On Writing

I'm often asked what I use for a reference library when I write. My favorite answer is...my mind. However, this isn't usually the case. I only own a half dozen books on writing techniques and style. But frequently utilize just one, The Elements of Style, by Strunk and White. The only other reference I pick up is Roget's International Thesaurus. Pretty much everything else comes free off the internet; Dictionary.com gets most of my business.

I unvaryingly sense I'm misguiding novice writers when I tell them this simple truth. I know writers who have these incredible libraries on the various subjects of writing. I'm not sure what to think...I guess I'm not them. I don't care to read to someone's opinion on character development or dramatic plot twists unless his name is Mark Twain, Jane Austen or William Shakespeare. I like to consider myself open-minded and respect another's opinions on writing, but my voice is mine. That voice is not malleable. Your opinion probably can't change it. Nor should it.

I do have a voracious reading appetite which helps with style, vocabulary and insight. Sometimes I see something new or unique to me and give it a shot. Maybe it's how an author uses a metaphor or a bit of irony. Sometimes the experiment works, sometimes not. Over time, my writing just matures, good or bad. Anyway, that's my answer (for what it's worth).

**Disclaimer***(I just reread what I wrote and decided I needed this post note)

This is intended as a general answer to a general question. But if someone reads something of mine and says there is a character development flaw in my story. I listen.

Al, the Travel Valet

Pick of the Day(35-8-1)...Boston

Well, I'm just dandy. Thanks for asking.

I met some very pleasant Canucks tonight. They overheard me talking and detected my Texas accent. "I ain't got no stinkin' accent," I said, "I'm a Texan, gawl darnit." After I politely corrected them as to who has the "accent", we became immediately cordial. This kind family thanked me for the warm hospitality my home state offered their daughter while she attended veterinarian school. I tried to explain to them that I had no idea who their daughter was nor had I ever attended said animal doctor university. As a matter of fact, that was my rival school some 20 years ago. They laughed off this bit of info as irrelevant. I shrugged and said, "Okay, your welcome. Anytime." True story.

The family was from Vancouver, Canada. I never asked them; I didn't need to. This fact was written on every exposed item of clothing they wore. I figured they were either from Vancouver or a truck loaded with tacky silk-screened Vancouver merchandise bound for a Wal-Mart in British Columbia had just been hi-jacked and the culprits fled to Las Vegas to avoid apprehension. I considered this possibility for a wink and let it go. Plus these Canadians were way too affable to be hardened criminals. And did I tell you they were nice, 'Mr. Rogers Neighborhood' nice.

Anyway, the point of this silly look into my bizarre life is to bring light to a simple cultural nuance this Canuck family presented. I, a perfect stranger standing in the middle of a casino in Las Vegas, was considered kind and hospitable because of where I was raised.

I know you've seen that Budweiser commercial when that Texan winds up in a New York bar and the bartender asks, "Wassup?" The Texan answers with this long, slow, overly-friendly ramble about his flight to New York and cab ride over to the bar. The New Yorker's question was rhetorical and wasn't looking to be answered, but the Texan, taught to answer every question completely exhibiting demonstrative respect to the questioner, is made to look foolish and dimwitted. The commercial is comical, stereotypical and not far from the truth.

These British Columbians found Texas culture endearing and chose to embraced it instead of spurning it as unusual or different or worse, wrong. That is the lesson. When introduced to a foreign culture, embrace it. Don't try and isolate yourself from new experiences. Your travels will be rewarded.

Blaze a trail,
Al, the Travel Valet

Pick of the Day(34-8-1)...Tampa Bay Rays

Each Day's a Gift, Not a Given

Treat Every Day As A Gift

I'm gonna tear away from my traveling theme for just one blog. Life is so very fragile. As the world knows, three icons have passed away this week in Los Angeles, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Two were kind of expected; both Farrah and Ed had been battling mightily against the demon, cancer. Michael's death was a sudden jolt. I guess you couldn't have expected him to leave this earth any other way. Wow. Nary a day passed from the mid 70's to the early 80's that at least one of these stars weren't made mention.

Farrah's transcendent poster adorned the wall of practically every boy I knew growing up (along with Roger Staubach, the Bee-Gees and John Travolta's Saturday Night Fever). Her Texas roots endeared her to me even though I thought Charlie's Angels was too corny. An interesting fact in Longhorn lore, Farrah was James Street's escort the first day he set foot on campus. James went on to accomplish fabulous things at the University. I guess there is something to be said for the women on your arm. May you rest in peace, Farrah. You fought a marvelous fight.


I still remember Ed McMahon's off-screen laugh while Johnny Carson was doing some insanely funny skit in costume. His deep, belly laugh made you laugh along with him even if nothing was funny. I pray they rejoin for an encore performance in the next life; and I hope I can get tickets. Rest in peace, Ed. I'll miss your laugh.

Michael Jackson invented "cool" in the 70's and 80's and defined "weird" thereafter. But I'm not here to exploit his frailty or condemn his character. I'm writing to celebrate his genius. Please, tell me you haven't attempted to moonwalk? Liar. His music and dance identified a generation, helped dissolve race barriers and carried pop music to the rural populous. America melded with "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and "Bad".

Each day's a gift. Blaze a trail and make everyday count. Ask yourself hard questions. Seek the truth. Never, ever quit. Give way more than you take. Find a cause and fight for it. Fear is a sickness; cleanse yourself of fear. Climb the ladder and bring someone with you. Shut up and Listen. Love. Laugh. Pray. Peace.

Blaze a trail,
Al
the Travel Valet

Good Travelin' Songs

I kinda pick an odd medley of music for my journeys. I pray my travels become spiritually cleansing and I never really know what is gonna "move me". I grew up country, listened to the classics, hid amongst the alt-rockers while pretending to be young and tried, in earnest, to understand urban hip-hop. Somewhere along the way I found myself, but you could hardly classify it as anything, but me. So, I'm not really confident your interested in any of this, but I always find myself making sure I have "my" music. A crying child can disappear with a well thought out playlist. You never know.

Here is a list of killer travel/escape/destination tunes you may enjoy...

Around the World- Red Hot Chili Peppers
Wherever I May Roam - Metallica
King of the Road - Roger Miller
Life is a Highway - Tom Cochran
Fly Away - Lenny Kravitz
Come Away With Me - Norah Jones
Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude - Jimmy Buffet
Ramblin' Man - Allman Brothers
Ramble On - Led Zeppelin (Honestly, I have Led Zeppelin I-IV always on iPod)
Freebird - Lynrd Skynrd
The River - Garth Brooks
The Fireman - George Strait
America - Simon & Garfunkel
Time to Move On - Tom Petty
Marrakesh Express - Crosby, Stills and Nash
City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie
Fire and Rain - James Taylor
Scenes From an Italian Restaurant - Billy Joel
Carolina on My Mind - James Taylor
Taking the Long Way Around - the Dixie Chicks (I've spent some time on protest, but I can forgive. Kanye West is still in my doghouse.)
Hook - Blues Travelers

I could have contributed to this list for hours, I have over a thousand on my iPhone. One thing is for sure, there are five bands I never leave home without, Led Zeppelin, Reckless Kelly, Johnny Cash, Blues Travelers and, of course, Jimmy Buffett. I think I can turn any moment on the road into a Jimmy Buffett song. My wife thinks I'm the embodiment of Buffett's, "School Boy Heart". She oughta know, she's smart.
Remember, don't take the well-worn path. Blaze your own. But don't forget your earbuds.

Al, the Travel Valet

Pick of the Day(33-8-1)...Twins

Summers Finally Here

It has been joyous. Back in March, with the temperatures already cracking the mystical 100 degree mark I began to wonder how hot we would go this summer. Then, "Spring" came. I guess. I'm from the South, Texas and Florida, where there is no real Spring. Only heat and humidity. I grew up thinking the "feels-like" temperature was a scientific form of measurement. Anyway, Las Vegas really cooled down. April and May have been incredibly moderate. I was beginning to think if this is Global Warming or El Nino then I would like a second serving. "May I have some more? Please."

Then yesterday came and reminded me why there are no trees in the desert. They melted.

So, while peeling my sweaty back from the leather seat, I thought of houseboats and how marvelous that would be sipping a cool beverage while puttering along the picturesque coastline of Lake Powell. I dug out my handy-dandy directory and created a houseboat itinerary for all of us this summer. Wouldn't it be fabulous to escape the sweltering heat on your very own houseboat? I can help. Drop me a line at theTravelValet@gmail.com.

Pick of the Day(32-8-1)...Red Sox for second day in a row. Go BoSox!

Witness the Circle of Life in Real Time

You are not going to believe what you are about to see. I came across this while web searching a trip I am planning for a couple of women travelers. I am still in awe and I've seen this video many times now. Amazing, is all I can say.

Click here --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM

If you would like an opportunity to experience life-changing moments like these, drop me a note at theTravelValet@gmail.com.

Pick of the Day(31-8-1)....Red Sox

Watch Out! Car Rental Fees

This is my second installment of Watch Out!, the Travel Valet tirade. The first post attempted to identify and explain the various fees and taxes that are added to an airline ticket that turns a great $200 fare into a price gouging $350. Today, I'll focus my energy and rhetoric on the car rental industry and its gouging techniques. I will try and break down everything on the rental invoice except insurance (that is for another blog). What am I waiting for?

Car Rental Fees and Taxes

*Disclaimer* Not all of these fees apply to every company or every situation.


Additional Drivers Fee-$25 to $50: More and more of the larger companies are eliminating this fee. Thank goodness.

Airport Concession Fees-10% of total rental cost: also called; recoup fees, consolidation facility charges (CFC), facility usage fees, or concession recovery fees-depending on the company). Don't really understand this fee, but think it is levied to "recoup" costs of conducting a business in or near an airport.

Convention/Stadium/Sports Arena Tax-approx. $10: collected to help build a venue that the city/county/state doesn't want to pay for.

Drop-off Fee- as much as several hundred dollars: Dropping off a vehicle in a location other than where you picked it up can be costly. A few exceptions: Hertz and National eliminated this fee and Enterprise allows for one-way rentals in Florida, Texas and California without fees.

Equipment Rental Fees-rental agencies charge additional fees for equipment such as child car seats, ski racks, GPS systems and cellular phones. Fees are listed alongside the equipment, but remember, fees like the airport concession fee are calculated as a percentage of total rental cost. So you are gonna pay more than list price. Hint: If you don't need it, don't rent it.

Frequent Flier Tax-up to 8% of entire rental cost: This a newer hidden fee imposed by companies. This charge is incurred when earning frequent flier miles for your rental. I call it "the charge back X 2" tax. It is designed to recoup federal, state and local taxes on frequent flier mileage accumulated.

Fuel Charge: Per gallon charges on returns without a completely filled tank. Be very, very wary...we're hunting wabbits.

Late Fee: Car rental rates are charged on a 24 hour clock. So, if you pick up a car at 10am then it must be returned by 10am on return date or be subject to an expensive hourly charge. Not too fun.

Mileage: While more and more of the larger companies offer unlimited miles, some companies cap you at a daily or rental limit and then charge approx. $.50 per mile. Not a good option in states like Texas where airports can be 45 miles from the city.

Out of State Fee: This can be a mondo expense. If you rent a car in Denver and choose to drive to Las Vegas, you better get permission.


Story Time... I know a guy, who knows a guy that rented a car at Denver's old Stapleton Airport. He and his buddies were initially going skiing at Keystone and Arapahoe Basin, but when they arrived there was no snow. So, they decided to trek west into the Rockies to Vail. Well, in Vail ski passes and rooms were too expensive for the miserable snow conditions and amount of trails open. In a last ditch effort to enjoy the trip, the small group abandoned the idea of skiing and drove on to Las Vegas (another 8 hours west and south).

All went great and everyone had a fabulous time until they returned the car to the rental agency back in Denver. Little did they know, but these unsuspecting travelers rented a vehicle equipped with a new state-of-the-art Lo-jack system. This unnamed rental company charged the leasee $500 per day for each day the car was out of Colorado and an additional $100 each time the vehicle crossed a state line. The $350 week long rental turned into a $2250 credit card buster. Come to find out, if they had declared their intentions before they crossed the state line into Utah there would only have been a $75 out-of-state rider to purchase. True story...I know a guy, who knows a guy, who was there.


Parking Tax-about $.45: for parking lot??

Peak Season Surcharge: Not much one can do , but travel in the "off-season".

Reimbursement Fee-3% to 8% of car rental fee: Also called excise tax or vehicle license fee, this goes to offsetting new car purchase costs.

Young Driver's Fee: Driver's under 25 will pay $10 to $75 per day for being young regardless of driving record.

Can you believe there are this many opportunities to get shafted while renting a car? Next tirade will be unleashed on car rental insurance.


Happy renting,
Al , the Travel Valet

Tweet me at http://twitter.com/TravelValet or
Email me at theTravelValet@gmail.com.

Pick of the Day(31-7-1)...Phillies

31-7-1!!!

I'm 31-7-1!!! and no one is mentioning all the cash I earned for you. Cha-ching. I can't recall ever being this solid over such a long period of time (44 days). I realize this blog is not about sports betting and I'm not endorsing such behavior. But WOW!

Watch Out! Airfare Fees

We are all aware of the airlines charging random fees for baggage no heavier than lip balm. After a recent debacle which I'm still too angry to share, I decided to make it my mission and expose every hidden fee in travel I can find. I really hope I piss somebody somewhere off. This has gone far enough.

I'm calling my new series of tirades Watch Out!. Today, I will expose airfares, but the series will also include car rental fees(which may be the most difficult to understand), car rental insurance, and anything else I can drag through a gutter of rodent infested raw sewage. Please don't let my animosity concern you. I really have calmed down quit a bit. Onward...

Airfare Fees and Taxes

Domestic Passenger Ticket Tax -7.5%: This is just some random additional tax that we pay when anyone purchases a domestic airline ticket. The proceeds go to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. The AATF was created in 1970 and has been milking us since. Currently the Trust Fund is gouging us for 7.5% of the the ticket price for this Domestic Passenger Ticket Tax.
Segment Tax-$3.40: We pay $3.40 every time during our flight that our plane lands or takes off. Pretty funny, huh. I guess our ticket only pays for actual air flight? Even better...if you change planes, you pay twice. All these funds go to our friends at the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF).
Rural Airport Tax-7.5%: This tax is for regional airport usage. If your flight goes to Boise or Duluth or Reno you will see this tacked on to the ticket price. Some good news, it seems you will not be charged for both the rural tax and the domestic tax on same flight, but you will be charged one. This is even more moola for the Trust Fund.
Passenger Facility Charge-Up to $4.50 each time we visit an airport: Now, I'm going out of my way to utilize every restroom and lounge area I pass. Five dollars is an expensive potty break. This money goes to offset airport maintenance? I guess my question is this, "How does LAX get it's $4.50 from Travelocity?"
Alaska/Hawaii Surcharge-$15:for roundtrip flights. Not really sure why? No one will tell me. But, I know where the money goes...the Airport and Airway Trust Fund.
International Departure Tax-$15.10: We get charged $15.10 to leave the U.S. The funds again go the AATF (the Trust Fund).
International Arrival Tax-$15.1o: And, of course, we get charged another $15.10 to come home (U.S.). Monies go to Trust Fund.

Beginning to wonder if this Paris Hilton's trust fund?

Customs User Fee-$5.50: This is added to your airfare if arriving from outside the U.S. Funds go to Homeland Security.
Immigration User Fee-$7.00: Fee charged if arriving from outside U.S. So, if you get charged for one, you will be charged for the other. Funds also go to Homeland Security.
Security Fee-$2.50 to $5.00: Goes to Homeland Security. If I could find more info on these I would explain, but Homeland Security doesn't seem to have to explain anything.
APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service)-$5.00: Charged if arriving from outside the U.S. Homeland Security gets this money too.

So, we get to pay $22.50 and take off our shoes all in the name of Homeland Security. Cool.

Fuel Charges-charged at airlines discretion: These fees were created to offset fuel costs. READ-The airline charges much as humanly possible and still get travelers in need of transportation to buy the ticket.
Paper Ticket Charge-up to $50: Airlines charge as much as $50 to issue a paper ticket. Some online vendors tack on additional charges as well.
Phone Reservation Charge: Yes, you will be charged to book a reservation over the phone to a human versus reserving online. You don't expect the airlines to have to pay for their own reservation staff, do you?
Change Fees: You will be charged, period. How much is anyone's guess. It is 100% negotiable. Most likely, you are gonna get screwed!

What if...we went to your favorite restaurant and without looking at the menu you order your favorite $6.00 salad and an iced tea for $2.5o. After typical sales tax, you expect your bill to be just under $10.00. At the end of the meal, the server drops off a bill for $27.50. You are shocked. You see you have been charged an additional $17 broken down accordingly: for paper napkin usage $.75; $2.00 for ice; $1.00 facilities charge (restroom); $.95 maintenance fee (parking lot); $9.00 tomato surcharge (because price of tomato skyrocketed due to ecoli scare); $2.00 Animal and Plant Inspection Service-monies sent to Homeland Security; and then charged local sales tax on everything. You locate a manager and flip out. The manager kindly smiles, apologizes and offers to direct you to the last page of the menu you never picked up and in tiny print you'll find the legalese. Is this a fair parallel? Would we ever accept this as consumers??

Pick of the Day(29-7-1)...Marlins, Angels

This is Not the Way I Left It this Morning

Imagine coming home after a very long day at work and terrible commute to this ----->

That's what happened to Georgia man yesterday. A house across the street was scheduled to be demolished, but the demolition crew received the wrong address and GPS coordinates from the general contractor who was designing a new home on the site.

The wrecking crew knocked on the door to make sure no one was inside as per their legal requirements and then preceeded to bring down the house and all its contents. Holy #*%@!! The owner said the house was filled with all of his recently deceased mother's antique furniture and pictures. He contacted his attorney, but is not sure what he'll do next. Talk about a bad day!

The Come Back

What's going on in July, you ask? Well, buckaroos, we have the Tour de Lance (I mean France) from July 4th-July 26th covering 3,500 kilometers. Lance Armstrong is recuperating from a nasty crash in Spain which broke his clavicle. I pretty common cycling injury, but painful. I should know; I did the same thing. I really thought he blew his chances for a comeback with the injury. But he claims he will be ready for the Tour.

To complicate things further for the seven-time champion, his significant other brought a baby boy, Max, into the world last week. I'm sure he feels the familial strings tugging to stick around base camp. But he says he's still on track. I'm chomping at the bit to see it with my own eyes.

This Tour should be exceptionally amazing because of the course. We have a huge mountain ascent only 24 hours before the Champs-Elysees circuit. That means we probably will not have a champion until the last day. Wait, there's even more! The Tour de France is visiting some grand destinations as well; Monaco, Marseilles, Andorra, Barcelona, Verbier, Switzerland and of course, Paris. Are you kidding me? You don't need the greatest non-motor race in the world to visit such incredible sites. I'm hyperventilating! Okay, now I'm kidding. If you want to check it out with me or independently, drop me an email at theTravelValet@gmail.com or tweet me on Twitter.

Go Lance!! Make it 8! Livestrong everyone!!!

Al, the Travel Valet
Survivor '83

Pick of the Day(28-7-1)...Rays

First Class to Maui, Anyone?

Ever fly first class to Maui or Oahu? Want to? Usually over priced in the $1600 range, United is offering first class accomodations from Los Angeles starting at $522, New York from $660, San Antonio from $560, etc.... I'm not too fond of blogging about airfare deals; I'm a writer, for heaven's sake. But sometimes deals are too good to ignore. This is one. Take a gander and treat yourself to a trip of a lifetime. Need a little assistance, send me a note to Al@theTravelValet.com.

Cheap Family Summer Fun

I was talking to a lady in a restaurant last night about family vacation expenses. Her two teenage sons stood nearby appearing bored and ready to leave. She said her family was staying home this summer because the economy was pinching them too hard.

"What can you do?" She said.
"Where do you live?" I asked.
"Phoenix."
"Horse poo," I retorted. "Take'em to Flagstaff in late July. The Arizona Cardinals begin their NFL training camp around the last week of the month and its free to attend" (I didn't know the exact date; turns out it's July 23). "It'll be cooler and revitalizing to you and your sons."

Flagstaff, elevation 7200 ft., is usually 20-30 degrees cooler than the desert of Phoenix. Flagstaff is 30 miles from the wonders of Sedona and sixty miles from the grandest hole in the world, the Grand Canyon.

"Don't let money get you down, just get more creative. Plan a long weekend, make picnics, go hiking, or camp out. A tank of gas can get you hundreds of miles away from the norm."
"Not a bad idea, " she mumbled. I don't think she was interested, but her sons looked as if they had polished off a six-pack of Red Bull. They left me wondering what would happen. I wished I would have pushed harder, but the timing seemed awkward.

If you need to get out and take a break, but fear you can't afford it, drop me an e-mail for alternate ideas. I'll bet, I can help. Here is a link to the NFL Training Camp locations and start dates. http://fftoolbox.com/football/2009/nfl-training-camps.cfm.

Have an adventurous summer!
Al, The Travel Valet
theTravelValet@gmail.com

Pick of the Day(28-7-0)...Rangers

Al's Book Review

It's kind of ironic that I just blogged on experiencing life without the lifevest of another's opinion. In the blog I used book and movie reviews as examples of how we (our culture) preferred to wait and let someone else formulate the opinion of whether the undertaking was worthwhile. I scoffed at how we avoided thinking for ourselves. And now, I'm trying to provide that very crutch the next day. Oh well. I guess "I" am a part of "we."

Since this is my first Book Review on this blog, probably my 100th overall, I thought I should preface the review with a little background on my reading preferences and writing resume. I love to read and have been known to read as many as five books simultaneously. I am hyper-critical of flow, prose and storyline, but less critical of syntax or literary genius. As to my writing accomplishments: I have one novel under my belt; two others unfinished; and about ten short stories. There are a few essays and poems out there with my trademark as well. Does this make me an expert? Hell no. Just one who loves reading and writing.

I'm not a big fan of memoirs, including travel memoirs, which makes my first material for a book review a bit unusual. But I decided almost immediately to roll with my most recently finished reads instead of my favorites. That is for another day. Okay? Let's do this...

Travels by Michael Crichton (published originally in 1988 by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.)

I kinda picked up this book while searching whether or not I should write a travel memoir myself. I still haven't decided. I just may after the first of the year. I'll have a few more trips under my belt and an extended sojourn with my twelve year old daughter. Her innocent perspective really slows me down forcing me to look at being a traveler from a very different
point of view. Anyway...

This book is divided into two sections; his "medical days" and his "travel days." The book starts out on fire. The first eighty pages tells various stories from Michael Crichton's days at Harvard Medical School. The writing is amazing; the prose is smooth and witty; and his anecdotes are funny as hell. I began to wonder how I missed reading this potential bestseller for so many years. Sadly, this book had another 300 pages left in her when we slip into the next section of the book just as he finishes medical school and as his novel, The Andromeda Strain, is turned into a movie. This is when Mr. Crichton's Travels begins the slow descent of losing this reader.

The author constantly attempts to subjugate the reader's ideology with his less than ordinary beliefs in the astral plane, chakras, auras and mystical spoon bending while utilizing traveling adventures as a backdrop. It doesn't work. Crichton often challenges believers of the western world's three main religions (Judaism, Islam, Christianity) as shallow and gullible. He submits western medicine is short-sided and too scientific. I don't have a problem with his opinions per se. I only wish the book would not have been marketed as a travel memoir, but instead some kind of "Western moving Eastern coming-of-age story". Because this is what we end up with.

Attempting to be optimistic, (not a strong suit) I am still hoping that the original premise can be salvaged through Crichton's Family Christmas trip to Tahiti around page 230. But the optimism became futile when I had to sit through a whole chapter of him sitting in the California desert for two weeks communing with a talking cactus. This could have been some seriously funny stuff if he weren't sincere. And then Mr. Crichton really loses me when he wants me to consider him worldly and intelligent as he precedes to tell of his experience being exorcised of the demon that appeared to be the evil devil in Disney's Fantasia in a Los Angeles apartment by some clairvoyant named Gary. Give me a friggin' break.

I finished the book. Maybe I'm a masochist.

Pick of the day(25-7-0)...Orlando/Lakers O48 1st quarter, O99 half, O198 game

Shifting Perspectives

We have become unaccustomed to direct experiences. We have lost confidence to perceive for ourselves. We don't want to read a book or see a new movie premiere until someone (an "expert") sees it first and tells us what to think. Terrified of our our own original, authentically personal perspective...we wait. And wait. Until someone gives us the go ahead to experience it for ourselves. And then, courageously, we venture out armed with the deadly opine of someone else and make direct contact with it.

Life, we have come to fear it and go to extraordinary lengths to avoid it. We succumb to fears of ridicule, failure, disease, snakes or whatever our self-imposed terror of the day may be only to whine that "our" lives are unfulfilled. Talk about a road to nowhere....

And what's really pathetic, we envy those we perceive to have one!

(Where's my soapbox? Oh, it's under my feet.)

Don't you think you should probably experience your own life without the Cliff's Notes of someone else? There is an excellent possibility this is the only life your gonna get. On this Earth, anyway. You already know I'm the bettin' kind and pretty good at picking winners. So, go ahead and get on a plane. Find yourself, pick up your pieces and come back more whole. I'm bettin' its a winning proposition. Send me a comment; let me know what you think; or just ask me for directions at TheTravelValet@gmail.com.

Pick of the Day(24-6-0)...Rockies, Rangers

Flight 447

I haven't said a word on the horrific details of Flight 447. Mostly because I wanted to wait out the salivating journalist's rhetoric. I never look for gore or blame in tragic stories. The human tragedy is more than enough for me. I can appreciate the need to place blame. No one in our culture wants to be held responsible for anything especially the accidental death of 228 souls.

But cars wreck, planes crash, ships sink and trains derail. By no stretch am I belittling this accident or any other. They are all terrible. Many families will be forever devastated by this event and my heart and prayers go out to them.

My argument is in the media coverage. Reporting facts are good and can help keep big business transparent and accountable. This is good. What sucks is the media becoming the de facto judge and jury. When did this stop being journalism and start becoming gossip columns, layman "expert" op/ed pieces disguised as factual reporting? Who really thinks Nancy Grace television is quality news? Seriously. I'm over it. Hell, the HMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic in 1912 and we are still trying to place blame some 95 years later.

What I didn't read about, but found terribly disturbing was this...How in the world did Air France Flight 447 disappear? How? I can count the Terra cotta tiles of my roof from outer space with my cellphone! And I down loaded the application for free! Practically every cellphone made has built-in GPS capabilities. Are you telling me that no one on that plane had a cell phone turned on? Or some satellite somewhere wasn't tracking that plane or that Atlantic storm? Please!!! I'm only a little bit stupid.


Pick of the Day(22-6-0)...Mind That Bird-to Show, Red Sox

Walking to the Parthenon

With one-third of the Greek population below me, literally, I look up to my destination. Perched majestically atop the Acropolis sits the ancient temple. Rays of sun squeeze between heavy, dark, water-laden clouds directly onto the Doric columns of the Parthenon. It's as if the gods have been anxiously awaiting my arrival and were illuminating my path home. The overcast sky and the smell of rain cast doubts as to when I may make my pilgrim's ascent to the top of the Acropolis. The anticipation is unbearable. I need to go now. Foregoing by best meteorological judgement, I take on the task without my fellow travelers. They choose to wait until the morrow and finer weather. I know I will not sleep with that ancient mecca looming above me and just out of reach.

The grade of the walk is noticeable, but my adrenal glands are producing enough energy to make the walk easy. I worry about the rain and the warnings from the others concerning my foolish behavior. The weather looks more ominous than only fifteen minutes earlier when I separated from my clan. Thunder cracked! Rumbling from every direction like some sort of theatrical earthquake sound effect or maybe, Thor was welcoming me. I turn back look at Athens below. It is raining in the Old Town, but not where I stand. I am basking in an amazing elevator shaft of sunlight. So much for my fellow travelers. I'm sure they are ducking into a cafe to avoid the cloud burst and will drink plenty of Ouzo while making sport of my stubborn ways. Ha!

I continue my journey up the same stone pathway once traversed by throngs of Greeks as part of an annual rite, known as the Panathenaic Procession to the site of the grandest of the grand temples around 500 B.C. I look around and I'm almost alone. Eerie; not spooky, more like mausoleum eerie. More thunder crackled farther away. I looked for lightning along the horizon, but only see a small group of undaunted Scandinavians. Weather is not gonna scare them off. Those crazies are from the fjord and frozen tundra lands. Mediterranean rain showers are fabulous touring conditions to them.

I over and clamor past the ruins of the Propylaia, the formal entrance to the sacred place and what stood before me took my breath away...the Parthenon. Other than the eerie solitude that had washed over me even as I began my ascent, I was overwhelmed by how much of the edifice was still intact and the otherworldly significance of the sun shining solely on the the temple. I was moved to tears. I don't know where they came from, they just appeared. Suddenly, I'm glad I came alone. Some people are moved by poetry, or art, or music, or architecture. While I enjoy each of these, I am truly moved by its history or historical gravity. I sense history everywhere. I visualize the statue of the goddess Athena that once stood here. I imagine Socrates holding court on the steps of the Agora, the political center of ancient Athens. And I look across at the remarkably intact statues of women supporting the Erechtheion. A lifetime of reading and studying and, in worst cases, memorizing, this place, this ancient democratic city-state, did not prepare me for this life-altering moment.

I never got wet. No kidding.

The Walks

I thought I might begin a weekly or monthly expose on walks. "Huh?" You say.

Well, I've been thinking about travel (duh) and specifically what sparks my synapses and kick starts my adrenaline. It's the anticipation. For many tourists, the anticipation is what destroys them. They are so excited before leaving their home that they work themselves into a tizzy and can't sleep. These tourists usually burnout even before they even reach their destination...and then, there's "the letdown". "Is that it?" (Stonehenge); "It's not as big as I thought" (the Colosseum); "It's so dusty/dirty" (the Pyramids at Giza); "Why do they have to put sardines/olives on everything? I hate sardines!" (Sicily or just about anywhere in the Mediterranean) or my all time favorite, "Whaddya mean there is no a/c?" (pretty much everywhere). The world and its history are not a glossy 8x10s and, of course; weather rarely cooperates. It's gonna be hot, or cold, or windy, or rainy or dirty. Move on, expect it and adapt.

Touristy whining aside, for me, what gets my juices flowing is the anticipation right before you see something for the first time. Something magical in my mind's eye that I've only seen in pictures or on film will come to life around the next bend or through a small opening or over the rise. This is when I get turned on. I feel my pulse pick up and my hairs on my arms begin to prickle. I have to admit, I'm almost nervous. The walk up to it....I feel I need to run just to see it a half second sooner. It seems so important, so worthwhile, so life-altering. That is how travel lives within me.

I thought we would take a few "Walks" together over the next few weeks or months and hopefully I'm literate enough that you may experience some of the same passion and adrenal rushes I do. Some of the places we may visit are: Walking up to the Acropolis, Walking into Petra, Walking the Strand in London and Historic Paris. I may include other magical travel moments if this project goes as I hope it will.

World's Best Hotels

The June issue of Travel & Leisure released it's "It List". You can find the editor's 45 best new hotels at www.tinyurl.com/qzftqu. Twelve are in the US and include the $1 billion dollar remodel of the Fountainbleau, the Mondrian and the Viceroy in Miami. California represents with the Montage Beverly Hills, the Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach, and the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills. Rounding out the U.S. hotels are the Encore in Las Vegas, the Intercontinental Montelucia in Scottsdale, The Nines in Portland, Oregon, The Mansion on Peachtree, Atlanta, the Mandarin Oriental, Boston, The Standard in New York and Encantado, Santa Fe, NM.

This list will definitely change by years' end. In October, Las Vegas will be sporting four new swanky hotels, three of which should make the list, the Mandarin Oriental at CityCenter, Aria by MGM/Mirage and The Harmon at CityCenter.

Pick of the Day(22-5-0)...Cardinals

Oops! They did it again

British Airlines offer is back!

British Airways is offering the same amazing low cost round-trip transport to London from the West Coast as they did last month. The offer is through Travelzoo and is in limited supply. Take advantage of this unbeatable deal while you can.

$ Money Tip of the Month $....Buy the British Pound Sterling. Value has risen 28 cents on the US dollar in three months. That's 28% profit folks.

A Toast

I would like to pose a toast to those who follow and lurk:

I raise my glass to all smart lurkers and followers who realize that it's the process, not the product; the journey, not the destination; and the experience of both that fulfills you. Cheers!

Pick of the Day(21-5-0)...Jays

The Perils of Parenting

My wife sent me a text this morning that is haunting...and all too common. Her friend, let's call her, Mary, has an 18 yr old daughter (that, by itself, is terrifying to a father) who has run-off presumably with a new "boy" friend no one else in the family has ever met. I didn't say runaway because the girl is 18 and since the law deems her an adult then I guess we have little choice, but to accept it. The girl left sometime last Saturday and vanished. No one has heard from her. Mary is understandably fraught with terror. My heart aches for this woman and her family. I have met Mary on two occasions, but never Mary's daughter. They are a spiritual family that places a lot of emphasis on family. I pray all ends well. My stomach churns...

See, I have a teenage daughter and this is one of my greatest fears. I don't think there is any one right answer or bit of advice to offer. One can only hope your children are given the proper tools to make the best possible decisions everyday. Allowing your child to make decisions early in life seems to be a key factor even if they are poor decisions. Let them screw up and live with the consequences on small things like staying up too late on a school night. Allow them an opportunity to suffer through one or two days exhaustion without cutting them slack on sleeping late, or doing chores or completing homework. As your child starts to drag remind them of their choice to stay up. It's a teaching moment. They will feel the need for sleep just like adults. Just remember, no child is angelic and no parent is without fault.

Try escaping the norm with your family? Go on a trip, explore new things, travel to exotic or hidden places. Create familial memories that bond. Step away from the things in which you disagree and find something that enriches your lives and share. Listen, everyone needs a vacation, even your eight year old. Drop me a message at thetravelvalet@gmail.com. Happy traveling and parenting.

I'm on a roll!!!

My Pick of the Day is now officially 20-5. That's 75% Las Vegas. Take that. Pow! And that. Thwack!! Seriously, I'm on a pretty good roll. I usually pick baseball around 63%. Rarely do I hit the rarified air of 75%. Let's enjoy it while we can because it won't last long.

Pick of the Day(20-5-0)...White Sox

The "jinx" is on...haha.