Apparently renting a house instead of paying for a hotel room is the new hotness, as both Conde Nast Traveler and Peter Greenberg have lately started hyping the vacation option. We have to agree that rentals are dope, and they can be a good way to save money if you're traveling with a big group.
We actually just got back from a villa rental trip, though "cottage" would probably more accurately describe our pad than "villa." Still, we learned a few things that we hope will make your own villa vacay better.
Oh, hell yes. Legoland is coming to Dubai. Now we finally have a reason to go!
Given that recent developments include bridges and a replica of a French city, it's about time for something more appealing to the kids--and those of us who act like kids. The new park, scheduled to open by 2011, will have just about everything you want:
Similar to the existing four Legoland Parks at Billund, Denmark; Germany; Windsor and California, Legoland Dubailand [will feature] more than 40 interactive...kid-powered rides, cool building challenges, spectacular Lego models, interactive attractions, family-friendly coasters and shows.
Now the only drama is figuring out how you'll get your kids to behave on the long-haul to Dubai. Lucikly, mom-travel expert Wendy Perrin has some tips on that.
When it comes to the travel media these days, you're more likely to get a list of quick bite-sized info than a lengthy essay expounding the virtues of some far-away land. But then again, sometimes all you want are the down and dirty facts. These five lists would do Sgt. Joe Friday proud.
How to get a passport in less than, say, 10 weeks has been a hot topic ever since new passport rules went into effect in January. The New York Times takes a look at what's happening at passport agencies, now that the rush for new blue books has come:
"We are currently seeing a 44 percent increase in passport applications over this time last year," said Ann Barrett, deputy assistant secretary of state for passport services. "The demand is a little higher than we anticipated," she said.
That doesn't seem to be stopping some folks from getting their documents in good time, though. Conde Nast Traveler's Wendy Perrin got passports for her kids in about a week. Wendy ordered expedited service--she also could've hired a private company to get on the fast track. But be warned:
"You might think that the increase in demand for passports would mean expeditors would receive more slots, but that is simply not the case," said Jeffrey Fine, chief executive of CIBT, which also offers expediting services. Mr. Fine said that CIBT was now selling out nearly all its slots daily.
How devious--hooking up free WiFi when stuck in an airport with out it! It's easier than we thought, but we didn't think of it. Kudos go out to our blog buddy Wendy Perrin for reminding us that WiFi signals glide through walls. She found that you can plant yourself at gate 42 to successfully and easily leech off the American Airlines club in JFK's Terminal 9.
So next time you're stuck in St. Louis, Denver or anywhere the Internet love doesn't flow, park your laptop next to an Admirals Club--like the one pictured above--and start sucking up bandwidth. And don't let your conscience get you down--there's plenty of signal to go around. Besides, this is 2007 not 1987. Shouldn't Internet access be part of the service your ticket taxes pay for?
Yeah, yeah, we know it's actually Mandy. But when it comes to globe trotting, Wendy--not Mandy--Perrin is in the upper echelons. She's the consumer news editor at Conde Nast Traveler, but she spends a lot of time on the road. (Funny, most of the editors we know won't even leave the office to get their own cup of coffee.) When she's out there, reporting live from the scene, the most current updates about travel, destinations and airports pop up on her blog.
Wendy's in Jamaica now, doing the kind of inter-generational trip that is simultaneously so hot right now and nauseating to people like us. (We take trips to avoid our families.) But she also drops updates on places like St. Petersburg and Cannes, which are a little more our speed. The Perrin Post also comes up big with tips on credit card mileage programs and other travel ephemera. One last thing before you click over: get ready for lots of photos of her cute kids.
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