TravelCommons

Podcast: TravelCommons

  • Podcast #17 – Generic Airworld; Kids’ View of Dad’s Travels

    Returning from a quick trip to Austin, TX, this week’s podcast talks about the 15-part Airworld series in AdAge, the behind-the-scenes view of why every airport looks the same. A recent business trip to Detroit breaks through the state tourism propaganda and gets into the city’s true nature. Ignoring WC Fields’ advice, my kids make an appearance, giving their views of my travels. Here’s a direct link to the podcast file.

    Here are the show notes from TravelCommons podcast #17:

    • Intro music — Warmth by Makkina
    • Tried to record this in the bathroom of the Austin Courtyard Marriott, but the exhaust fan wouldn’t turn off
    • Bridge Music — Moonshiner by Uncle Tupelo
    • John Birkhead of the Desertcast podcast sends in his description of the new event for the 2012 London Olympics — the Gatwick to Heathrow dash
    • Airworld — our own little ecosystem
    • Bridge Music — The Same Old Story by Billie Holiday
    • Direct Link to the Airworld series in AdAge (registration required)
    • Bridge Music — Lincoln Town by John Hiatt
    • Business travel helps you “break through” to what’s really happening in a place
    • Bridge Music — Walking in Your Footsteps by the Police
    • My kids offer their opinions on my travel
    • Closing music — Ramblin’ Man by the Allman Brothers Band
    • Feedback at comments[at]travelcommons.com, the comment board on podcastalley.com, or right here in the comments section below
    • Direct link to the show

  • Podcast #16 – Squeezing in Tourism; Can We Stop Sharing?

    Bouncing around this week, I recorded this podcast in the bathroom of the Stamford, CT Marriott. Visiting St Louis’s Gateway Arch, we talk about wedging a bit of personal tourism into a packed business itinerary, how people keep mistaking physical closeness with personal closeness, and recounting some stories about mistakes even before the trip starts. Here’s a direct link to the podcast file.

    Here are the show notes from TravelCommons podcast #16:

    • Intro music — Warmth by Makkina
    • Recorded in the bathroom of the Stamford, CT Marriott
    • Direct Link to iTunes page for the Scottish Band Evangeline
    • Pocket tourism — fitting a bit of personal tourism into the usual packed business travel itinerary
    • Direct Link to the Travel + Leisure editorial
    • Touring the Gateway Arch in St Louis


    • Too much personal information sharing in confined physical spaces
    • Two stories about mistaken trips to the airport
    • Direct Link to the comments posted under Podcast #14
    • Feedback at comments[at]travelcommons.com, the comment board on podcastalley.com, or right here in the comments section below
    • Direct link to the show

  • Podcast #15 – Begging for Business; Needing to Know at 35,000 ft

    Sorry for the delay in posting a new podcast, but I caught a nasty cold en route to San Francisco this week. This week, a couple of friends and long-time podcast listeners let me buy them beers at the Shearton Fisherman’s Wharf in exchange for their Classic Travel stories. I also talk the change in attitude at United Airlines and, as airlines continue to “de-content” their cabins, there are two things left I really care about. Here’s a direct link to the podcast file.

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  • Podcast #14 – September 11th Travel Stories; Writing a Great Travel Song

    Traveling through the southeast US, I stopped long enough to record a podcast in the bathroom of the Durham, NC Marriott. This week’s podcast talks about two very different travel experiences at the opposite ends of Interstate 40; a special edition of Classic Travel Stories — recollections from September 11, 2001 — and the Scottish Band Evangeline talks about writing a great travel song. Here’s a direct link to the podcast file.

    Sorry for the delay in posting the show notes . My home ISP, Comcast, has for some unknown decided to block the IP address to this site. I’ve filed a trouble ticket, but I think I can probably change providers faster than I can get Comcast to fix their internal routing screw-ups:

  • Intro music — Warmth by Makkina
  • Recorded in the bathroom of Durham, NC Marriott
  • Hoping to get out of the Carolinas before Hurricane Ophelia decides to come ashore
  • Following up on T/C #12’s review of other travel podcasts, Ed Vawter points to the Fly With Me podcast as one of his favorites
  • Completely different airport experiences at the ends of I-40
  • Classic Travel Stories — Recollections from the week of September 11, 2001
  • First edition of Great Travel Songs — Pictures of You by the Scottish Band Evangeline
  • I found Evangeline on the Tartanpodcast
  • Feedback at comments[at]travelcommons.com, the comment board on podcastalley.com, or right here in the comments section below
  • Direct link to the show

  • Podcast #13 – Enjoying Home; The Battle for Sleep

    A hurricane came between me and my meetings in Tampa, so I stayed home for an entire week. This week’s podcast has a bit of local flavor and sound, talking about how to spend rare time off the road, what we’ll do for sleep, and introducing a new poll — what’s your favorite US airline? Also, some pointers to people who are linking to the TravelCommons website. Here’s a direct link to the podcast file.

    Here are the show notes from TravelCommons podcast #13:

    • Intro music — Warmth by Makkina
    • Recorded in the TravelCommons studios outside of Chicago
    • Thoughts going out to the folks in southern Mississippi who received the full force of Hurricane Katrina
    • Lots of feedback on last week’s “Generations of Travelers” topic
    • Links to bloggers who point to TravelCommons — Mike Bladon and Hilary Baumann
    • Catching up with the local flavors at home

    • The hunt for sleep
    • Revised final results of the Worst US Airport poll — a tie between LAX and Denver
    • A new poll — Your Favorite US Airline?
    • What makes you like an airline?
    • Feedback at comments[at]travelcommons.com, the comment board on podcastalley.com, or right here in the comments section below
    • Direct link to the show

  • Podcast #12 – Emotions in the Screening Line; Other Travel Podcasts

    Down in Florida this week, picking up a bit of the local heat and humidity. Recorded in the bathroom of the Marriott Courtyard in Oldsmar, FL, somewhere between Tampa and Clearwater, we talk about how travel skills are passed from parents to children, spotting some famous people in ORD and LAX, rare emotions in the Frequent Traveler screening line, and a review of travel podcasts. Also, the final results of our Worst US Airport poll. Here’s a direct link to the podcast file

    Here are the show notes from TravelCommons podcast #12:

    • Intro music — Warmth by Makkina
    • Recorded in the bathroom of the Oldsmar, FL Marriott Courtyard
    • Denver Int’l Airport wins the Worst US Airport poll by one vote over LAX
    • Stories of how parents pass down business travel skills to their kids
    • Airport celebrity sightings — Steve Case, Julie Delpy
    • Intense emotions in the Frequent Traveler screening line
    • A 2×2 matrix classifying travel podcasts

  • Podcast #11 – Business Dress Codes; Kinder, Gentler TSA?

    Swinging through the West Coast, I recorded this podcast in the bathroom of the Orchard Hotel a block or two from the summit of Nob Hill in San Francisco. In this podcast, we talk about how the post-9/11 reduction in carry-ons has made packing for different business dress codes a real hassle. Is there an end to the “shoe carnival”? Recent news articles and a discussion with a TSA supervisor in Tampa suggest that a small bit of common sense may have infiltrated the TSA. And finally, a “potpourri” category — collected odds-‘n’-ends from discussion topics on the web site. Here’s a direct link to the podcast file.

    Here are the show notes from TravelCommons podcast #11:

     

    • Intro music — Warmth by Makkina
    • Recorded in the bathroom of the Orchard Hotel in San Francisco on a cold August night
    • Being featured in Adam Curry’s Podfinder podcast doubled the number of TravelCommons subscribers in a week
    • Having to dress in business formal and business casual in the same trip is a real hassle
    • Direct link to a Washington Post article says that the new TSA director is thinking about changing the current shoe screening policy
    • Good discussion with a reasonable TSA supervisor in Tampa
    • More follow-up on in-flight internet service
    • Direct link to a Wall Street Journal journal article (registration required) on a demo flight for Boeing’s Connexion in-flight internet service
    • Following up on “Hacking the Hotel Room” from podcast #10, the new class of pocket wifi routers can provide a more secure hotel internet connection
    • Feedback at comments[at]travelcommons.com, the comment board on podcastalley.com, or right here in the comments section below
    • Direct link to the show

  • Podcast #10 – Hacking Hotel Rooms; Fun in Really Small Towns

    I’m back in the US and back on the road — ths time, though, on wheels, not in the air. Recorded in the TravelCommons “mobile studio” (a ’95 Chevy Blazer), this podcast talks about security risks of hotel Internet access, the hassle of replacing forgotten things while on the road, and, in the latest edition of Classic Travel Stories, fun times in really small towns. Also, a response to a listener’s question regarding in-flight mobile phone usage and Internet services. Here’s a direct link to the podcast file.

    Here are the show notes from TravelCommons podcast #10:

  • Intro music — Warmth by Makkina
  • Recorded in the TravelCommons “mobile studio” on a rather warm summer day
  • Back on the road; lots of flight delays due to summer weather
  • Listener question about in-flight mobile phone usage and Internet services
  • Direct link to the JD Power 2005 North American Hotel Guest Satisfaction survey
  • Direct link to the Wired News article on hotel TV hacking
  • One of the worst feelings on the road — opening your suitcase to discover you’ve forgotten something
  • Classic Travel Stories — Finding creature comforts in really small towns
  • Feedback at comments[at]travelcommons.com, the comment board on podcastalley.com, or right here in the comments section below
  • Direct link to the show