Mobissimo

Any traveler knows the litany of things about traveling that kill the buzz after a while.  Strange food, strange sanitation, the pack of Ozzies that seems to be following you to every destination.  Well, you may hate it now, but when you get back home, go back to the 9 to 5, you'll realize sitting on that crowded bus in Vientiane with all those chickens was actually pretty darn cool.  More here via Brave New Traveler.

When you travel for more than a few months at a stretch, it becomes a job. A job you don’t really like all the time. A job you start to complain about.

I should know - while skipping around the world for a year, I did a lot less skipping than I did budgeting, reading transportation timetables, and gesturing wildly to unsympathetic street vendors.

But eventually the journey ends, you return to your normal life, and something magical happens: you find yourself wanting that old job back, warts and all.

Here are ten things I couldn’t stand then, but am pining for now.

There are quite a few all business class service providers, mainly between NYC and LON - we provide one of the best through SilverJet, searching them directly here on Mobissimo.  While the NYC-LON is one of the main routes for business class fliers, having multiple suppliers has made the segment very crowded.  MAXJet is the first, and perhaps not the last, to file for bankruptcy protection.

Maxjet Airways, which flew between London and three United States cities, ceased operations on Monday — leaving jets on tarmacs and stranding passengers on Christmas Eve — as the all-business class airline filed for bankruptcy protection.

Maxjet took what it called a “drastic measure” because of soaring fuel prices and the deteriorating credit market. But analysts suggested that competition from AMR’s American Airlines on one of Maxjet’s crucial routes also played a role.

Well, it is France, but Air France paid, and paid dearly for 'humiliating' a traveler on a recent flight.  While this doesn't mean you can eat as much as you want for Christmas and get a seat for free, it means that forcing larger travelers to purchase another eat is not a given.

Jean-Jacques Jauffret, a 43-year-old screen-writer, said he was deeply humiliated when airline staff measured his girth with wrapping tape in front of other passengers at New Delhi airport.

Air France was ordered to pay €8000 ($13,600) in damages and to reimburse the cost of his second seat, in a ruling delivered last Friday.

The Big Dig of Boston is one of the greatest engineering marvels ever, but also one of the costliest.  Was it worth it after so many delays, cost overruns, and a death?  The connection of the interior to the waterfront opened up the city instead of dividing it like the current above ground elevated highway.  Some more via Yahoo!

"For a while we thought we weren't going to make it," Merola said. "But you know, we hung in there."

The Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel Project — as the Big Dig is officially known — has its roots in the construction of the hulking 1950's era elevated Central Artery that cut a swath through the center of Boston, lopping off the waterfront from downtown and casting a shadow over some of the city's oldest neighborhoods.

No more hot meals, charging for booze, charging for food, charging to sit in a premier area of economy, charging for oversize baggage, charging for using the toilet ... all this and this was the worst year ever for delays and cancellations.  That is how to run a business.   Now there's a death fee.  Here's a story about nickel and diming you to death, get it?  To death*

She contacted Hawaiian Airlines, which, like Delta, requested a copy of her mom's death certificate. About a month later, Wilkens received a letter from Paul Whitaker, Hawaiian Air's "resolution coordinator."

He said the airline would refund each of the three first-class tickets but would deduct a $75 "service fee" per ticket, or $225.

Whitaker wrote that Hawaiian Air understood that the death of Wilkens' mom was "an uncontrollable event," but nevertheless believed its fees were "fair and reasonable." He said the carrier now considered the case closed.

Sometimes you just need the sugar and here's a trip to do it.

It was an incredibly busy (and rewarding) weekend for the Escapers.

Friday, Steph and I met at Sam’s Club around noon to buy some cookie dough. The 5lb tubs said they each made around 84 cookies, and since we figured we needed close to 2000 cookies, we loaded up our cart with 21 tubs of cookie dough. Needless to say, we got a few odd stares as we pushed our cart ‘o cookies through the store.

Thoreau, Emerson, Muir.  The heavyweights of writing and traveling.  For them, the backyard was miles deep, the streams ever long, and the skies clear and  sunny.  Nowadays we just jump on a non-descript metal tube, which takes us underground to another non-descript metal tube.  Eat a reheated meal and eat a handful of peanuts.  Sigh*  My kingdom for a horse and carriage.  Here's more on Thoreau.

“I have traveled a great deal in Concord,” said Henry Thoreau, a native of…wait for it…Concord, Massachusetts.

In fact, Thoreau traveled far and wide for his day and age, vagabonding to Cape Cod and the vast wilderness of the Maine Woods. However, the great prophet of enlightened self-reliance claimed to have done most of his traveling in his own hometown.

For those in a much different tax bracket than myself, real estate is king.  Not just buildings or land, whole islands.  Like the island of Australia.  Kidding.  Anyway, some islands are for sale, seems like most of the mega-wealthy have one, Johnny Depp, Nick Cage, Trump, the CEO of Mobissimo ...  Here's a list of some that may be in your price range.  This via Forbes.

Yearn to be master of your own domain? Buy an island.

"More than any other type of real estate, private islands fulfill the fantasy we all have of ruling over our own little kingdom," says Chris Krolow, CEO of Private Islands Online, a Toronto-based real estate company. "Nothing compares to the prestige of island ownership, and there's just an allure that surrounds the idea."

Ok, so we've all been waiting in line going through security and the family of 12, or the unkempt business man takes far too long.  Don't worry, there's still more in store on the airplane.  While I've never really seen anyone get totally bent out of shape on the airplane, studies have shown that Air Rage is up.  Here's more via the Guardian.

The number of air rage incidents on British planes increased by more than 60% last year, new figures revealed yesterday.

The Civil Aviation Authority received 2,219 reports of disruptive behaviour on flights in 2006-07, compared with 1,359 the previous year. The number has more than tripled in three years. Common causes included drunkenness and passengers lighting up cigarettes - or getting angry when prevented from smoking.

New York is about many things, cocktails included.  I mean c'mon, the Manhattan is one of my favourites, simple and potent ... another classic New York drink is the Blue Hawaii ... teehee, I make joke.  Read more here via CitySearch about the best cocktails and where to get them.  By the way, Temple is great for happy hour, two for one drinks, the best vodka selection in NYC, and free hors d'ouvres, all in a very classy, speakeasy setting.

Forget the low-carb beer and go retro instead. From a classic martini to a timeless Manhattan, find the best 1950s-era cocktails in New York.

You've heard of the horse whisperer, the dog whisperer, even the bat whisperer, but here's a new one, the lion whisperer.  Being one with nature is indeed an appealing venture for some, but sometimes people go a little too far.

Kevin Richardson, a zoologist and animal behaviouralist, has raised and trained some of the most dangerous animals known to man. To do this he does not use the common methods of breaking the animal's spirit with sticks and chains, instead he uses love, understanding and trust.

Big deal.  It's just a big cat.  I'd like to see a cobra whisperer, perhaps a rhino whisperer, until then, I guess this will suffice.

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie ...  New York style pizza, super thin, super simple is the favourite of many around the world.  While NYC offers many things like fashion, night light, museums, fine dining, all that pales in comparison to pizza.  Without a doubt, NYC pizza is a trademark of the windy city ... uh, that's Chicago dummy.  Anyway, these guys will deliver a pizza anywhere in the US, here's more.

Mobissimo now searches SilverJet, offering superior business class flights from the NYC area to the London area. In lieu of the Concorde, this is truly the way to fly. Right now, you can do it for 5% off, that a savings of like $25,000 ... or something like that. First, check on Mobissimo for the flight you wish, then enter the code upon checkout, here's a little more about the promotion.

Save 5% on all flights with Silverjet on bookings made before 31 March 2008.

Simply enter the promotional code 16688X when booking any fare type to receive 5% off each customer.

While Spaniards are devilishly charming and suave, their skills as contra-agents would seem to be rather lacking. I mean, you don't often hear about Spanish counter-intelligence or espionage, doesn't really seem to fit.  Regardless, a new spy amusement park is planned for the Zaragoza province in Spain.

The park, named Spyland, will be part of a massive leisure complex called Gran Scala that is being planned for the Zaragoza province of Spain. The entertainment district is expected to include 32 casinos, four theme parks, mega-hotels, shopping and other attractions.

We'll see how it works, especially when Spaniards say, 'eh-spy'. Could kinda be fun, arguing over the bill, 'uh no, the bloody sheets aren't mine.' or 'the bag of concrete in my room needs to be brought down please, send the bellhop.'