Away from the Net

Gone traveling with the Carolinas & Georgia on my mind! The travel crew is researching early Americana, Revolutionary & Civil War sites in the South.

I’m not sure about Internet connectivity on the road so don’t expect any responses/posts before January 4th 2010.

Holiday greetings from paradise

Mele kalikimaka!

Hau'oli makahiki hou!

For us mainlanders that’s Hawaiian for Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Holiday shopping woes

I’m a guy that means I don’t shop just to shop. Well let me qualify that-I learned many years ago to acquire (shop-ok I said it)) gift items as you go through the year. This means that my Xmas shopping was done by Nov. As I drove by the malls these past few days & spied all the traffic I felt sorry for the folks enjoying this experience. For me it is family, feasting football. Happy Holidays!

Anchors Away!

On December 22nd 1775 the Continental Congress organized the US Navy with the commissioning of 7 ships and officers. Today it has grown into a modern fleet and an important asset to the nation.

Military museums are interesting venues and there are 12 official US Naval museums. Another great tour is the US Naval Academy in Annapolis MD.

Be kind to your travel agent & get out of town!

The LA Purchase is finalized

On Dec 20th 1803 the Louisiana Purchase is formally transferred from France to US for $27 million. This tract of land stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains.

Eventually this land purchase contained what has become all of present-day Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, parts of Minnesota that were west of the Mississippi River, most of North Dakota, nearly all of South Dakota, northeastern New Mexico, the portions of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado east of the Continental Divide, and Louisiana west of the Mississippi River, including the city of New Orleans.

Good deal President Jefferson!

Friday's Fares

For those of you who fly Southwest Airlines and like to make your travel plans early, the carrier opened their summer schedule today for travel between May 9 and Aug. 13. Though they've continued tweaking some flight schedules in other locations, there are no new changes in this schedule for Port Columbus (CMH).

Be kind to your travel agent and get out of town!

Got travel questions? Email thetravel@gmail.com.

Man's 1st motorized air flight

For weeks Orville and Wilbur Wright struggled through delays and mishaps at their camp in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Undeterred, they continued to experiment with different aircraft designs and fuel mixtures in their attempt at flight.

A coin toss settled that Orville would try again on December 17, 1903. Their diligence paid off as he flew their airplane 120 feet in 12 seconds at a speed of 7 miles per hour at an altitude of approximately 10 feet. The first motorized flight was witnessed by five members of the public and the age of air travel was born.

Happy travels!

How to earn free airline frequent flyer miles

I play the airline frequent traveler club game. As you earn miles you can redeem them for free flights, providing space is available.

You can earn miles by buying and flying on your favorite carrier, using their affinity credit card for purchases and here’s a new twists.

Take survey for free miles. Go to http://www.e-miles.com/home.do and enroll.
It takes a while to earn enough frequent flyer miles to deposit into your account but have what are a few minutes a couple of times a week.

Got travel questions? Email thetravelprofessor@gmail.com.

Boston Tea Party

American smugglers like John Hancock & Samuel Adams were making good money but when Britain permitted the East India Company to sell tea to the colonies without paying taxes, the smugglers' livelihood was threatened.

When the cargo ship Dartmouth arrived in late November 1773 filled with tea, the situation reached a crisis point.

On the night of December 16th 1773 a group of colonists disguised as Indians boarded the ships and began dumping the tea from the ship overboard. By morning more than 90,000 pounds of tea were destroyed. The Boston Tea Party, and similar acts of defiance, preceded the American Revolutionary War.

This is one of the many historic spots to visit in Boston MASS.

The end of a history rail journey

Today marks the end of an era. The route dubbed “the Orient Express” disappears from European railway timetables, a victim of high-speed trains and cut-rate airlines.

The historic Orient Express was established back in the 1880s and transported you from Paris or London to Istanbul. It traveled through the Balkans a scenic yet troubled section of the world.

The Orient Express— the very name carries an aura of glamour and mystery. Van Helsing rode it to his battle with Dracula. James Bond romanced a beautiful Russian aboard it. And Agatha Christie set one of the best-known murders in literary history aboard that train.

Now the original Orient Express is history. I’m sad to say that I never made the effort to make this journey. I need to investigate other historic journeys/places & add them to my must visit list before they disappear.

Happy travels!

Inspiring travel quote for a rainy day

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. ” – Mark Twain.

Be kind to your travel agent & get out of town!

Happy Radio Day!

On Dec 11th 1901 Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi is credited with sending the 1st wireless signal from England to Canada.

On a more local note take the time to check out the Radio and Technology Museum located in Huntington WV. It is located at 1640 Florence Ave and is open 10 am to 4 pm Friday and Saturday and 1 to 4 pm Sunday. Admission is by donation. It’s an amazing place & worth t he visit!

Be kind to your travel agent & get out of town!

Maui Whale Festival

Today’s weather has me thinking about the islands of Aloha. The warm "winter" weather of Hawaii not only attracts human visitors, but also endangered humpback whales. While whale catching can be enjoyed from most Hawaiian islands on your own, through chartered boats, nature tours, etc., Maui continues to be the center of whale watching activity and the annual month-long Maui Whale Festival honors and celebrates these beautiful mammals.

This upcoming 2010’s Festival will be held from February 1 through the 28 and events include the Run for the Whales, Maui’s Parade of Whales, Maui’s Whale Day Celebration and the Great Maui Whale Count.

Happy travels!