Time for another ride.
It seems like this time of year, everything collides, and this trip sneaks up on me quite quickly. I get a late jump on my planning, and an even later jump on packing. I hope I didn't forget anything important.
Increasing consumer confidence in the US, moderating gasoline price increases and the release of pent up demand for vacations will likely lead to an extremely busy summer travel season. This means business and leisure travelers should be formulating plans and making reservations now to avoid high prices or sellouts later this summer.
This year, the peak summer travel season begins around June 15 and lasts until about August 24.
In those halcyon days I still longingly refer to as "my youth," dining while on the road was rarely more than a burger and fries, or a Twinkie with a chocolate shake. But as I continue the march into 'seniorhood', my away-from-home eating habits have undergone drastic changes. Now, rather than rush into a convenience market or a fast food outlet, I look forward to sit down, white napkin experiences that are a far cry from candy bars and salted peanuts (although they remain at least a minor part of my diet when traveling alone).
The first Mother's Day celebration was held on the 2nd Sunday of May in 1908 and in 1914 US President Woodrow Wilson declared the 2nd Sunday in May Mother's Day. The rest, as we say, is history.
Mother's Day is this Sunday and if you haven't made plans for Mom's big day - time is quickly running out. Trust me; if you just put a little planning into the day, everyone wins by seeing mom so happy.
For most of us, airport layovers can be almost unbearable. Spending several hours in a packed and uncomfortable airport lounge flipping through a magazine or fiddling with a smart phone just isn't the most enjoyable part of business travel. The good news is it only takes a little bit of prior planning to turn that dreaded layover into a fun and entertaining way to start your business trip.
The first step to planning a successful layover activity is figuring out approximately how much time you will have on the ground between flights. Obviously, flights aren't always on time and the exact time you have may be more or less than you planned, but at least you'll have a general idea of what activities will work for you.
I remember in my younger years, thinking that if I could dig a hole all the way to China and jump through it, I would fall all the way through and end up standing on my head. You know, because it's on the other side of the world and, obviously, that's how gravity works. Well, when I was about 8 years old I decided to try it - I'm sure you did too when you were a kid.
Many years ago, during my youth, the Soo Line Railroad tracks ran directly behind our house, so my brothers and I learned to tell time by the blasts from the old stream engines that belched across the North Dakota prairies. Taking the train to grandmother's house was a major adventure. When our dad got a job with the railroad, he'd let me ride in the caboose, where I'd sit up in the cupola and wave down to my pals. As I mentioned, that was a long time ago.
Cinco de Mayo! Here in the United States, it is a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. Ironically, the day is barely noted in Mexico. Commonly mistaken with Mexican Independence Day (which is September 16th), it is actually an observation of the day that the Mexican Army had an unlikely victory over French forces in the Battle of Puebla. If you travel the country on May 5th, particularly in the Southwest, you are likely to find the kinds of festivals, concerts, and celebrations that rival those of St. Patrick's Day.
If you happen to find yourself in the Phoenix area, there is a great family-friendly celebration downtown that includes live bands, boxing, dancing and other entertainment, as well as plenty of food and drinks. Around town, there are many other celebrations as well. Visit Macayo's annual 'Cinco de Macayo' at the Depot Cantina; Aunt Chilada's Squaw Peak; the Enchanted Island at Encanto Park and the Chandler Cinco de Mayo Festival in Chandler.
In 2011, spending on business travel continued to grow as the economy began a slow climb out of recession. As usual, most of our travel budgets were gobbled up by airfare and lodging costs.
In the US, airfare rose about 7% and hotel costs rose about 4% compared to 2010 according to Concur, which helped large companies process about $50 billion in travel and entertainment expenses last year.
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