Travel Tidbits: Chatty Charlie Gets Busted and Parking Violator Finally Pays Up

Let this be a warning to all of you travelers who are obsessed with your cellphones: Airlines mean business when they tell you to shut up. It’s a lesson one Southwest Airlines passenger learned the hard way on Monday. For some reason 50-year-old Joe David Jones refused to get off his cellphone during a flight from Austin to Dallas and he’s now having to pay the price for it. According to police reports, Southwest flight attendants repeatedly asked Jones to hang up his cellphone while the plane was in mid-air, but he refused to comply. When the jet landed at … Continue reading

Visiting Minneapolis Airport’s Infamous Bathroom and What NOT To Take Through An Airport Turnstile

Only in America… That’s what I thought when I heard that the bathroom stall made famous by U.S. Senator Larry Craig’s arrest in a sex sting has become a major tourist attraction in the Twin Cities. According to employees at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, thousands of travelers have been taking pictures of the infamous site where the prominent lawmaker claimed he was merely trying to pick up a piece toilet tissue that fell to the ground. The Idaho Republican was arrested June 11 by a Minneapolis airport police officer and later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Since then … Continue reading

Have You Hugged Your Housekeeper Today?

What’s that saying: “Better late than never.” I just found out that this week is International Housekeepers Week, a seven-day celebration in honor of those who clean up after us (hey, I thought that was what Mother’s Day was for). In all seriousness, I am blogging about this special occasion in the “Travel” category because I feel hotel room attendants (who often go unnoticed and under-appreciated) deserve recognition this week. When was the last time you passed a hotel room attendant in the hall and said “thank you” or, perhaps, even left a tip in appreciation for their tidying efforts. … Continue reading

Tipping: The Key Word is Discretionary

A frustrating and sometimes embarrassing part of vacationing is tipping. Whether you’re dining out, taking a taxi or tipping a luggage handler, it can be a bit confusing, especially if you don’t have an idea of what is expected or customary. There have been situations where I did not have as much money as I would have liked to have, so I just hoped for bad service. Therefore I would have a clear reason not to leave a tip. Unfortunately at times, there was good service. I felt obligated to leave a tip because I knew I would have felt … Continue reading

When In Rome, Or Wherever Else You May Be:

Ok, so you’ve got your passports ready and the tickets are already purchased. You were granted visas if one is required to enter the country and you’ve scheduled your vacation days several months in advance so that there are no last minute conflicts at work with the boss. No need to worry about school. The kids are off for the summer. However, you’re still missing something. It’s not travelers’ checks. You got those three days ago from your bank. You bought enough rolls of film to take hundreds of pictures. You made arrangements for your neighbors to periodically check the … Continue reading