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November, 2009:

SkyRest Thanksgiving Test

Nov 30th, 2009
by mike barish.
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skyrestturkeyday

Lots of people talk about how exhausted the Thanksgiving meal makes them. News programs like to discuss the effects of tryptophan while most people just blame the all the alcohol that they drank to make their relatives more tolerable. I skipped the whole debate and passed out before the meal even started.

How’d the SkyRest handle Turkey Day? Well, I’m thankful for a pillow that wipes clean no matter how much gravy you spill on it.

Check out previous SkyRest Tests and my full SkyRest Tests Flickr gallery.

Travel Tip #56: Eat Breakfast

Nov 30th, 2009
by mike barish.
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chixwaffles

Sightseeing, spelunking and running from your problems require a lot of energy. Whatever the reason for your travels, be sure to start each day with a complete breakfast.

Above: My balanced meal at Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles (Los Angeles, CA, USA).

Crash & Learn: Cuddly Jihad

Nov 25th, 2009
by mike barish.
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Qantas Safety Card1

After a Monchhichi hijacked a flight and forced it to land in Cuba, other bug-eyed toys fell victim to racial profiling.

Source: Qantas Boeing 747-400 Safety Instructions.

Travel Tip #1: Enjoy Simple Moments

Nov 25th, 2009
by mike barish.
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samuraidog

You can have your tourist traps and sacred temples. I’ll take random samurai dog sightings.

Blunt Warnings in Australia

Nov 24th, 2009
by mike barish.
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AustraliaCripple2

Warning signs are meant to keep us safe and prevent idiots from being…well, idiots. But Australians take it a step further by making their warning signs 100% idiot-proof. If there’s a chance you could be killed, they’re not shy about telling you.

Check out my first contribution to National Geographic Traveler’s Intelligent Travel blog for more on these blunt (and oddly hysterical) Australian signs.

SkyRest Elmo Test

Nov 24th, 2009
by mike barish.
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SkyRestElmo

Where the hell did Elmo come from? He wasn’t on Sesame Street when I was little. Why isn’t Grover more popular? Grover is by far the best resident of Sesame Street. Where’s Grover? Where’s Super Grover?

How’d the SkyRest handle such an annoying sleep companion? Let’s just say that this picture was brought to you by the letters N A and P.

Check out previous SkyRest Tests and my full SkyRest Tests Flickr gallery.

Travel Tip #98: All That’s Duty Free Is Not Gold

Nov 24th, 2009
by mike barish.
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dutyfree1Ah, duty free. The tempting bitch goddess of travel. Do you suckle from her teat and satiate your desires for Toblerone and massive cartons of cigarettes made to look like large novelty packs? Or do you shun its earthly temptations and keep your luggage streamlined? There are some gems to be found in duty free, but there is plenty of craptastic nonsense, as well. Choose wisely, and your travels will be all the better.

Cigarettes – Good lord, how many coffin nails are you planning to put into your body? Will you be smoking them near me? Do you really need all of them right now? PASS!

Liquor – Liquor prices in duty free used to be phenomenal. The deals were so good you’d be stupid not to load up on the good stuff. Somewhere along the way, though, the prices stopped justifying having to schlep the stuff around. But now, The Macallan has gone and created the 1824 Collection of Scotch whiskey purely for duty free stores. And it’s delightful. So maybe it’s time for liquor to have a new heyday in duty free. Find the deals on good stuff and it will be worth your while. Plus, in the Third World, if you’re going to brush your teeth with a brown liquid, it might as well not be the one coming from your sink. BUY!

Perfume – Unless you’re an old Russian woman, you do not need a keg of that ass liquid that’s bound to make your fellow travelers dry heave at 35,000 feet. Put it down. Walk away. PASS!

Candy – It’s candy. Buy it. Only local stuff, though. Toblerone can be found at home. It’s really not that exotic. Be authentic. No one likes a duty free douchebag. BUY!

See, it’s not that hard. Liquor and candy. Your needs on the road really aren’t all that different from the ones at home. They’re just tax free.

Photo by Flickr user redjar.

How to Survive a Holiday Visit to New York City

Nov 23rd, 2009
by mike barish.
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NYECrowdThere are plenty of guides out there with tips for visiting New York City. And the internet is littered with blog posts on how to avoid hassles while traveling during the holidays. But over at World Hum, I’ve combined those topics into a thorough yet concise guide to visiting the safest big city in the world during the most wonderful time of the year (assuming you don’t mind it being ass-clenchingly cold).

Be a good tourist and give it a read before you head our way and I promise to welcome you with open arms.

Photo by Flickr user amelungc.

SkyMall Monday: Full SkyRest Review

Nov 23rd, 2009
by mike barish.
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SkyRestPlaneMB1

There’s been a lot of talk about the SkyRest Travel Pillow around these parts. But, before I started testing the pillow in real life scenarios, I took it on a plane to see just how well it handled its natural environment.

Check out my full hands-on review of the SkyRest on Gadling.

And then take a look at previous SkyRest Tests and my full SkyRest Tests Flickr gallery.

Travel Tip #69: Use Protection

Nov 23rd, 2009
by mike barish.
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Protection

The road can be a romantic place. It can be a lustful place. And, it can be an itchy, cheesy discharging place. Sure, you want to plant your flag in foreign lands (or, for the ladies, have an explorer discover your fertile delta), but be smart about it!

Avoid disaster by wrapping things up before you play hide the salami/yakitori/burrito/kati roll.

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