This week’s Travel Video of the Week (below) was found by perusing The Wall Street Journal’s Middle Seat blog. That’s when it occurred to me that we have never featured this site. It’s a great blog to get information about airlines, airports and air travel in general. The website unpacks and detangles news with analysis, insight and tips -- plus a bit of fun aimed at those wondering why bad things happen to good travelers. The blog’s lead writer is the Journal’s Matt Phillips but it also includes contributions from other writers at the Journal, WSJ.com and Dow Jones Newswires.
I featured this site when it first came out a couple of years ago but shortly afterwards they went offline.
Hopefully, they’re back for good because their service is invaluable for travelers. It allows you to set a wake up call at a specific time so you don’t have to rely on a hotel wake up call or try and figure out the alarm clock. In addition, you can remind yourself: of important events, to take medication or even to escape from a boring date or meeting. Best of all it’s FREE and easy to use and it works with any phone in the U.S. and Canada. TIP: I also use my cell phone alarm as a backup.
TRAVEL PRODUCT OF THE WEEK Tilley Hats
If you're following me on
Facebook or
Twitter or have been reading
my blog, you’ll know that I just returned from the South Pacific; I’ve been traveling like a madman – I know! The Cook’s were the perfect place for me to test out a new Insect Shield Hat from Tilley Hats. If you haven’t heard of Tilley Hats, they’re a popular Canadian company that emerged out of a hobby. These guys have an incredible personality, which I learned from reading the hat’s manual. All of their hats have a packable, crushable design. I love to wear hats not only to protect myself from the sun but to hide my eight head.
What's cool about this hat (LTM6IS – LTM6) is that it not only looks good and shields you from the rain and sun (Certified UPF 50+), it keeps you cool, too (it has an Airflo design) and keeps the bugs away. It comes with an Insect Shield repellency treatment, which lasts for 70 washings. The khaki hat comes in custom sizes (6 7/8 – 8 3/8) and it’s made with 100% Tilley Nylamtium (nylon supplex). Oh! I almost forgot one of the best parts about the hat! It has a secret crown pocket to hold small valuables like money and credit cards. It’s brilliant. The suggested retail price of $89 might sound steep but like all Tilley Hats, it’s backed by a lifetime guarantee and is protected by a two-year, all perils insurance policy against loss and theft.
Since I was at US Airways’ headquarters last week learning what’s in store for their airline and for the industry in 2009,
I had the chance to sit in on a US Airways Flight 1549 panel. It was emotional, fascinating and inspiring to hear the stories so I
thought this would be a great time to show the body of the aircraft being hauled down the streets of Jersey City, N.J. to a “secure salvage yard”
in Kearny, N.J. It’s surreal seeing a plane (even if it’s on a truckbed) going down the street. Check it out.
