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FYI: For the next few weeks my focus will be on two new sites I’m launching.

With the recent revelation regarding pilots who may have fallen asleep during a flight and overshot their destination.  I found this interesting report from Los Angles radio station KABC.  They sent the sexy intern Bernadette out to parking lot B to speak with pilots regarding sleeping in RV’s in an airport owned parking lot that sits just below one of the approach paths.  For just $60 per month pilots can park an RV and use it for layovers. Often with short turnarounds between flights it is faster to catch a shuttle over to Lot B than it is to catch a hotel shuttle, check in, and then return to the airport after resting. See Google Map below.  Zoom out to see relationship with runways 25 Left and Right, the longest at LAX, and used by the big heavy jets.


View Larger Map

See more of Bernadette and photos she took. Don’t be distracted by her clevage, be sure to listen to the audio clip embedded in the page.

A recent survey by Westin Hotels & Resorts found that 51% of US travelers would rather have a good night’s sleep than great sex.

The question asked of about 12,500 travelers in a dozen countries was “Which is more important to you, a perfect night’s sleep, or great sex?” Canadian travelers were the only regional group that picked sex over sleep by 52%. So What keeps us from getting a good nights sleep?? PDA’s 60%, Bills 58%, Spouse or Partner 25%.

The publication of this survey is being used to promote that Westin has partnered with the National Sleep Foundation to launch a toll-free sleep hotline, (888) TIME-4-SLEEP, and webpage click here. The number will be manned by sleep professionals during the peak hours when people experience problems sleeping. The webpage offers a variety of information on sleep related problems, the causes and solutins.

The California coast line is punctuated with dog friendly beach parks however; this park has a unique feature which dogs and their owners will appreciate after romping in the shore, a state of the art self serve dog wash.  As you drive into the entrance of Arroyo Burro Beach Park in Santa Barbara, you’ll see the canine cleaning service. This do-it your-self dog wash is not unlike the self-serve quarter car wash with its individual bays and pressure nozzles. 

     The Wripples Pet Spas has a reliable coin operated system that is simple to use. You exchange credit card or cash for tokens and start the “spa” process at one of two wash stations.  Once your dog is in the tub and secured by the lanyard, you select from one of three of the Earthbath products (Orange Peel Oil deodorizer and degreaser, Mango Tango shampoo and Conditioner, Tea Tree Oil itch relief shampoo).   One couple was washing their pair of dogs and wasn’t using any of the 3 cleaning options.  They were using baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to get the skunk smell out of the dog’s fur.  They explained that they discovered the skunk spraying consequences when the dogs bounced into their bed room the night before. 

 

After the shampoo or anti-skunk concoction, there’s the warm water rinse cycle and just like at the human spa, there are blow dryers to put the finishing touches on your beloved pet.   The owners of the skunk dogs brought their own towels to help the drying process and there is the self-serve dog wash vending center for terry cloth towels and nutri-dent all natural dog bones for clean breath.

 

The self-serve dog wash will come in handy after you spend some time in the beach park splashing in the water and running on the beach. One side of the beach is for dogs off the leash and the other with a leash.  As with most dog parks, there are bags provided for owners to pick up after the dogs.  Kids flying kites, surfers, runners, sun worshipers, walkers and all the traditional beach activities are presents.  There is one parking lot parking very close to the narrow beach and there are plenty of easy, paved walkways and benches.  Signs are posted stating the most recent bacteria testing indicated the ocean water is within acceptable health standards.

The new Self-Operated Pet Spa at the Santa Barbara County Park opened on Sunday, March 8, 2009. The press release stated that Arroyo Burro Beach is a popular destination for dog owners, due to its proximity immediately to the west of the City of Santa Barbara’s off-leash beach below the Douglas Family Preserve.  A constant refrain from many dog owners was the dearth of a convenient place to wash their pets after runs on the beach.  Now, dogs and their owners can run and splash on the beach and not worry about getting dirty.

 

Arroyo Burro Beach County Park is located at 2981 Cliff Drive, just west of the Las Positas Road (CA Route 225).  Wripples PetSpas is conveniently situated next to the parking lot along Cliff Drive.

 

Wripples Warm Water PetSpa     www.wripples.com

What do you do with left over currency after an international trip? If you have a small amount, use it for a souvenir. Most exchange services don’t except coins and the exchange rate to U.S. dollars may not be worth the effort. If you have too many souvenirs already and you want to dump the coins, then shop at the departing airport. Many duty free shops will allow mixed currency. If you have TMS, (too much stuff), then donate your leftover currency.

Many international carriers offer a program in flight where flight attendants collect foreign currency called “Change for Good” sponsored by Unicef. A few of the 10 participating airlines are American Airlines, British Airways and Qantas.

Or you can visit www.unicefusa.org/changeforgood and mail your left over currency direct. If you have currency that is no longer in circulation from a pre-euro trip to Europe, a privately held company call the Currency Commission www.TheCurrencyCommission.com will convert your currency to Euros, U.S. or Canadian dollars.

The question of specific U.S. Custom boundaries regarding the seizure or searching of cell phones, laptops and other digital equipment for potential links to crimes is a hot topic for travelers moving through international airports and other ports of entry.

More and more travelers are being scrutinized when navigating through U.S. Customs and Border Protection. U.S. Customs and Homeland Security have a job to do to protect the U.S. from potential harm, but where is the line drawn for the invasion of personal information stored on laptops, cell phones, blackberries or iPods? The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures but in these turbulent times, where are the boundaries as to what government has the right to search? There must be balance between freedom and protection.

Consider this situation, you return to the U.S. from traveling abroad and your laptop is seized by customs agents. After a short time, the agents return your laptop and you go on your merry way. Meanwhile, your entire content has been copied and is being searched for Burmese yoga sites, middle-eastern music and pornography. You have no idea this is happening and this is the big question that civil right groups are trying to get answered, what are the governing rules regarding what can be searched and what happens to the data that is viewed or copied.

For the first time, lawsuits regarding this very question are perking the interest of legislators. Multiple citizen rights groups have filed lawsuits in the U.S. district court in California citing the federal Freedom of Information Act. The advocacy groups are requiring the courts to mandate the disclosure of the rules and policies governing the inspections of electronics by border guards. The Department of Homeland Security and Customs Border Protection agencies are not divulging the processes for searching electronic devices. (Read their comments on laptop searches. ) According to the customs agency, all travelers entering the U.S. are required to participate in the processes as they are looking for possible threats such as terrorism or narcotics.

In this age electronics gadgets and devices, confidential company information or even an innocent hobby could render problematic as custom officials carry out searches and seizures. Careful who you call on your cell phone; all records of your contacts and phone calls could be copied and evaluated to links of illegal situations. Here’s an example of a search that led to an alleged crime. A laptop of a computer consultant was seized by customs officials and in the course of the search, they found child pornography. A court found that the search was legal and child pornography charges were served. The jury in the case sided with the traveler who worked legitimately for a company that hunts down illegal pornography acts; and agreed that he stumbled on the child site by accident.

The above example is extreme; however, this question of personal freedom vs. questionable governmental search procedures is a looming problem. A spokes person for the Department of Homeland Security expressed that the concern is overblown. Even so, if you are a frequent international traveler, you may want to consider tips for traveling with digital equipment.

• Back up your data before you leave home.
• Carry equipment you can afford to loose.
• Limit your laptop information with general no proprietary company information.
• Be cautious that all your personal information would be okay for public display.

Three of the nations busiest airports have each opened new runways this past year.

The runway locations are: Washing Dulles IAD, Chicago O’Hare ORD, and Seattle-Tacoma SEA.

The Department Of Transportation estimates the new capacity will allow for an additional 330,000 takeoffs and landings each year.

OK… OK… That’s enough on Hawaii… I’ll move on….

The Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World 2009 – by Sehlinger & Testa

With over 4 million copies having been sold this latest edition is sure to be a hit.  The guide is based on evaluations from readers surveys and other research compiled by a group unbiased ”mickey mouse” inspectors. 

From The Publishers:

“A Tourist’s Best Friend!” — Chicago Sun-Times

“Indispensable” — The New York Times

Five Great Features and Benefits offered ONLY by The Unofficial Guide:

1. Exclusively patented, field-tested touring plans that save as much as four hours of standing in line in a single day
2. New color section with practical information for your trip
3. Almost 250 hotels rated and ranked for quality and value, including the top non-Disney hotels for families 
4. A complete Dining Guide with ratings and reviews of all Walt Disney World restaurants, plus extensive alternatives for dining deals outside the World 
5. Attractions rated and ranked for each age group; extensive, objective, head-to-head comparisons of the Disney and Universal theme parks

Your Amazon book purchase helps support this site.

Read a recent article where a couple flying from Los Angeles to Rome who got cornered into paying $10,000 as their discount tickets went bad.  The American Airlines flight they took from LAX to New York was delayed and the couple missed their Alitalia flight for Rome. 

Due to a lack of communication/partnerships between American and Alitalia they were forced into purchasing one-way seats only to discover after arriving in Rome that their non-refundable return tickets had been voided when they missed their NYC to Rome flight.  They then had to purchase return flights.

How do you avoid such disasters? 

- Find and use a good travel agent.

- Buy trip insurance.

- Book with airline alliance partners.  When a partner sells you a seat on another partner airline they are responsible for resolving problems.

- Fly Non-Stop and avoid congested airports.  And if your trip involves a scheduled cruise or tour, plan on arriving a day early.

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