Lia and I do like Virgin America Airlines, despite their in-flight texting (personally not a fan) and other idiosyncrasies. They’ve taken innovative approaches to differentiating themselves in the marketplace, which I always appreciate. However, when I saw this on Virgin America’s Twitter feed, I was immediately annoyed. Look, I can appreciate attempting to green your [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Blog posts by Betty'
News Flash: Flying Isn’t Green
June 7th, 2010 · No Comments · Blog posts by Betty, Fail 'o' the Day, Wary of the advice of others
Tags:airlines·social media
African Safari by Toyota Corolla. I’m Not Joking.
June 4th, 2010 · No Comments · Blog posts by Betty
Going on an African safari conjures up romantic visions such as this, yes? But if you’ve never planned one before, it can feel completely overwhelming, and out of control expensive. A lot of the pre-packaged tours are not for people like me. They range from $5,000-$20,000, and that doesn’t include the cost of actually getting [...]
La Recoleta Cemetery: Gravestones Never Seemed So Appealing
June 3rd, 2010 · No Comments · Blog posts by Betty, Celeb spotting, Novelty, Recommended sights
I think when I die I want my ashes scattered at sea. Or off the top of a mountain. The idea of being buried in a crypt or some spooky cemetery with an elaborate gravestone conjures images that don’t equate resting in peace. With that said, however, I share Lia’s fascination with graveyards, and when [...]
South African Township Tours: Cultural Exchange or a Trip to the Human Zoo?
May 27th, 2010 · No Comments · Africa, Blog posts by Betty, Urban archipelagos
When you land at Cape Town’s International Airport, you must travel for miles along a highway where people live in the most despicable of conditions. It doesn’t take a social scientist to realize that tin shacks and no plumbing equal violence and disease. Women and children line the highway watching the cars zoom by. It’s [...]
Tags:Africa·Cape Town·cultural exchange·South Africa·townships
Vegas. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
May 24th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Blog posts by Betty, Fail 'o' the Day
Las Vegas pretty much stands for everything that I hate in the travel industry. Artificial everything. Horribly unsustainable. Tacky to no end. I was recently there for work, and I walked around like a wilted flower. If you’re there on business, most likely you’re staying at the conference hotel and are forced to walk through [...]
Tags:Las Vegas
Shop Talk: Favorite Bookstores, Part V
May 13th, 2010 · No Comments · Blog posts by Betty, Favorite Bookstores, Shop talk
One of the most depressing things about the slow, sad demise of publishing is the closings of independent bookstores. So it amazes me when I’m in a small town and I walk into an indy that has managed to stay open…and has serious soul. Just like countless small towns around the country, Livingston, Montana has [...]
Tags:bookstores·Montana
News Flash Travel Sections: Read Seth’s Blog!
May 11th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Blog posts by Betty, Novelty, Wary of the advice of others
Seth Godin is very popular. He’s a best selling author, and a marketing guru. He introduced the notion of “permission marketing” which means to survive in today’s marketplace you can’t dumb down your audience and you must respect your customer base. Why am I talking about this? You thought you were on a travel blog, [...]
South Africa: Stunningly Beautiful with an Intense Past…and Present
May 11th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Blog posts by Betty, Novelty, Recommended sights
The World Cup is exactly one month away, and this means that soon South Africa, and all of its beauty and problems, will once again take center stage on the international playing field. I was there about a year ago, and it was my first time on the Continent. Before this trip, I had been [...]
Montana: A State Tagline that Works for Me
May 6th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Blog posts by Betty, Recommended sights
Big Sky Country. I was there this past weekend, and it’s true. The sky didn’t disappoint. If you’ve never been to Montana, their state slogan could fall a bit flat. But the moment you arrive, it really does appear as if the sky is larger, more luminous, than anywhere you’ve been before.
Tags:Livingston·Montana·Yellowstone
I Heart Great Airport Design
April 29th, 2010 · No Comments · Blog posts by Betty, Good design, Transportation bliss
Travel + Leisure’s May issue has a decent slideshow of the Best Airport Hot Spots. I was most struck by the amazing image of the Best New Terminal in Montevideo in Uruguay. T + L’s description is as follows: Inspired by the region’s characteristic cuchillas, or low hills, this terminal from New York–based, Uruguay-born architect [...]
Tags:airports·Kuala Lumpur·Uruguay