WEBSITE OF THE DAY -- Quikpod.com

Quikpod.com I sometimes feel like I’m an expert at taking pictures of myself. Doing what I do for a living and trying to document my travels all over the world means I’ve gotten pretty good at taking my own picture – it’s like I have a “Go-Go-Gadget” arm. Well, after traveling all around the world and watching people take pictures of themselves the same way I do, (arm extended, hoping for the best!) I can’t believe I didn’t think of the new Quickpod myself. It’s ingenious! The Quickpod has an 18-inch extendable arm. This distance makes it seem as if someone else is taking the picture for you. It’s easy to use, too. Just attach the camera like you would to a tripod (the Quickpod actually doubles as a tripod), set the self-timer and you’re good to go. The mini mirror helps you position it just right so you’ll no longer have to awkwardly ask passersby. Cost $24.95.

WEBSITE OF THE DAY -- Australiatravelwiki.com

In conjunction with Australia.com, Australia Travel Wiki (AustraliaTravelWiki.com) is a place where users can explore one of my favorite countries in the world. They can also share their Aussie travel stories and connect with like-minded travelers. On top of that … I’m the featured writer for July and August! Good on ya, mate!

WEBSITE OF THE DAY -- www.TVTrip.com

There’s a new website called www.tvtrip.com which enables travelers to check out the hotel they are about to book virtually inside and out. Rather than looking at pictures of the hotel, TV Trip actually goes where the hotel is based, video tapes the rooms, the lobby and the surrounding areas so you can see where you’re going before you even get there. The only problem is just a select amount of hotels are available.

WEBSITE OF THE DAY -- Grandparents.com

GrandParents.com
Each week, they will bring you the best in grandparenting - entertaining articles about things to do, travel, the latest and greatest gifts for your grandkids, plus fun, creative ways to interact with them.

WEBSITE OF THE DAY -- Traveler IQ game

Traveler IQ game

Okay, I was introduced to this website just a few days ago and I’m already addicted. The site is Facebook and you need to become a registered member in order to play the totally addictive Traveler IQ game. Trust me, it’s so cool that if you have a lot of work to do, don’t log on! Users are challenged to pinpoint cities, capitals, historic sites or famous places by clicking on the map. You only have a few seconds to choose and the faster you do it, the more points you accumulate. If you don’t earn enough points for the next round, the game is over. It starts out pretty easy and gets progressively more difficult. I made it to level 11 out of 12 in the world challenge and I’m stuck there. However, they have different games to play so if you don’t know world geography you can start off by testing your geography knowledge of North America, Canada, Europe, Asia and Africa; UNESCO sites are coming soon. It’s a great tool, not only to help you brush up on your geography but to teach your children as well.

WEBSITE OF THE DAY - VirginAmerica

Virgin America (VA) just started selling tickets today for it's San Francisco based airline that will serve SFO, LAX, LAS, JFK, and IAD. Seats from LAX-SFO are as low as $44 o/w and SFO - JFK are $139 o/w (without taxes and fees).

WEBSITE OF THE DAY -- AirportHavens.com

Are you a frequent flier? If you are, I bet you have some great airport tips that could earn you a quick $1,000 from a “Airport Havens Contest” (http://www.airporthavens.com/).sponsored by 3M, the makers of the new laptop Privacy Filters (http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/ComputerFilter/Home/Promotions/CurrentPromotions/OnLineAds/?WT.mc_id=www.3mprivacyfilters.com ) that I love. My good buddy Chris McGinnis who writes the TICKET newsletter (http://www.travelskills.com/ ) is the judge. All contestants have to do is submit a 100 to 300 word description of your favorite secret spot at an airport where you kick back and relax, work, eat, whatever.

WEBSITE OF THE DAY -- ZebraMap.com

http://www.zebramap.com/
Here’s a cool time zone map to let show you what time it is in the locations around the world that you are interested in. Not only that, for those who have there own blog or website (who doesn’t these days) they can use the customizable map for free. Pick from twenty color schemes, add locations and position the labels. The free version comes with ads at the bottom and for those who want to pay a fee can get them removed.

WEBSITE OF THE DAY -- The Price of Gas Around the World

The Price of Gas Around the World
http://www.designverb.com/wp-content/images/2007/06/gasprices.jpg
Have the high prices of gasoline given you the feeling that you’re getting royally ripped off? You’re not alone! But after seeing this graph of gas prices around the world, you might start to think that we in America are lucky. Compared to other countries, with the exception of Venezuela (at $0.17 a gallon), we don’t have it so bad. Can you
believe that in most of Europe gas prices have skyrocketed to more than $6 a gallon?

WEBSITE OF THE DAY -- MizPee.com

MizPee.com Uh-oh! Gotta go? For those times when you get that sudden call of nature but can't seem to locate a public restroom, just whip out your cell phone and send a text message to 415-350-2290, including your city and state info (e.g. "New York, NY"). If you have Internet access, you can point your browser to www.mizpee.com. MizPee will then find the closest, cleanest toilet and even provide you with some entertaining reading material to enjoy once you get there.

WEBSITE OF THE DAY -- Mosio.com

Mosio.com

Check out this new service! Once registered users can text message (ask@mosio.com) any question and a live person will text you back the answer immediately. It’s normally $3.95 month but until July 9 one can get a free lifetime membership just by entering the code "bonnaroo". It’s perfect for finding helpful info about restaurants, shops, products or services. Actually, they will literally answer any question you throw (text) at them: fact, fiction or straight up silly. It’s perfect for those times when you don't have internet access or settling a bet at the bar.

WEBSITE OF THE DAY -- Maps.StateMaster.com

Are you looking for a good online map of one of the 50 states? If so, then check out the maps on Maps.StateMaster.com. This site provides scanned copies of maps for each state ... a brilliant idea, especially for travelers!

WEBSITE OF THE DAY -- epa.gov/airnow

Epa.gov/airnow

Concerned about air quality? Check pollution forecasts at EPA.gov, a site that provides daily air quality reports (the maps are updated hourly) in various cities. The Air Quality Index (AQI) tells visitors how clean or polluted the outdoor air is in 300 major U.S. cities in 46 states and parts of Canada. The EPA calculates the AQI for five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (also known as particulate matter), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. For each of these pollutants, the EPA has established national air quality standards to protect public health.