10 travel resolutions for 2010

by Katie Hammel on

As 2009 draws to a close and we look back on the last 365 days of travel, it’s time to make some resolutions for the coming year. Here are ten travel resolutions that will help you be a happier, more fulfilled traveler in 2010.

Pack lighter
Nearly every domestic carrier now charges for the first checked bag. The fees are increasing as airlines are relying on the fees to supplement revenue and they show no signs of stopping. If you haven’t yet mastered the art of packing for a domestic trip with just a carry-on, now is the time to do so. Limit yourself to one pair of shoes in your bag, bring clothes that mix and match, plan to wash and re-wear your clothes if they get dirty, and wear your bulkiest items on the plane. Resist the urge to pack for every contingency, learn the 3-1-1 rules, and know that any minor inconvenience you suffer from packing light may be worth the money saved. Plus, there’s no waiting around for your luggage to be unloaded and no danger of it getting lost en route.

Remember to unplug

Many people are afraid to truly take a vacation from work. They worry about how it will affect their career or stress about the amount of work they’ll come back to. If they do manage to make it out of the office, they often spend their whole trip checking email and fielding work calls and texts. Step away from the Blackberry! Sign out of Twitter, shut down Facebook, and put your “out of office” notification on your email. You’ve worked hard for this vacation so unplug and actually enjoy it.Explore your own backyard
Don’t worry, I’m not going to suggest you plan a “staycation” this year. But I will point out that exploring a new place doesn’t have to mean jetting off to a destination halfway around the world. If finances are tight but you still want to take use some vacation time and broaden your horizons, spend your days discovering a place you haven’t been within the US, within your own state, or even within a few hours drive of your own home. In between trips, find ways to do some virtual traveling by learning about your dream destinations or celebrating other cultures.

Slow down
There’s so much to see in this great big world, and so little time to see it in, that it’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to squeeze in as much as possible on each trip. But when you do that, you’re just ticking things off a list and experiencing nothing. Slow down and take your time exploring a few places rather than trying to skim the surface of many. You many not be able to say you’ve seen every country in the world, but you can say you’ve understood a few.

Think outside the box for destinations
Resolve to shake up your travel m.o. in 2010 If you always opt for a European getaway, head to Asia this year. If most of your trips are to big cities where you can wine, dine, shop and visit museums, try a trip to a quiet beach or a countryside setting instead. Consider what you want to get out of a trip and look for other destinations that fit the bill. Dive enthusiasts who’ve explored most of the Caribbean’s depths can try the waters of the Mediterranean. Traveling foodies who’ve eaten their way around Europe can sample the tastes of India or learn the traditions of Mexican cooking. Reconsider places you might have dismissed before, especially those that are emerging as new destinations so that you can beat the crowds.

Try an alternative form of lodging
Who says you always have to stay in a hotel? This year, try a different kind of lodging. Sleep in a bed and breakfast, rent an apartment, CouchSurf or sign up for a home-swap. You may find that it’s not for you, or you may find your new favorite way to stay. As a bonus, alternative forms of lodging are often cheaper than traditional hotels.

Travel green
Help protect the places you love so that future generations can enjoy them. Resolve to cut back on your carbon footprint and do what you can to travel green. Try to stay in eco-friendly accommodations, take public transportation when you can, reduce your energy use at home, and invest in carbon offsets to help mitigate the damage caused by air travel.

Try one new thing on every trip
Travel is about experiencing new things, so why bother going to a new destination if you are just going to do the same activities, eat the same food, and explore the same interests? This year, challenge yourself to try at least one new thing on every trip. Sample a food you’ve never eaten, sip a local drink, learn a native skill, and engage in an activity you’ve never done before. It’s easy to fall into the routine of seeking out the same experiences in different places so challenge yourself to try something new.

Get out of your comfort zone
We travel to discover, not only new people and places, but also new things about ourselves. Push yourself out of your comfort zone in 2010. Try not only new things that you’re eager to experience, but also new things that scare you just a little. Eat that slimy, still-squirming mystery dish in China or face your fear of heights climbing the Sydney Bridge. You’ll learn a little about the world around you, and maybe even more about yourself.

Remember that travel is a state of mind
It’s easy to approach exotic cultures with respect and curiosity. It’s a lot harder to look at different cultures in our country and accept that just because they do things differently, it doesn’t mean they are wrong. Bring the acceptance you learn on the road home with you. Don’t lose your sense of wonder and curiosity once you are back on familiar ground. Remember that travel is a state of mind and you may be just as surprised to discover the world around you as you are destinations farther away.

8 Reasons Visiting A Friend Makes a Great Trip

by Mike Barish on
We’ve all said it. “I really need a vacation!” That common phrase is uttered in offices and at happy hours all across this great land of ours by people in desperate need of some time away from their everyday lives.

Unfortunately, breaking the inertia of that hectic yet mundane existence can be challenging. What you need is some decision-making lubrication. Put down the WD-40 and instead check your address book. Nothing makes for an affordable, memorable and energizing trip than a visit to a friend. What seems like a simple idea can spawn some of the best possible adventures. If you don’t believe me, well, I’m writing this from Whitehorse, the capital of Canada’s Yukon Territory. I’m here visiting my friend Eva Holland of World Hum. And this isn’t the first time I’ve traversed the globe just to say hi to a someone I know. So, what makes visiting a friend such a special vacation? Let’s count the ways.

1. A Good Excuse – OK, we’ve determined that you need a vacation but may have a hard time summoning the motivation to pull the trigger. Visiting a friend gives you the perfect excuse to get off your ass, ask for some time off and get away from your everyday life for a while. There’s no planning or research necessary. Just ask your friend if you can come, ask your boss if you can leave and then get going!

2. It’s Cheap(er) – Sure, you’re going to need a plane/bus/train ticket and that’s going to cost you a bit. But when you arrive at your friend’s house, you’ll have a place to stay and a kitchen in which to cook your own meals. Accommodations and food can be the two biggest expenses once you’re on the ground. Knock those costs down a few pegs and your trip just got a whole lot more affordable. And that just means more cheesie souvenirs and drinks for you (and for your friend, since you should treat her to a round or two for being your host)..

3. Friendly Tour Guide – Who needs guidebooks and expensive tours when you have a local friend? Not only can your buddy share his expertise with you, you’ll get to experience the destination through the eyes of a local. Of course, seeing the touristy sights is worth it, but the best experiences often come at seemingly innocuous local restaurants or on lazy days in a park. Share a “typical” afternoon with your friend and enjoy a slice-of-life experience that no tourist would ever have. You’ll leave having a better understanding of the place than you would if you just followed that guidebook’s advice.

4. Getting to Know You – Odds are, if you’re visiting this friend, you’ve kept in touch with her since she moved away. You’ve listed to her stories on the phone, followed her on Twitter and killed time at work by perusing her online photo galleries. But do you really have a sense of what her new life is like? By visiting a friend, you’ll have a new appreciation for her anecdotes and everything that she’s shared with you will have more context. You’ll meet her friends, see where she lives and party where she parties. Your friend may have a new life away from you, but there’s no reason that you can’t get to know it (and her) better by paying a visit.

5. New Friends – Speaking of meeting her friends, you’ll get to expand your social circle on your visit. Having you in town will be the perfect excuse for your friend to host a dinner party or rally a group to hit the town. Meeting new people and spending time with locals make travel such a wonderful activity. By visiting someone, you’re guaranteed make new friends on your trip. At the very least, you’ll get some new Facebook friends out of it.

6. Built-In Travel Pal – We’ve written a fair amount about travel companions here at Gadling. But when it comes to visiting a friend, all you need to worry about is getting there. Once you arrive, your friend will be around to create memories with you. Even if he needs to work for part of the time, you’ll still be able to explore your surroundings with him when he’s free rather than always being alone. And those are the types of stories that will make your other friends regret not joining you for that visit.

7. You’re Going Where? – I’m sure I would have gone to Sydney, Amsterdam and Chicago whether or not I knew people there. But I’m not sure when I would have made my way to Fargo or Whitehorse if I didn’t have friends to visit. Going to a somewhat obscure or less “sexy” locale is a fantastic byproduct of visiting a friend, You’ll get to see a place that you may never have experienced and learn that it’s just as awesome, if not more so, than many of the more popular destinations around the world. You can have Paris. I’ll happily spend my week in the Yukon.

8. A Friendly Face – For you, the visit may just be a vacation. For your friend, however, it’s a chance to see a someone familiar. Whether she admits it or not, her new life may still have her longing for the comforts of her old home. Your visit won’t just be about you getting away. It’s will be a chance to remind your friend that she hasn’t been forgotten and that people will actually visit her — no matter how remote her new home may be. Bring a bag of her favorite junk food or a t-shirt from her old local bar and it will be the best gift you can give as a house guest.

Visiting a friend is so much more than just a vacation. It’s a chance to learn about a new place, reconnect with someone special and experience life as a local. Visits to friends often generate the fondest memories of travel, as those trips tend to strengthen old bonds, create new inside jokes and foster a comfort level that is often hard to achieve when traveling to a place that is completely unknown to you.

So, the next time you are desperate to get away and think that it’s just too difficult to plan a trip, consider those friends who have relocated to a place that you never would have imagined going. Write one of them an email or, better yet, give him a call. He’ll be thrilled to hear from you and beyond excited that you want to visit. Before you know it, you’ll be together again. Just be sure to thank him and to pack that gift from home.

Did I miss any good reasons for visiting a friend? Have you had an amazing trip just by reconnecting with someone who had moved away? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments.

7 reasons to spend the holidays away from home

by Katie Hammel on

Christmas is traditionally a time for family, but it can also be the ideal time to travel. Who says you have to stay home for the holidays? Here are seven reasons to spend the holidays traveling.

Travel deals

While the holiday season can be one of the most expensive times to travel (especially with those annoying extra fees), it can also be a time of great deals to certain destinations. Especially when you compare what it might cost to fly home to visit family within the US, the price for flying to an international destination may seem downright cheap. Last year, it would have cost my husband and I $400 each to fly to Florida to spend time with my family. For $200 more per person, we opted to go to Spain for 10 days instead.

Check out last-minute flights both on and around the holiday and you might be surprised at what you find. And don’t be afraid to fly on Christmas Eve/Day or New Year’s Eve/Day. This year, I saved $400 on my ticket to South Africa by flying back at 11:30pm on New Year’s Eve.Experience Christmas in another culture
Stockings hung by the fire, leaving cookies out for Santa – these are great traditions to enjoy with your family, but why not try something new this year. So how Christmas is celebrated in Italy, or Mexico, or Russia. Spending time around the holidays in another country can provide you with a unique look at another culture as you see how those people celebrate this special time of year.

Free days off
Many companies shut down for a few days over the holidays, which means you can use a few extra free days to pad your supply of vacation days. A trip that may have used up seven days will only require four if you schedule it from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day.

The end of December is often a better time to request time off as well. Many offices that do stay open operate on only a skeleton crew due to slower business around the holidays.

No taking sides
For children of divorced parents, the holidays can be an exercise in juggling. Add in two sets of in-laws, and you’re looking at four holiday commitments over 48 hours. The rushing and clock-watching is enough to drive you straight into a vat of eggnog. And if you put your foot down and say you can only commit to one family per day, well then you’re playing favorites about the different families.

Instead of rushing from house to house, giving each party just a few hours, schedule a special day with different branches of your family tree before Christmas and then spend the holiday stress free.

Two words: Christmas bonus
If your office still gives out a holiday bonus (lucky you!), what better way to spend it than on an unforgettable trip. Before you have a chance to be “practical” and put the cash towards home improvements, or to slowly spend it on meals out and new clothes over the next few months, take that chunk of change and put it towards a trip you’ve been dreaming of.

Give back
The holidays are a time of giving, so why not use this time to take part in a voluntourism group. Spread your charity work around the globe by heading off a volunteer vacation.

Escape the commercialism
Christmas should have more meaning than presents and parties, but it’s hard to separate the meaning of the holiday from the commercialism that threatens to overtake it, especially when you are bombarded by ads reminding you daily just how many shopping days are left. Escape the onslaught and head to your version of paradise. Lounge on a deserted beach, go mountain climbing, trek through the dessert or just retreat to a little cabin in the woods.

And as a bonus, if you are traveling with a companion, you’ll now have one less person to buy gifts for. Just consider the trip a present to the both of you.

Top 10 travel-themed 80’s songs

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Something happened to songwriters during the 80’s. Synthesizers became required instruments, hair got bigger and most importantly, songwriters were increasingly interested in the theme of travel. Why was travel suddenly such an important subject? Though there’s no one right answer, the reasons for the glut of travel-themed 80’s songs are many, including the influence of globalization, the rise of international pop stars and, of course, because the bands just wanted to seem cool and more worldly. Isn’t that always the best reason?

With so many great travel-themed 80’s pop songs out there, it was only natural for Gadling to compile a list of our top ten favorites. After hours of intensive polling, debating and arguing, we’re happy to present you with the following gems. How many do you remember? Think you know the best? Take a look below:

80’s Travel Song #10: The Bangles – Walk Like an Egyptian

How does one “walk like an Egyptian” you might ask? Well, if you were The Bangles, it involved some awkward imitations of ancient hieroglyphics. Though they never do the dance in their video, the song kicked off a wave of hieroglyphics imitators, all turned sideways in tribute. So did the band ever visit Egypt? Were they avid archaeology buffs? I’m afraid the answer is probably no. But hey, the dance makes you look pretty cool. Make sure to show it off the next time you find yourself on the streets of Cairo!


80’s Travel Song #9: Murray Head – One Night in Bangkok

So what exactly is going on here? 80’s one-hit wonders Murray Head sing this ode to Bangkok, originally composed by the former members of ABBA, as part of the soundtrack for the hit musical Chess, and the music video doesn’t stray too far from the theme. A guy plays chess, people are dancing with Asian masks in a dark scary room and there’s lots of smoke. I haven’t yet been to Bangkok, but based on this video, I think I have a pretty good sense of what to expect. If nothing else, it’s got quite a hummable chorus, no?

80’s Travel Song #8: U2 – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For

In 1986, U2 began work on a new album called The Joshua Tree. The record was meant to describe all that they loved about American musical traditions, including Blues, Gospel and Folk. The result of their efforts was their most popular album to date, including hit singles like “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” The song’s themes of wandering, discovery and open road remain just as resonant today as when the song was first released back in 1987. Make sure to watch the official video (we couldn’t embed it, sorry) to see the band as they wander around Las Vegas.

80’s Travel Song #7: Go-Go’s – Vacation

Not only is “Vacation” the name of a hit song by 80’s all-girl group The Go-Go’s, it’s also the name of their 1982 album. Propelled by bouncy melodies and catchy guitar hooks, “Vacation” might seem to be the perfect carefree soundtrack to that next trip down to the Bahamas. But if you listen closely, you’ll notice the lyrics to “Vacation” really have nothing to do with travel, beaches or road trips: it’s actually about a relationship. That said, don’t let the lyrical content spoil the fun – “Vacation” remains an 80’s travel song favorite.

80’s Travel Song #6: B-52’s – Roam

They might not have known it at the time, but this quintessential ode to wandering by 80’s super-group The B-52’s was destined to be included on every travel-themed iPod playlist. It has all the right ingredients – the references to dusty trails, a sugary melody and plenty of killer choruses. Anytime you stuck at home or at the office and dreaming of that next big trip, throw on “Roam” and you’re guaranteed to be transported back out on the open road, if only in your mind.

80’s Travel Song #5: Billy Ocean – Caribbean Queen

Remember the first time you heard Billy Ocean’s Caribbean Queen? Was it in a dentist office waiting room? Streaming from the “Lite Rock” station at a coworker’s cubicle? It’s likely you don’t have fond memories of it, and frankly, that’s a shame. The ultimate “King of Smooth,” Mr. Billy Ocean, brings us this easy listening staple, a must-have on any self-respecting 80’s travel song list. The easygoing rhythms paired with the luxurious string section give this song a carefree, island vibe that’s hard to describe. You either want to break out in spontaneous dance or go cry in the corner – it’s hard to decide which feels more appropriate.

80’s Travel Song #4: Men at Work – Land Down Under

This one is just too easy. Men at Work’s Land Down Under music video has just about every 80’s and Australian cliche known to mankind. That includes the unnecessary man sitting in a tree playing a flute solo, a stuffed koala, band members wearing leather pants in the desert, and plenty of gratuitous Foster’s product shots. If you want to (mis)understand what the 80’s were all about, just watch this video. It’s amazing.

80’s Travel Song #3: Duran Duran – Rio

Like so many other epic pop singles, Duran Duran’s Rio is a tribute to that “special someone.” In this case though, the place and the person are used interchangeably. They call it “Rio,” an earthly paradise of beaches, twinkling stars and sensuous “curves.” Are they talking about Rio de Janeiro? Some other “river” of fantasies? A fair-skinned beauty? The answer is up to the listener to decide. Make sure to watch the sailboat-themed video (which we weren’t able to embed in this post).

80’s Travel Song #2: Toto – Africa

Africa has long been a source of mystery and intrigue for travelers, a fact one-hit wonders Toto play off in this tribute to the famously “exotic” continent. The action in the video inexplicably kicks off in a library (in Africa, I guess?) where the band is searching for answers. Sadly, despite pulling a number of dusty tomes off the shelf, including one appropriately titled “Africa,” they don’t seem to find anything of use. Soon an errant spear is thrown into the bookcase and chaos ensues. If you’re looking to find every possible stereotype about Africa embodied in a catchy pop song, Toto’s Africa is it.

80’s Travel Song #1: Big Country – In a Big Country

Big Country might not have achieved the same degree of 80’s-hit stardom as Duran Duran or Men at Work, but their grand opus, “In a Big Country,” is among the most epic travel songs of all time. Much like Rio, “In a Big Country” mixes subjects between special places and people, singing of the inspiring places around us and the people that inhabit them. The soaring lyrics and catchy chorus never fail to get your body moving and your mind dreaming off distant lands. Plus, in the music video, the band seems to be having plenty of fun along the way, tooling around on 3-wheelers in search of adventure.

Where have all the timeshares gone?

by Tom Johansmeyer on

I know there are a handful of people out there who have taken the bait: just sit through a short, two-hour presentation, and we’ll pay for your trip to luxurious-fill-in-the-blank-destination. Well, more and more of you are saying “no” this year. Timeshare sales are expected to fall 30% this year, following the glory days of 2004 to 2008.

Until last year, everything looked great for the timeshare business. Sales did fall 8.5% in 2008, the first downward turn since the industry came into existence in 1975. But, maintenance fees stayed under control (increasing from $471 to $646 from 2004 to 2008), and sale prices surged around 30% from $15,790 in 2004 to $20,152 in 2008. Last year, $10.6 billion in timeshares were sold.

So, with the timeshare pitchers facing their worst year in more than three decades, no might be a decent time to sit through one of those “information sessions.” If you want to go back to the same place on vacation every year, you’ll probably be able to squeeze a bit of extra savings out of them!