Delta nailed why...because when you add ridiculous things like an abacus and a rubber chicken, I not only can't stop watching, I can't stop laughing. You really have to see it for yourself. It's like a spoof on the normal safety video, but better. Better because it adds in ridiculous elements that reflect on the ridiculous state of flying and the ridiculous things that happen on planes.

You can watch it here.

Apparently they have had varying levels of amusing flight safety videos coming out for the last year or so. I don't stalk YouTube (I just saw the honey badger video about six months ago...don't judge), but I might have to change that policy to see what they come up with next. 

My real question--do foreigners (i.e. not from the United States) think this video is just completely crazy? Strike that, I think some of the humor is probably completely lost on Americans, too. I mean, what percentage of citizens do you think could now identify an abacus? More than can correctly name the VP or Secretary of State? Yea....that's what I thought.

So, Delta, here is my suggestion for a flight safety video...(also, how did they cancel Selfie? that show was excellent):

Flight attendant: Please fasten your seatbelt when seated.
Passenger: My seatbelt? I thought you meant everyone elseee's seatbelt.  I mean, I totally have to pee in like five, so can't it wait? I really don't think you mean me, right?  Woahhhhh (turns head)...can I see my reflection in the metal of the buckle? Is that something in my teeth? Why do I need to fasten my seat belt again? I really need to pee.

I've realized that I'm a bad relaxer. I'm constantly wanting to check things off my to-do list, or talk about what else needs to be accomplished. I hate having a list of "undone" items while relaxing. In contrast, DH can have all the things in the world to accomplish and still decide to take a whole day to do nothing. Yup, nothing. This drives me crazy for two reasons--first, because he could be helping with my to-do list (like house cleaning). Second and probably more importantly, because no matter how hard I try, I really can't seem to do the same.

Last year, before I started blogging, we got married on Sanibel Island in Florida. You can read about all the reasons I love Sanibel and Captiva. So of course we went back for our first anniversary. The familiar means that we don't ever feel like we have to get out and "see everything", and I can relax.

So here are 5 of our favorite things to do on a weekend trip to Sanibel and Captiva.

1. Walk the beach and hunt for shells.
So many shells! Sanibel and Captiva are both known for their excellent shelling. If you are an early riser, you might be able to find wonderful sand dollars or large conch shells. There are also the most adorable mini shells I've ever seen.

2. Run on the paths lining the island.
One of the best things about Sanibel is the paths that line the island. We like to/feel the need to (see point #3) to go for runs. It's a great way to see the island while getting some exercise. If you are a biker, you can easily rent a bike from your hotel/condo or one of many stores in town.

3. Eat cake from the Bubble Room.
The Bubble Room is a super-quirky year round Christmas decorated restaurant, that is best known--well deservedly--for it's cake. Our favorites are the cheesecake, red velvet, and chocolate layer. Get it to-go: one piece is 2 breakfasts and dessert. I'm not kidding, these things are huge, and delicious.

4. Drink beer and watch the waves from the Mucky Duck.
Mucky Duck is a Captiva favorite, though we prefer to sit outside, grab some bar-chow, and have a draft. They have a great selection of beers on tap, including a namesake red ale that is delicious. Beware--during high season, it will be packed. But in the off season? It's fantastic.

5. Play a game of tennis.
Many accommodations on Sanibel offer tennis courts, something we take advantage of when we visit. But we're not that good, so there isn't much left to explain about this. Except that I beat DH in a few sets. 

Have you been to Sanibel or Captiva? What did you like the most? 

Tourism can bring in valuable dollars, and help the local population value the preservation of the animals (though this distribution of increased income is often incredibly unequal). I do not think that seeing visitors for an hour each day "ruins" the animals, or makes them less wild. There is also not evidence that habituation and visitors have negatively impacted the gorilla populations in either Uganda or Rwanda since the program started. In fact, the presence of trackers in many cases has also discouraged and prevented poaching.

So this Friday, I'm going to share some more gorilla photos (all from Uganda, Rwanda pictures saved for another time...too many fun ones!) that I haven't posted before. Enjoy!

While flying based on "which carrier I like better" is nice in theory, I've had SO many problems over the years on SO many different carriers, that I really am not convinced one is OMGsomuchworse than all the rest. So there is no reason to favor a specific domestic carrier based on quality alone.

 Yup, most legacy American carriers are inferior to their international counterparts. I can't change that, and I can't fly international carriers all of the time. [However, if you tell me to fly Southwest/AirTran (which I suggest you do not), I will tell you our horror story with them that made me hate them (mainly AirTran) forever.] Anyhoo...

Fast forward to 2015, when United changes mileage accrual to a revenue based system. Barf. Cringe. Gag. Sorry United, but my loyalty to you has come to a close.

But I don't think I'm all about OneWorld, either. Sure, US Air is awesome for domestic flights from DCA. But I'm not ready to be totally loyal to a single alliance again. Maybe ever.  I mean, seriously...what's the point? I can't ever seem to fly enough on a single airline to get meaningful status, particularly as the lowest rung of airline status is pretty (pretty? who am I kidding...) totally useless these days anyway. Particularly out of DCA.

So I'm a free agent. I'm ready to be lured by cushy credit card offers for 80,000 miles and lounge passes. I'm ready to hop on the cheapest flights I can find, and know that my credit card offers me early boarding regardless of fare class or status. I'm ready to go with convenience rather than some nostalgic feeling of silly loyalty. I'm ready to fly on airlines where I can actually redeem those miles I've earned for good flights, hopefully in business class (not 10 leggers with sh*tty connection times). 

Bye bye, loyalty. Hello, flexibility.

Are you still loyal to a single alliance, particularly if you fly <50,000 miles a year?

I'm getting in my travel wrap-up post before the deluge of such things around the first of the year...and the theme of this year's wrap up? No major travel trouble! 

DH seems to be a good luck charm, as I've had my share of horrible travel experiences. My favorites include the following: taking 3 days to fly across the United States, being bumped from a flight that was "overweight" while a very, very, very large man who started screaming and threatening the gate agent was put on in front of me, having crap stolen with an intact TSA lock....I could go on but you get the idea.

This year? Minimal delays, and not a single crisis to report. I'm telling you, this IS news. And good news, at that. No horror stories to relay, no really awful airline tales to write about. 

Let's get to the down and dirty statistics, in descending order:

Miles Flown
48,353 (approximately)

Number of Nights Spent in Hotels
34 (COMO, Starwood, Marriott, other/boutique)

Number of Total Flight Legs
30

Number of Days Pup Enjoyed With Dogsitter Extraordinaire
25


Number of Missed Work Days
21 (I use comp time where I can, so not all vacation days)

Number of Legs in Business Class
10

Number of Nights Dog Spent in Kennel
9

Airlines Flown
8 (American, ANA, Delta, Druk, Lufthansa, Thai, United, USAir)

States Visited for > 2 Days
7 (FL, NY, VA, WY, MO, LA, NH)

Countries Visited
4 (Belize, Italy, Bhutan, Thailand)

Number of Times I Traveled without DH
3

Number of Loyalty Statuses Held
2 (Starwood, Marriott)

Number of Free Hotel or Flight Upgrades
2 (hotel)

Number of Barf Bags Used
1 (DH said I was "dainty" while throwing up...if that's not a compliment, I don't know what is)

Number of Flight Delays >1hr
1 (de-icing in New Orleans)

Number of Forced Bag Checks (Since Airlines Refuse to Enforce Carry-On Policies)
0 (Awesomesauce).

Here's to a great 2015!

I'm a big old pushover when it comes to our pup, and as she gets older, I have a harder and harder time leaving her--especially over the holidays. Nothing makes me smile more than a fuzzy dog at my feet while eating delicious food, or watching her pour over wrapping paper while attacking her new toy. Yes, of course she has her own stocking.

Growing up in Wyoming, and then living in upstate New York for the next five years, I'm pretty adept to winter road trips, and winter road trips with the dog in tow. Somehow I've made it all these years with only 2 really horrible winter driving experiences where I should have stayed home, though the recent drive on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving did leave something to be desired.

Here are my suggestions for making those trips where the weather may be questionable:

Flexibility: Never, ever plan a winter road trip to somewhere that frequently has bad weather without some flexibility in your schedule. You are setting yourself up for frustration. Ensure you can have some time on either end, should the weather turn sour.

Water: Always, always travel with water in the car. If you get stuck during a storm with no where to go, and have to hunker down in your car, you'll be pleased that you have some unfrozen water and don't have to go all boy scout and try to figure out how to melt your own. If you are traveling with a pet, take some extra (and a bowl, unless they drink from a bottle).

Clothes: Don't travel in a snowstorm without a coat and some appropriate footwear. Isn't this self explanatory? Always better to have and not need then find yourself needing to walk 2 miles in Toms, sweater, and no hat or gloves. Don't be silly, plan ahead and take clothing that will protect you from the elements. Of course, traveling with our dog she always has an extra set of outwear too.

Scraper: I don't need to explain this one. If you don't know what a scraper is, I suggest you get thyself to Target and acquire one.

Don't be superman: This is hard, I know, even for me. But when the weather gets bad, consider stopping. Don't be all macho and try to keep going if you can't see the road or your car is up to it's belly in snow. While I think I'm a good driver, even in horrible conditions, seeing people drive in the best of conditions here makes me realize it's not me I'm worried about--it's them. Find a hotel if you need to and hunker down for the night. If you are traveling with a pet, be familiar with what chains take fido.

Don't listen to fear mongering family and friends: While you shouldn't be superman, if you are accustomed to driving in less than ideal weather and are comfortable with the conditions, don't listen to the family and friends (you know who I'm talking about) who see a snowflake and shriek. Or those that make you fear for your own life every time you get in a vehicle they drive. They mean well, but sometimes road conditions are just going to be less than perfect and you know your own limitations better than anyone. Particularly if they have a self-interest in keeping you for another day (cough...the holidays).

Know your car's limitations: This also seems totally self-explanatory to me, but you'd be amazed when it snows somewhere it shouldn't (North Carolina, I'm looking at you), how many people don't know if their car is 2, 4, or all wheel drive. Chances are, if you don't know, don't try. Also, some cars just handle better in snow than others. Your truck may be awesome, but an empty bed can cause all kinds of difficulties in snow and ice (no weight, no good). 

Please note, these suggestions are mostly suited for east coast driving and weather--out west, where you can drive for 3-4 hours with absolutely no where to stop (I mean NONE) and no cell phone service (I mean NONE), driving in winter requires a bit more caution and more supplies (like emergency blankets, and maybe even a tiny propane stove to melt snow for drinking water). In the east, chances are that if you get stranded or stuck you'll be retrieved relatively quickly.

All this said, I still stick to flying in the winter where I can...driving in crappy weather isn't a whole lot of fun.

One of the obvious highlights of New Orleans is the food. Oh the food. I would have carried an extra, external stomach around me to fill if it was socially acceptable.  So I went to Emeril's twice for lunch, because it was good and super close to the convention center.

A 3 course lunch is $22.50, which I'm sure sounds pricey if you are used to cheap food, but since DC is expensive (and adds a 10% tax, cough), $22.50 sounded just about right for 3 courses.

The highlights?  Let's start with an oyster bacon bisque (above). Creamy, tender oysters (I hate chewy oysters in soup), thick bacon with obviously lots of fat, a touch of corn, and I'm sure pounds of cream and butter. So good.

Also delicious was the bucatini nero with gulf shrimp. Bucatini is a hollow noodle, and this was black, so I'm assuming it was made with squid ink as I'm not sure how else you can get noodles that pitch night color. The noodles were good, but the highlight was the delicious sauce, gulf shrimp, and of course, the local chanterelles. Have I mentioned I just love chanterelles? I need to start looking for them...maybe for a risotto?

The crème brulee was good--nothing wrong with it at all, but I'm more of a savory person and would have had another bowl of soup. Nonetheless, I of course finished the whole dish. That caramelized sugar on top just makes me keep eating. 

Can you really go to New Orleans without some gumbo? Of course not, and Emeril's was offering an Andouille/seafood combo. Flavor was absolutely perfect, though the shrimp were just a touch mushy for my liking--though I realize it's hard to keep shrimp unmushy in gumbo which needs to simmer all day. The Andouille was really flavorful. I need to try my hand at gumbo making at home...

Finally, an angel hair pasta with many delicious crawfish and smoked mushrooms really topped it off.  I am usually not a pasta person in restaurants, but I really wanted crawfish and the rest of the ingredients were too delectable to pass up. There actually was just a handful of pasta, and it paired nicely with the crawfish and other items.

If you are in to fancy cocktails, with creative twists, there are plenty of offerings. A seasonal pumpkin spice martini looked delectable, but I stuck to beer as I didn't need any extra sugar after the beignets at Café du Monde.

I really need to get back to New Orleans for more food, pronto. I also didn't have time to go to the World War II Museum, which I haven't been to for about 15 years or so.

Where is your favorite place to eat in New Orleans?

Blah #1. Having to sit beside a sick, sneezing, spluttering baby on a 2.5 hour flight. If this wasn't bad enough, the mother couldn't nurse or let it sleep without it kicking me or it's entire head in my seat and me hanging out of the aisle. I get it, having a baby on a plane must be hard, and you were so freaking unorganized that you couldn't find anything in your giant baby bag which couldn't even fit under the seat in front of you. But guess what, I get really pissed when your sick baby is in my personal space. And I have a hard time letting that go when---stop it---I GET SICK after the flight. So to the mother in row 8? You are my #1 blah this week.

Blah #2. Cabs in New Orleans. There seriously should be some warning sign for visitors in New Orleans regarding the horrible attitude of cab drivers (except one) and the total impossibility of catching a cab, particularly if you are not going less than 10 blocks. Come on, I'm not a total weenie, DC cab drivers are no cup of tea. But New Orleans cab drivers make DC cab drivers look like some of the nicest people on the planet.  Stop it.  Seriously. And Uber? Where are you in NOLA? Huh? You rolled out service a few months ago, but there wasn't a single car available in the entire Warehouse District or French Quarter. That's what I would call an Uber fail.

Blah #3. Unpopularity of all things Bhutan.  I'm sort of surprised, but not really: Bhutan posts on my blog are some of the most unpopular entries I've ever written. Is Bhutan that inaccessible that no one wants to read posts because they never are going to go there? Are Bhutan entries so predictable, because almost everyone that goes to Bhutan sees the same thing and goes to the same places? I mean, I'd think it was just my horrible blogging, but the rest of the posts that I've interspersed with the Bhutan posts have a normal amount of hits. I'm sad more people aren't interested in Bhutan, because it was fabulous.

Blah #4. Thinking about updating my blog. I still don't mind writing, but the thought of overhauling my blog with a new design and bells and whistles is stressing me out. I'm not ready to pay someone else to do it for me (though I'd gladly pay for a template), because this isn't a business. My coding skills are subpar and I think this is going to be a huge time-suck for the foreseeable future. It needs to be done, but I'm quickly losing motivation to do it.

Yea yea, I'll do "things I'm thankful for" or some awful, predictable variation in the near future. But today? Today is all about the blahs.

If we thought Paro was a bit warm, Punakha was crazy hot and humid, but the valley was gorgeous. We arrived in Punakha after a fun drive from Thimpu, in which I was thanking my motion-sickness patch every hairpin turn along the way.

The COMO Punakha property is stunning, it's new, quaint, and with an absolutely beautiful view. They have a deck that is just incredible, overlooking the valley and perfect for an early breakfast or sundowner.

We spent 2 nights in Punakha. Our first stop was at Chimi Lhakhang, otherwise known as the Temple of the Divine Madman. Catchy, right?

With just a short drive and a quick walk uphill through a small village and some rice paddies, we arrived at a small knoll and the Temple. Many couples visit this temple to be blessed for fertility, but there were just a few other visitors there at the same time.

On the way, we were lucky enough to stop through the village and check out a few things they were making. Um..did you know rice pops like popcorn in oil over the fire? Yea...apparently everyone knew that but me. It was awesome to try some Bhutanese rice krispies, as well as a rice puff snack. 

In most of the temples you enter in Bhutan, you have the option to be blessed (and an offering is expected if you accept the blessing). Honestly sometimes I think it's a little awkward and we aren't really into that (more into watching and listening), but we also didn't want to offend by refusing a blessing, so we really decided when and when not to accept based on the specific situation. We typically gave to the temples regardless, though not in large amounts (equivalent to a few US dollars).

If you are or were totally overwhelmed with history like we were, the Divine Madman is a story that is hard to forget, and you are reminded of the Divine Madman in many places in Bhutan, particularly in the Punakha Valley but also in other locations as he is a essential part of their history. It goes something like this...(very, very abbreviated version...no offense intended, just aiming for brevity):

Once upon a time (kidding...he actually lived between 1455 and 1529, according to most records), Drukpa Kunley--infamously known as the Divine Madman--built a chorten on the knoll. Kunley decided on this site when he fought with, and won (of course), a battle against a demon nearby. He won with his magic thunderbolt, which now adorns homes throughout Bhutan (see photo if you don't know what the magic thunderbolt is).  The Divine Madman was best known for being completely, well, crazy and outrageous. His sexual endeavors were infamous, but he was also a famous poet (related? I'll never know). He thought that existing teachers of Bhuddism in Bhutan were a wee bit too conservative and anal, so he opted for the opposite, with song, dance, and by having sex with women to bless them (they would seek his blessing in this way, the story goes).

And this is how the phallus became a symbolic decoration throughout Bhutan, and the Divine Madman became one of Bhutanese Bhuddism's most important figures. The thunderbolt is considered not only a sign of fertility, in representation of and respect to the Divine Madman, but also thought to ward away gossip and other evilness.

Interesting, eh? So many fascinating stories, so much history, and so much I still have to learn about Buddhism.

In other news, I may have fallen in a rice paddy on the way home and emerged with a very, very disgusting shoe, but DH didn't take pictures because he thought I would be mad...I was laughing...and wondering what kind of nematodes were crawling through my shoe, sock, and skin.

Wow. WOW. So this a totally new concept to me, and I'd be interested to hear from other travelers if they were aware this existed.

Perhaps I'm sort of shell-shocked because this concept most definitely wouldn't be so palatable in the United States. Cough (major understatement). I really haven't made up my mind about how I feel about social tourism. It's honestly sort of a bizarre concept. If nothing else, this really highlights some of the fundamental differences that exist between the United States and Europe in terms of social welfare.

So what is social tourism?
My understanding is that social tourism is a public policy to "facilitate access to tourism for groups who would otherwise be financially unable to participate in holidays". Yup, that is straight from the article. Now I can imagine that many people are scratching their heads....Paying people who can't afford to travel so they can go be a tourist somewhere? Whhaatttt?  This is institutionalized, government supported travel for those otherwise or typically excluded from travel opportunities.

Where does it exist?
Europe. Particularly, different programs (with varying levels of public and private participation, though they all have some level of public, government support) exist in France, Hungary, Spain, Portugal, and Belgium.

But it's even more than that...
Many of these organizations not only help people take a holiday, they actually provide emotional support for "anxiety affecting the inexperienced tourists". Yup. Not only is their financial uncertainty that worries the clients (because admittedly, most programs require some contribution from the individual as well), but also things like packing. Stop right there. Support organizations actually PACK for the travelers. Because, as one interviewee said, otherwise "they would forget to pack underwear" or "show[s] up with plastic bags".

Who is the target population?
Interestingly, this article and research specifically discusses both the elderly and teenage mothers (who participated in travel between Belgium and the UK). The latter group has extremely high levels of uncertainty, which may cause them to refuse tourism participation even when money isn't an issue.

Are there benefits?
Sure, for example, in Spain there is a program where senior citizens are subsidized to take domestic holidays to the coast on shoulder seasons. This means people in the coastal areas can continue working, benefiting hotels and other businesses. By subsidizing the elderly to take domestic holidays, the government is essentially injecting some money into a seasonal economy. This program is financed through beneficiary contributions (70%) and government (30%), but Spain estimates that the program helps to benefit or maintain about 80,000 jobs.

What do you think?
I'm sort of fascinated by this whole idea, since there is always lots of discussion over whether travel is a "luxury" good in the economy (using luxury in an economical-sense, here). The article states that such "social tourism" is not part of public policy in the United States, but has been undertaken by some private organizations.

The only thing that immediately comes to mind is potentially trips that veterans take to visit memorials (or even back to places like Vietnam), that may be subsidized by charitable organizations. There are also other programs for poor, suburban high school students to be able to take a first trip abroad, etc., which are mostly either done via fundraising or private charities.

But most definitely this is not institutionalized into government programs in the United States. Moreover, the uncertainty piece of this is very interesting...particularly for individuals in the United States. Would uncertainty and the unknowns of the "outside world" stop similar sub-populations in the United States from traveling abroad, even if they had the funding to do so? My strong contention would be YES.

What's your opinion of institutionalized social tourism? Do you think that money is the only reason that non-travelers in the United States don't travel?

Citation: Minnaert, L. 2014. "Social tourism participation: The role of tourism inexperience and uncertainty." Tourism Management. 40: 282-289.