Random Acts of Canine Kindness
Cedric the Dog takes a well-deserved break after an ill fated attempt to shut down an illegal puppy mill in Idaho.
You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. – Harry S. Truman
MORE Dog QuotationsNew Billion Dollar Cruise Ship to Dubai in Anti-Pirate ‘Safe Haven’ Lockdown
Courtesy Logistics Middle East Staff
Lights out after dark, curtains and shutters closed, exterior decks restricted and armed security guards patrolling the ship – how brand new $960-million Spectrum of the Seas mega cruise ship is protecting itself against pirates on the way from Europe to the Middle East.
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Question: In the Lennon/McCartney composition, ‘A Day in the Life’ John sings ‘I saw a film today, oh boy.’ Name the film.
Scroll down for the answer
Alabama Voted As The State Americans Would Least Like To Fly To
Courtesy 10 Yetis Digital
New research has found that Alabama is the state Americans would like to fly to the least, with 35% of Americans saying they wouldn’t fly there, with Nevada and New York making up the rest of the top three. California, Hawaii and Vermont were voted most desirable.
MORESpain May Officially Say Goodbye to Siesta Hour
For travelers, the implications are varied — but significant.
By Nikki Ekstein, Travel+Leisure
Just as nap pods are becoming a thing in the American workplace, Spain is calling a quits to its famous siesta hour. According to a flurry of news reporting coming out of Europe, the country’s Prime Minister has proposed legislation that will nix the daytime break for once and for all. What does it mean for travelers? A few things, actually.
MOREThe One Country Where Anthony Bourdain Refused to Film an Episode
Courtesy, Marissa Laliberte, Reader’s Digest
The late Anthony Bourdain was world-famous for breaking down barriers to other countries’ cuisines, showing the world why you shouldn’t fear the unfamiliar. He rarely shied away from any crazy food choices (he once ate a still-beating cobra heart in Vietnam), but he did refuse to visit one surprising country. You’ll be surprised by the answer.
MORESpring into Summer with Dignity Travel
Dignity Travel is committed to providing easy and accessible international tours for people who have difficulties walking or use a wheelchair. Our tours and services are designed to provide unique experiences while also delivering accessible accommodations, transportation and sightseeing opportunities. Our intimate group tours make sure that you have a worry-free travel experience, presented in a dignified, fun and adventurous manner. Our groups are hosted by one or more of our staff members and individual travel companions. There is always a host to assure your travel arrangements go as planned, provide a push of your wheelchair or assist you with any other needs you might have.
Incredible Story of Only Man to Survive Titanic Disaster AND the Sinking of the Lusitania
Courtesy Ed Riley for Mailonline
A family has revealed the incredible story of the only sailor to survive the Titanic and the Lusitania disasters. George Beauchamp is the sole person to escape with his life from the two worst maritime disasters of the 20th century, according to relatives. Nearly 75 years ago, he revealed this startling line to his family: “I’ve had enough of large ships.”
MORECultural Mistakes to Avoid Traveling Abroad
Tipping, touching, and pointing can get travelers in trouble very quickly
Courtesy Joe Cortez
One of the biggest mistakes rookie travelers make is assuming that cultural norms around the world are very much aligned with their home country. As a result, new adventurers often end up in trouble with the locals simply due to the fact that they did not understand that a simple gesture – like a handshake, a tip, or even pointing – is looked down upon.
MOREHow to Do Laundry on Vacation (No Laundromat Required)
Courtesy: Caroline Morse Teel
If you want to travel light and still be clean, you should know how to do laundry on vacation. But no one wants to spend precious travel time at a laundromat or pay exorbitant fees for hotel laundry service. Here are some quick, easy, and cheap ways to wash your clothes while traveling.
MOREThis Top-Rated North Carolina Restaurant is Actually at a Gas Station
Courtesy Catherine Smith
People rarely rave about the meals they eat at gas stations, but that is not the case in Franklin, North Carolina. Hungry diners – locals and tourists alike – happily line up in the Hot Spot gas station parking lot, waiting for a table at Caffe Rel, a European bistro offering a one-of-a-kind culinary experience.
10 Walking Mistakes You May be Making
Courtesy Wendy Bumgardner
Walking is great exercise: It’s easy on joints and doesn’t require special gear or a gym membership. There’s more to an effective walking workout than simply putting one foot in front of the other though. Learn how to correct these common trip-ups.
MORE15 Surprising Things TSA Allows Past Airport Checkpoints
By Benet Wilson
Some items — like guns (real or replica), large scissors and flammable liquids — are never allowed. But the agency continues to make changes when it comes to what can get past the checkpoint.
Below are 15 surprise items you can actually take past the checkpoint. But in case you still have questions, you can take a photo of the item and send it to either AskTSA on Facebook Messenger or via Twitter. Staff are online with answers from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET during the week and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays
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Hitchhiker
By Jack Kerouac
‘Tryna get to sunny Californy’ –
Boom. It’s the awful raincoat
making me look like a self-defeated self-murdering imaginary gangster, an idiot in a rueful coat, how can they understand my damp packs – my mud packs –
„Look John, a hitchhiker’
„He looks like he’s got a gun underneath that I. R. A. coat’
‘Look Fred, that man by the road’ „Some sexfiend got in print in 1938 in Sex Magazine’ –
„You found his blue corpse in a greenshade edition, with axe blots’
Send Deb your favorite travel poems
Beast From the East: Indian Soldiers Reckon They’ve Found Yeti Footprints
Courtesy Devjyot Ghoshal
Mountaineers from the Indian army on a expedition in Nepal have found mysterious large footprints in the snow that they think belong to the Yeti, or the abominable snowman, the military said on Tuesday. Largely regarded by the scientific community as a myth, the Yeti is part of Nepali folklore and is said to live high in the snow-capped Himalayas.
MOREHow to Travel the World for Free
How to Become a World Traveler for Next to Nothing
Courtesy Stacy Fisher
Being able to travel the world for free might sound like an unreachable dream, but you can make it a reality if you know where to look. These are practical ways on how to travel the world for free, or at least next to nothing. They include getting a job overseas, volunteering, and spending some time with the locals. Some require some education or experience but most opportunities are open to anyone who’s looking for an adventure.
MOREThe NOAA Marine Debris Program
Earth Day has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean good habits have to go away too! You can keep up the momentum, reduce your waste footprint, and do good for our planet, no matter where you are.
MORELeadership Lessons from Wild Rice
Dr. Kathleen Allen
In my last blog What if Leadership Exists in Abundance, I invited people to imagine an abundance instead of scarcity of leadership. If we believed leadership could occur throughout our organizations and communities, would we have higher expectations of our leaders? If there were plenty of good leaders to choose from, would we stop following leaders if they didn’t live up to the expectations of serving the organization and communities above their own interest?
MOREAn Overview of the Lines
Cruise Line Showdown: Comparing Carnival, Disney and Royal Caribbean for Families
Courtesy Gene Sloan, The Points Guy
You might assume Disney is the Hercules of family cruising — the all-powerful competitor with no rival. But in the cruise world Disney is still somewhat of a niche player. With just four ships compared to the 52 operated by family cruise giants Carnival and Royal Caribbean, Disney is like the cruising equivalent of Olaf from “Frozen” — a bit secondary to the plot, if still much beloved. In terms of passenger capacity, Disney is barely a tenth the size of Royal Caribbean alone, and it doesn’t offer nearly as diverse an array of home ports and itineraries.
MOREHow to Complain Effectively at a Hotel
Courtesy Charlyn Keating
Demand satisfaction when you have a valid complaint
Costa Expands Food Donation Program with Costa Fortuna
Surplus food not served aboard the ships is collected and distributed to local organizations that support people in need. Launched in Savona on July 22, 2017, the project currently operates in Italy, in the ports of Savona, Civitavecchia, Bari and Palermo, and has been exported as an Italian “best practice” to France and Spain, in Marseilles and Barcelona and, since last December, in Guadeloupe and Martinique as well, according to a prepared statement.
MORENude Resort Etiquette Rules You Need to Know
Courtesy Patricia Magaña
Aside from a few key considerations, nude resort etiquette is general resort etiquette. There’s also the fact that most everyone is naked. Skip the potential awkwardness at a clothing-optional experience and go with an open mind, plus these helpful tips.
Dont’ stare
Nude resort newbies may experience initial shock at the sight of a sea of nakedness. It’s fine to look. What is not OK, however, is to stare. You’ll quickly get the hang of it, but if you’re not used to engaging in eye-contact and conversation with someone who’s totally exposed, wear sunglasses whenever appropriate.
MOREBurping Is Good Manners & 25 Other Global Etiquette Surprises
Courtesy The Daily Meal Staff
In Italy, Never Order A Cappuccino After A Meal
When you’re dining the Italian way, be sure to order an espresso or a coffee after a meal. Do not order a cappuccino, as Italians believe milk beverages slow down digestion.
Inuit Tribes: Passing Gas
You’re probably not visiting any Inuit tribes soon, but it’s interesting to know that this culture shows appreciation through… flatulence? Yup, a good meal is praised by letting one rip afterward.
MORE Global Etiquette Surprises
Beatle Beat Trivia Answers
Question: In the Lennon/McCartney composition, ‘A Day in the Life’ John sings ‘I saw a film today, oh boy.’ Name the film.
Answer: Richard Lester’s ‘How I Won the War,’ which featured Lennon in a dramatic role. It was his third film with Lester. The other two: ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ and ‘Help!’
