TRAVEL GEAR - Comfy Travel Shoes Anyone?

I am loving these Marais Shoes,  so cute and affordable!!  (they start at $40 dollars)  I just found them in Oh!!   They look very comfortable and stylish,  and they come in a rainbow of colors!  Look for them here, and let me know what you think.  

(Photos, courtesy of Maraisusa)

www.maraisusa.com

PARIS, ROME, SYDNEY - Awesome Travel Guides Online!

I just came across these unbelievably well researched city guides, put together by the folks in Design Sponge ( a blog).

Just click here to see them, and then, click again on the "guide" tab on the left menu. Once there, you may select your city of interest.

Bon Voyage!
www.designspongeonline.com

TRAVEL GEAR -Crew Cooler Bag

This is a hot item guys! hot, hot, hot!!  If you like traveling with your own food, this is an incredible cooler-bag.  Spacious, with a zillion side pockets for dry goods and two bottles of water- one at either side.  It is also, a great solution for keeping your food fresh, even in hotels with out a a fridge.  

I first spotted one from a Jet Blue flight attendant. They all seem to have them now and as you can see from the photos, they are amazing.  

The best part, this bag is now selling at Ebags, for 60% off it's original price!  It was a $70 dollar bag. Now you can get it for $29.99+tax, such a good price!  I bought mine a week ago for $49.99, bummer!   

So check it out,  at www.ebags.com, and select the Professional Series Crew Cooler. 

Happy Shopping!

(photos,courtesy of Ebags website)

AMSTERDAM - Bike Like The Locals

Biking while in Amsterdam, is really the natural way to see the city. That, and cruising the canals by boat, but that's another story for another day.

If you're in Amsterdam during the summer, rent a bike from Yellow Bike. You can find it right around the corner from our hotel. Just ask the concierge for the location of the store, or walk two blocks to the left of the front of the hotel, and take a quick left in the first wide alley - photo enclosed with the store's front sign, so you can recognize it).

The options are listed in the web at www.yellowbike.nl, so you can plan it well, before you go. Yellow Bikes, offers group tours and bike rentals. I opted for the 24hour rental for 10 Euros, so I would not have to worry about returning the bike to the store before they closed.

With my rented bike, I rode all over the city for the whole day, and when I was done, I parked and locked the bike in front of the hotel, and returned it the next morning, before being picked up for my airport ride. It was so much fun, that I have since, rented a Yellow Bike several times while in Amsterdam.

So, go for it! do something different and ride all the way to the Rembrandt Museum and around all the pretty canals. You'll see Amsterdam in a whole different way, I promise you.

Happy pedaling!

(photos by Yellow Bike)

Volunteer Vacations - Travel with "Airline Ambassadors"

You say you wanna travel, you say you wanna help....well, how about using your vacation time and your travel benefits to do some volunteer work around the globe. All this, while touring the local sites?

I did! and I went to Cambodia and to Argentina, (see attached photo) with Airline Ambassadors.

You too can join Airline Ambassadors. A humanitarian organization that delivers medicines, food, toys, etc. around the world, founded by Nancy Rivard, an American Airlines Flight Attendant.

Check their website, for upcoming trips and join other flight crews while they help the poor and needy children of the world. I promise, it will be a vacation you'll never forget!

ps- watch the video with Peter Greenberg in You Tube, speaking about Airline Ambassadors in the Today Show. You can find the link in Google.

www.airlineamb.org

Airplane Friendly Toiletries - Compact, Travel "stuff"

Check out these compact travel goodies - Are they too cute or what? An Antibacterial Soap that comes in tiny, paper sheets, small enough to fit in your back pocket and a Nail Polish Remover, individually wrapped, and TSA, travel friendly. Gotta love em!

For these and other ingenious travel solutions, head for www.spoonsisters.com (in the travel section).