How come some travelers always get the first-class upgrade, the room with the view, and the hundred-watt smile from the waitress? How come some travelers never get squat? Is it fate? Connections? Bribery? No. It could be something as simple as common courtesy.
Actually there is. In fact, there are thousands of laws on the books to punish bad behavior. But not nearly enough. At least, not in the great outdoors, where humans seem to think they can operate outside the social contract. Graffiti. Cell phones. Littering! Let’s put an end to it.
I’m often on the road making my living. Frequently that means middle seats, economy rental cars, Spartan motel rooms and chain restaurants. But sometimes I yearn for the royal treatment: first class, a limo — maybe a penthouse suite. What to do when status envy strikes deep?
Going abroad? Has it been awhile — or never? Then it’s time for Terry’s Travel Tips 101: The International Edition. From passport and currency to phrase books and maps, you’ll need to do some gathering before you go. Here are some reminders and resources.
Have you ever had a business trip where everything — and I mean everything — went perfectly? Me neither. Yet while paging through a periodical that targets business travelers, I noticed that the people in the ads all appear to be on trips that couldn’t be more pleasant. What gives?
When I was a kid, my parents would load up the Chevy, grab my brother and me, and head to places like Lake Arrowhead, Yosemite and Crater Lake. Today, families head for L.L. Bean, Bass Pro and Nike Town. They’re called retail destinations, and all good consumers – I mean, travelers – love them.
Ah, procrastination. No cares, no responsibilities, no grasp on reality. Why, it’s more seductive than sex. But if you are a business traveler who puts off making travel arrangements, then you are wasting time, wasting money and squandering opportunity. But you already know that. What to do?
Do you travel often or for long periods as part of your job? Do you spend countless nights on the road? Do you consider yourself a member of the Too-Frequent Traveler Club? If your answers are yes, yes, and yes, maybe it’s time to take a break from travel — cut it out of your schedule for a while. Maybe it’s time for a … travelectomy.
Every year the American Film Institute conducts a poll of favorite movie moments, genres and characters. This year, the organization polled 1,500 industry professionals for their favorite movie quote. Here are the Top 10.
I try to aim my columns at readers on the high end of the intelligence spectrum. By doing so, however, I never connect with a rather large portion of the traveling public. So in a drive to increase readership, I’m downgrading my usual lofty advice to offer up some hints for traveling nitwits.
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