, she sat down in the last row, which was where she continued to sit, naked and alone, until the flight attendants rolled the cart back to her seat. I’m sure there was quite a loud gasp from the one placing a napkin on the tray table when he realized what it was that hid behind the table.

“Ma’am, you need to put your clothes back on!” demanded one of my coworkers.

We all stood there, hovering over the woman and nodding in agreement. Never in a thousand years would I have ever dreamed I’d be listening to a coworker ordering a passenger to get dressed. To help open an emergency exit, maybe. To put on a pair of panties, never.

Each of us tried to coax the woman back into her clothes, but she wasn’t having it, not when she had other things in mind, like returning to her original seat. Which normally would be fine. However climbing over the seats, three rows of them, naked, was not fine.

Now that wasn’t my only naked passenger experience. Thirteen years ago when I worked for Sunjet, a low cost carrier, an elderly woman decided to take off all of her clothes and then she decided to get off the “bus” by trying to open the emergency exit in flight. This, of course, scared the heck out of the passengers seated nearby, who watched in horror as she pulled on the door, a door that can not be opened, no matter how hard one tries, in flight.

Why all this talk about naked passengers? Iva Skoch’s post, Passenger strips nude, tries to open emergency exit, led me to start writing about my own personal experiences, which in turn led to a little research on flying nude, which has resulted in an awful lot of information about flying in the buff.

Obviously, the passengers mentioned above weren’t exactly…well…they just weren’t well! I mean normal people, at least the normal people I know, don’t take it all off on a flight. But for those of you who are…umm…well…and actually interested in stripping down at 35,000 feet, you can do so one of two ways. Apparently flying “the way god intended” is all the rage in Germany right now. But if you can’t get to Germany, you can hope and pray that Naked Air takes off again, like they did in 2003, and then you, too, can take it all off after take off.

WAIT….before you click the following link to visit the Naked Air Website, please be aware that there are nude photos on the site, very disturbing nude photos of naked people, naked people who should probably not be naked, based on the way they look naked – except for sneakers – on an airplane. Remember, you were warned. Now GO!

For those of you still with me, you may have a couple questions, like I did when I first realized this kind of thing was actually going on. (Someone please tell me why it is going on?) Below are a few questions and answers I pulled from the Naked Air website…

What about the flight crew and attendants…were they naked too? No… they can’t be. The pilots and the flight crew will remain dressed as they always do. We need to remember that the flight crew and attendants have a serious job to do… and that’s to get us to our destination safely.

Hot coffee on a nude flight? …Ouch! For that reason we did not offer hot beverages on the flight, but we did have appropriate snacks and beverage service for the time of day that we traveled.

Hey…everyone was naked…hmm…could they do whatever they want? The Naked-Air nude flight was exactly what it were advertised as… a chance to fly nude and make a little history in the process. The flight was a lot of fun to be sure… but any sexually suggestive behavior or advances to any other passengers would have been inappropriate for this flight, and absolutely forbidden. This rule was well known by all of our passengers in advance of booking would have been strictly enforced, if necessary… but it wasn’t. Nudists are nude… not lewd!

Did everyone have to get naked before they got on the plane? NO, because everybody knows that it’s way too cold in the terminal building. Seriously… the basic rules were that all passengers did the check-in, went to the gate, boarded the plane just like any other flight. It’s only after the plane took off and reached cruising altitude that the rules changed. Once cruising altitude was reached all the passengers were then free to get out of their clothing.

So what about hygiene and things like that? If you have ever been to a nudist or naturist resort or gathering, you would know that the one item that you are to have with you at all times, is a towel to sit on. This flight was no different. We provided special commemorative towels for that purpose, We required those towels (or our clients own towels) to be used at all times.

Still with me?

All I can say is thank god for those commemorative towels.

Talking travel with SkyTeam ’round-the-world’ exec

by Jerry Guo on

With the summer season in high swing, backpackers are zipping off for around-the-world trips. Here to shed some insider’s tips on the process of planning your next around-the-world journey is Bobby Spann, Director of International Development for Delta’s alliance program (the SkyTeam alliance consists of 14 airlines around the globe).

When might travelers pick a round-the-world (RTW) cruise rather than travel by plane?

While we all may dream of cruising around the world, traveling by plane is actually quite attainable given that a RTW cruise can range anywhere from $10,000 to $200,000 a person! A RTW airline fare package is actually the most cost effective way to travel around the world – if you bought tickets individually from city to city, it would cost you a lot more.

What are some of your favorite RTW trip itineraries?

It all depends on the destinations that you want to go to. SkyTeam offers four programs that offer you total travel freedom. With a 39,000 mile RTW program for example, you could fly from New York across the Atlantic to see historic European cities like Paris, Rome, Madrid, Prague, Moscow and Amsterdam, travel to some of the most popular Asian destinations, including Bangkok, Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo, and tour through the Americas to take in the sights of Los Angeles, Mexico City, Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires and Atlanta, before heading back to New York.

I’ve heard that SkyTeam is relatively weak for itineraries through South America, the Middle East, India, Australia, and the South Pacific. Is this true?

SkyTeam has a very strong and expanding global network. We have major hubs in numerous popular destinations around the world, including Guangzhou, Seoul, Mexico City and Moscow, which help link people to the places they want to go. We offer strong service in South America – from Quito, Ecuador to Buenos Aires, Argentina – and in India, from Mumbai and Delhi to Bangalore. Our online route map can give you a glimpse of all the destinations served by SkyTeam.

What should travelers do if they want to backtrack? Is a RTW trip still appropriate?

Absolutely! With SkyTeam’s RTW product, you don’t have to keep traveling in the same direction – you can always backtrack within the same region. For example, a RTW passenger originating from Beijing, China who visited Osaka, Japan can backtrack west to Seoul, South Korea before traveling to a new region. SkyTeam’s RTW fare also permits surface sectors – meaning that travelers can drive or take the train between destinations as part of their trip.

What if a trip is not quite around the world? (If you focus on two or three continents, for instance) Is this type of ticket still possible?

Yes – however, your RTW itinerary must include one transatlantic flight and one transpacific flight. It also has to start and end in the same country, but not necessarily in the same city.

A perk to traveling with us is that your RTW fare can be used in conjunction with a SkyTeam Europe Pass, America Pass or Asia Pass ticket. Depending on your itinerary, using a SkyTeam fare pass not only provides you with an opportunity to explore and totally enjoy each region you visit, but could result in significant cost savings.

Is the recent emergence of RTW tickets on low-cost carriers a threat to SkyTeam and other traditional carriers?

No. Low-cost carriers provide point-to-point travel options, but the alliance offers an extensive global hub network – providing customers with flexibility and greater control of their travel schedule, access to more destinations and consistent customer service standards. Additionally, one of the greatest benefits to passengers traveling RTW with SkyTeam is the opportunity to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles on all alliance member flights – a passenger can earn quite a few miles traveling RTW.

Are there any ideal times/seasons for RTW travel?

Traveling in the fall is best. This way, you avoid the heavy peak vacation season.

What are three mistakes first-time travelers may make when booking/planning such a trip?

  • Not allotting enough time to research, plan and book a RTW trip. You should start researching and planning at least six months in advance of your intended RTW trip. Keep in mind that with SkyTeam’s RTW fare, you are only required to book the first flight of your itinerary. The remainder of your trip can be left “open” for you to book dates whenever you wish.
  • Not taking care of passport and visa requirements for each destination well in advance. It’s
    always good to take care of all necessary requirements well before your departure date.
  • A RTW trip should not be rushed. Remember to take your time to fully experience each destination. SkyTeam offers four flexible RTW fare packages that leave the length of your trip to you. Depending on the time you have, you can return in 10 days, 6 months or even 1 year.

Any more tips for planning a RTW trip?

Try traveling East Bound – traveling in this direction makes it a lot easier on your body’s time clock!

Talking travel with luxury-travel-for-less planner and author

by Jerry Guo on

Theo Brandt-Sarif is a professional lecturer who gives seminars on booking luxury vacations and business trips. He’s also author of Guerrilla Travel Tactics, a tell-all guide on how to get the best deals on flights, hotels, and vacation packages.

Are there shortcuts to getting business or first class air travel at less than street price?

By far the best way is to use frequent flyer miles. And with credit cards offering frequent flier miles in virtually any and every airline’s programs, it’s easier than ever to accrue a lot of miles, even if you do not fly very often. Go to freetravelreport.com. One of the free reports is titled “Simple Secrets to Getting First Class Airline Upgrades”.

How about getting upgraded to a suite, oceanfront, or concierge floor?

One of my favorite hotel upgrade strategies is the “special event” strategy. All you need to do is contact the hotel reservations office 2-3 days ahead of arrival by fax, email or phone, explaining why your forthcoming visit is special. If it’s your honeymoon-you are virtually guaranteed an upgrade. But wedding anniversaries, birthdays, graduation gifts, first visit to a country-they all count as “special events”.

You will almost always get something you would not otherwise have received-an upgrade, free breakfast each day, champagne and fruit delivered to your room etc. Think about it from the hotel standpoint-it costs them virtually nothing to engender a very loyal customer.
Is there ever a good time to use those airline or hotel chain package

I see six primary reasons to book a package:

  • It can be an ideal way to visit a new exotic destination where independent planning can be complex and/or figuring out the lay of the land once you are in the destination can be challenging because of communication barriers. A good example would be touring China beyond the three major cities (Hong Kong, Shanghai or Beijing).
  • To visit a lot of new cities quickly. Should you want to return to savor those destinations you loved the first time round, making the arrangements on your own will be much easier. A good example is the first timer wanting to get a flavor of Europe-visiting multiple countries. I did that as a student, rushing through nine countries in five weeks!
  • A single traveler seeking a group of companions and security in numbers.
  • A short-of-time traveler who would rather not spend hours planning and coordinating an ideal trip.
  • A cautious traveler who is reluctant to drive or figure out where to go, for whom a deluxe bus package with driver and tour guide holds special appeal.
  • A last-minute traveler who takes advantage of an air/hotel or air/car package that is considerably cheaper than purchasing the flight and hotel/car separately. Online travel agencies are increasingly recognizing the niche for business travelers, and are developing offerings to meet their needs.

In your book, you mention that it’s possible to get guaranteed free award seats during peak periods. Seems impossible.

I look forward every year to traveling abroad with my family on a summer vacation. Because I know we will go somewhere each year, planning and booking one year in advance has become a routine activity. Because we plan ahead, we have been able to use awards to fly free within the US, as well as to Hawaii, Australia, Fiji, Europe, Asia, and Africa during peak holiday periods. This summer my family of five is flying business class to the Seychelles (islands off the east coast of Africa) using a combination of British Airways (LA to Nairobi) and Northwest Airlines (Nairobi to Seychelles) frequent flyer miles. We got the exact dates we wanted during the peak summer season simply by booking 11 months in advance.

Planning as far in advance as possible is almost always the best strategy, especially if you want to travel during peak periods, such as around Thanksgiving or the Christmas holidays. Ideally you want to book award air travel around 330 days in advance of your desired travel date-that’s the day seats for flights go into most major airlines’ computer systems. Leisure travelers can easily book in advance since public holidays and school vacations are known well ahead of time.

What’s the best credit card to use while traveling abroad?

Since the 1980s, Visa and MasterCard have charged 1% of the total purchase to convert a foreign currency purchase into US dollars. Unfortunately, in many cases, the fees don’t stop here. The majority of banks that issue credit cards now charge 3% or more on top of what Visa and MasterCard charge, which can add a significant and unnecessary expense to purchases. Some of these same credit card companies also charge the “conversion” fees even if a foreign purchase is made in US dollars. There is fortunately one exception–Capital One, which does not add fees to those already charged by Visa or MasterCard for making purchases in foreign countries. In fact they absorb the fee charged by Visa or MasterCard, so the net charge on foreign transactions using a Capital One card is 0%.

What are some of your negotiation tactics to get cheaper rooms, travel packages, even a taxi from the airport?

Conventional wisdom has been that one gets the lowest hotel rates simply by calling a hotel’s own reservation department, rather than going online or contacting the central reservations line. That is still true, but only in a few instances, for example, when a hotel has unusually low occupancy rates during the time you intend to visit. You may be able to negotiate a cheaper rate, an upgrade for standard price, get free breakfast or whatever-there is nothing to lose by asking.

The two most common discount hotel opportunities are AAA or AARP rates. If you are a member of either or both organizations, always check out the special rates that may be available. Many hotel web sites now enable you to check these special rates, which typically get a 10-20% discount.

Another among my favorite discounts is the Entertainment Directory 50%-off discount rate. While that discount is usually applied to the rack rate-which is the full room price rarely charged except when the hotel has very high occupancy-the savings can be significant. The Entertainment Directory has far more hotels throughout the US and abroad contracted to offer a half-price discount than any other hotel discount program. Discounts will usually apply whenever the hotel occupancy is 80% or less.

When and how should airfare and hotel consolidators be used?

Airfare consolidators are now virtually extinct, since the web has been a perfect vehicle for airlines to get rid of excess inventory without resorting to “middlemen”. Stated differently, airlines will now readily offer much lower fares on flights that are selling slowly. One exception to this, however, is if you want to get cheap coach fares to countries that are off-the-beaten-path. Expatriates may know of an agency that negotiates low fares on the less well-known national carrier. Do a Google search on the country you wish to visit with the word “consolidator” to try identify such agencies. Hotel consolidators still exist, but only one impresses me. Quickbook.com contracts lower rates with boutique hotels, and has no cancellation or change fees.

What sites do you use for booking flights? And why?

While entire books have been written about travel web sites, I’ll discuss just the key strategies you should pursue when seeking great airfares and hotel rates. No fluff-just the high-yield stuff, a simple approach for time-pressured travelers…..

Here are the results of a real search I did. Assume I want to fly from Hartford to San Diego on July 20, returning July 22. When I perform an airfare search, I start with Orbitz.com to get benchmark pricing. Orbitz.com presents airfares in a matrix, with zero stops, one-stop and two-stops on the left, and all the airlines flying the selected route across the top. There are no non-stops on the Hartford-San Diego route, and I noted one-stop flights from United and Delta having lowest roundtrip fares $477 (including all fees). Two-stop flights offered no savings. Since the majority of low cost carriers do not sell through the major online travel agents, I then checked out some low cost carriers-Southwest.com was offering a one-stop option. Southwest Airline’s lowest roundtrip fare-a “wanna get away fare”, came in at $510.

Other nifty features at Orbitz.com are its Flex search capabilities; easily activated by clicking on “flexible dates” below the dates you input for your departure and return dates. These enhancements enable you to check out fares for up to three days before and after your ideal date (so called “Bonus Days”); or to search fares over a 30-day window (so called “Flexible Stays”). For travelers who are patient, Orbitz.com also offers Deal Detector whereby you select a threshold price, and Orbitz.com will send an e-mail if your requested price becomes available. Southwest Airlines’ web site has added a feature called “Shortcut” that enables you to view fares to your desired destination(s) over an entire month-simply click on Travel Tools to activate.

Next, check out the major airline sites-United.com offered by far the best price for a variety of flights at $319 (the winning fare for my trip!), while Delta.com was $588, higher than Orbitz.com.

“Site scrapers,” such as Mobissimo.com, and Kayak.com scan vast numbers of web travel sites to find the best airfares and hotel rates, providing a simple way to compare airfares side by side. Each site has capability to scan different sites, so none is able to access the entire universe. One benefit of accessing these sites is that their searches include fares offered by major discount airlines such as Southwest and JetBlue, which you frequently cannot obtain from Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, or Travelocity.com. If you see an attractive fare, you simply click on a link that takes you directly to the reservations site offering the fare. However, prices are not necessarily the lowest possible, and their technology still has a way to go to be fast, user-friendly, and consistently effective. But give it a try if you have some extra time!

What are the top 3 upscale destinations to go this year that are on the cheap—destinations abroad where the dollar is actually worth something:

  • Argentina: The vibe of Paris at less than half the price. A steak dinner will run you less than $25.
  • Mexico: While most of Mexico is still reasonably priced for tourists coming in from the US, Mexico City is clearly the best deal. The city is booming with new museums, a historical architectural revival, and a vibrant music and arts scene.
  • Costa Rica: Surprisingly, the dollar has gotten stronger against Costa Rica’s currency. Whatever your vacation interests; jungle adventure tours, eco-tourism, white water rafting, surfing, scuba diving incredible reefs, canopy tours, golf, or just relaxing on an unspoiled tropical beach, you will find all of that and more in this tropical paradise.

What’s the most affordable place–that’s not a hellhole–you’ve been to?

Bali: This island in Indonesia is the most spectacular tropical paradise I ever visited. Luxury hotel rooms go for around $100, half-hour massages cost less than $15.

Let’s say I have 3 weeks off this summer, but I’m on a tight budget. Can you give us an itinerary for a trip where we won’t have to sleep in hostels and survive on pizzas?

Head for Asia. Spend 10 days in Bali, another five in Vietnam. Your remaining time will be in the connecting city (Hong Kong if you fly Cathay Pacific, Bangkok if you fly Thai airlines etc).

Talking travel with PBS travel host Rudy Maxa (part 2)

by Jerry Guo on

I’m here with Rudy Maxa, PBS’s “Savvy Traveler” and host of the awards-winning series Rudy Maxa’s World. His sixth season is currently airing, featuring locales such as Estonia, Argentina, and Thailand (he’s already done a whopping 65 episodes).

He began as an investigative journalist at the Washington Post and then became the “Savvy Traveler” 15 years ago for public radio. He’s now a contributing editor at National Geographic Traveler and his work has appeared in GQ, Travel & Leisure, LA Times, and Forbes, among other publications. If you’re interested in more of what he has to say, check out his blog.

Read part 1 here.

What has been your greatest adventure?

“Adventure” is a big word. Watching the northern lights from a lodge in the countryside of Iceland was magical. Safari in Kenya really made me understand where in the food chain we rank-which is well below lions unless you’re talking “zoo.” Surfing in a wet suit down a white-water river in New Zealand–on my stomach with just a little board to keep me (mostly) upright–certainly got the heart pounding.

Worst travel experience?

Waiting before dawn in a tiny, freezing waiting room at what was then Leningrad’s airport for a flight to the States. The room was cold, my fellow passengers were largely drunk, and we boarded the big, old, lumbering Soviet jet through the cargo belly. The plane had to make two refueling stop before it could make it to the East Coast.
 Favorite food and restaurant? Bar?

Thai and Italian. Oh, my, I have so many favorite restaurants around the world-Alma in the Twin Cities, where I live. Sushiko in Washington, DC. Cut and Fraiche in Los Angeles. L’Ami Louis in Paris. River Café and St. John in London. I’m not much of a bar guy, but I could live at a tiny hideaway called Vodka Tonic in Tokyo.

Where do you go to book flights? Any tips for getting the best deals?

I check third-party web sites such as Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz. Kayak is handy for overseas flights. Cheapflights shows me if booking a few weeks or even months ahead will save me money. But I also check airline web sites for deals. For last-minute deals, it’s site59.com or lastminutetravel.com. Book far ahead-given how quickly airfares are rising, if you know where you want to be for Thanksgiving or the December holidays, it’s not too soon to make reservations.

What about travel agencies? When are they a good idea, and when are they not?

A good travel agent is a real find. Use an agent if you want help planning a trip to a specific destination or if you have a complicated itinerary.

Any advice to save on car rentals?

Look for deals on rental car web sites. Enterprise, the largest North American rental car company, has the largest fuel-efficient fleet with hybrids and vehicles that average 32 and 28 miles per gallon. When searching rental cars online, don’t cheat yourself. Look at Enterprise.com: outside of three summer months, they usually offer 50% off on weekend rentals at their neighborhood locations.

Do you use travel guides when you’re on the road? If so, which ones and why? If not, do you depend on friends and locals?

I almost always depend on locals or friends who know a destination well. There is so much information on the web today, travel guides often can’t keep up. A guide is good in providing a general overview of a destination that is totally new to a visitor.

Are there any truly off-the-beaten-road destinations today? Places that aren’t in Lonely Planet.

Not really, though there are experiences that some tour companies can provide in less-visited countries. But when former outposts such as Ulaanbaatar and Libya are welcoming tourists, it’s difficult to find new, hidden gems.

How do you feel about tourism to places with authoritarian regimes. Myanmar or North Korea or Iran, etc?

While I loathe spending money in a country such as Myanmar that might support a repressive government, people-to-people contact is so important to citizens of those places. At least that’s what I learn when I ask folks familiar with such places the same question you’ve asked me.

What are some easy ways travelers can save money on the road?

If you’re planning a road trip in the US, consider renting a car that might be bigger and more comfortable than yours or one that might get better gas mileage. You avoid wear and tear on your personal vehicle and you may get a nicer set of wheels in the deal.

If traveling abroad, families should consider renting apartments or condos to save on room nights and meals. If you’re going to be in Europe 17 days or longer, don’t rent a car-lease one from a company like europebycar.com to avoid value added taxes and high insurance charges. And with tri-band cell phones (try Cellularabroad.com) and Skype, there’s no reason not to stay in touch. Get out of the big cities to save money on lodging and food.