JoBeth Q & A

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED AS A TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL?
I went pro at the age of 18, writing for five newspapers during my college years. I sold my first travel stories following a trip to Russia and Lithuania.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU FLY?
Too much. Two to six flights per month, on average.
IN A YEAR HOW MANY MILES/POINTS DO YOU EARN?
Not enough! I'd like to have a billion miles socked away for an early retirement. That way, I could pop over to Tahiti whenever the mood struck.
WHAT CLASS OF SERVICE DO YOU MOSTLY FLY IN?
Coach or business.. I am finding it increasingly difficult to get upgrades, even though I have elite flyer status on three airlines. Sweet-talking the gate agents still works best.
FAVORITE AIRLINE?
American, because they have enough room for my legs. Or Virgin, because they give you comfy sleep suits, and have a masseuse available during flights.
FAVORITE AIRPORT?
Honolulu
FAVORITE AIRCRAFT?
I don't really have a favorite, unless you count helicopters
FAVORITE HOTEL AMENITY?
A great view. My favorites are Pangkor Laut in Malaysia, where the tub looks out onto jade-green straits, and the Sheraton Princeville on Kauai, where you can see the Na Pali coast -- or touch a button to make the window go opaque.
FAVORITE PLACES?
South Africa is the most mesmerizing country I've visited, followed closely by French Polynesia. In the U.S., California stole my heart and hasn't returned it. My favorite towns are Lugano, Switzerland; Big Sur, California; and Andalusia, Alabama -- boyhood home of Hank Williams Sr., and host of the World Championship Domino Tournament (www.worlddomino.com). Oh, and it's my hometown, too.
FAVORITE AIRPORT TO PASS TIME IN?
Londond Heathrow. I couldn't believe how many shops they had. I thought I was in a mall that just happened to have airplanes. I bought a sandwich at the Harrods store and ate it on the plane. Very classy ;-)
FAVORITE ISLAND?
Tetiaroa (tetiaroa.com), a nearly deserted atoll near Tahiti, in French Polynesia, is my all-time favorite -- and I hope Marlon Brando never sells it, unless it is to me. Tasmania is second, for its bizarre plants and animals, and quaint towns. Closer to home, I'd pick Catalina - but only the back side, away from Avalon, and only in the off season.
FAVORITE SPA?
The Oriental in Bangkok and the Ojai Valley Inn in Ojai, California are two of my favorite resort spas. For a destination spa, I'd pick Miraval near Tucson, or Green Valley in St. George, Utah, because they both have great hiking and activities.
AISLE OR WINDOW?
Aisle
ETICKET OR PAPER?
Always E.
TRAVEL AGENT OR ONLINE?
Both
FAVORITE TRAVEL WEBSITE?
sidestep.com. It searches all the airline and rental car websites for special deals.
FAVORITE TRAVEL COMPANION?
I have several favorite travel companions, including my friend Nelle, my nephew, my great aunt Ruth, my friend Peter...
IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A TROPICAL ISLAND, WHAT THREE ITEMS WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU?
This actually happened to me, during a gale in Greece. I would want:
1) a laptop (with solar battery, satellite internet, and telephone service)
2) my husband, who is funny and cute -- and can fish and cook, too.
3) Gilligan and the Professor, who could figure out how to get us off the damn island -- or Thurston Howell the Third, who could use my laptop to order us a sailboat.
WHAT DO YOU HATE MOST ABOUT TRAVEL?
1) having to wear a watch and look at it all the time
2) encountering dull, rude, or clueless people
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT TRAVEL?
discovering new cultures, new foods, new spa treatments, and new people with interesting stories
BEST TRAVEL TIP:
If I have bulky items, such as books, hiking boots or ski clothes, I ship them to the hotel in advance. Two-day FedEx costs about $30. In cooler urban areas, I swear by my Gucci loafers. Nothing else, not even Nikes, are as comfortable for long walks.