Author: mark
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Podcast #140 — Travel Tech Gets Physical; Pay Attention to the Safety Briefing
Physical travel technology rather than latest phone app; TSA K9 screening; dingy airport terminals, flight attendants’ safety demonstrations become strident. Continue Reading →
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Podcast #139 — Brewing Best Hotel Room Coffee; Notes from Spain
Returning to the mic after 10 days of food, wine, wind, rain, and snow in the north of Spain. I talk about traveling in Spain, and with my guest Coleman Collins about how to make the best coffee in your hotel room Continue Reading →
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Podcast #138 — Travel Turning Me Hipster; Every Delay Has a Story
February is a tough time to be in the Midwest, so when my travel took me south, to New Orleans and then to Florida, there was no bitch tweeting about the TSA lines or flight delays. In this episode, I walk through how each change in airport security has pushed me to be more hipster Continue Reading →
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Tips for Buying A Suitcase
I’ve been putting off shopping for a new bag for a long time, as in years. Up until a few months ago, I was using a vintage Swiss Army black roller that still sported the Vietnamese and Hong Kong customs stickers it picked up in 2008. A few years ago, I’d retired it in favor of Continue Reading →
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Podcast #137 — New Year’s Travel Status Tips; How to Shop for a Suitcase
So we’re four weeks into the new year and 30-50% of us have already ditched our New Year’s resolutions, but we still have time to get our 2018 travel status lined up. Over the holiday break, I bought a non-smart carry-on to replace my now-banned Bluesmart; I walk through my shopping criteria. All this and Continue Reading →
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Looking Back at 2017 — The Highs and The Lows
After clearing the mists of last night’s New Year’s Eve party, I thought about some of the highlights and lowlights of my travels in 2017 Highlights Uber/Lyft Driver Stories — Not only are Uber and Lyft rides easier to get than most taxis, the stories the drivers tell are a lot more entertaining. A Lyft Continue Reading →
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Podcast #136 — Is Cash A Waning King; Don’t Make It Hard to Cash in on Loyalty
After traveling with younger colleagues who pay for everything with cards, I wonder if I’m the last generation of cash payers. I also talk about the upcoming smart luggage ban on US airlines and a long Saturday afternoon trying to redeem some British Airways Avios points. All this, a new Uber driver story, and a Continue Reading →
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Holiday Airport Bingo
I remember playing license plate and travel bingo as a kid driving down I-65 to Grandma’s house. But that was before deregulation, when plane flights were more comfortable but a lot more expensive. With more families flying to Grandma’s house, airport bingo seems more on-target. A quick Google search will find all sorts of airport Continue Reading →