Ben Stiller’s 2006 fantasy-comedy film, A Night at the Museum, tells the story of a security guard who discovers exhibits which come alive at night.   Children and families loved the movie (and critics mainly panned it).  And some travelers like me, who especially enjoy a good museum, found a certain truth in it. For me, - Read More -

I was in the Phoenix airport waiting for a plane back to Washington DC after a two-day, late March meeting with a group of HI-USA leaders. We had assembled for the weekend to plan for building a stronger, better HI-USA, with more reach, more vitality, and more hostels. I settled into one of those terminal chairs, clutching a - Read More -

“Mr. Watson – come here!” Alexander Graham Bell calling through an experimental telephone for the attention of his laboratory aide in the next room. “You know my methods, (Doctor) Watson.” Sherlock Homes to his solicitous, always-near companion. . I was one of millions of Jeopardy viewers who recently watched IBM’s supercomputer triumph over two very - Read More -

The powerful earthquake and tsunami that late last week hit Japan already has resulted in thousands of deaths. Now the country is dealing with the possible rupture of nuclear reactors that threaten additional lives. Some of Japan’s sons and daughters happened to choose this time to travel outside of their home country. We know, because - Read More -

Yesterday evening, I headed downtown to hear The Lost Girls and World Hum. It may sound like a night of clubbing. But the venue was the HI-Washington hostel, and the sound was hardly metallic. The Adventure Travel Expo is in town this weekend, so it seems natural that some visiting travel bloggers, photographers and videographers - Read More -

During one of my recent stays at the HI-Santa Monica hostel, I was reminded again of Rolf Potts‘ trip around the world, with no luggage. Mr. Potts is one of his generation’s gifted travel writers (author of Vagabonding and Marco Polo Didn’t Go There). For his six week trip, he relied solely on a vest - Read More -

Expected or not, airline flights have become a training ground for team work and cooperation.  And “road warriors”, those travel stalwarts who spend much of their business lives in the sky, seem the invisible maestros. Today I am on United Airlines 966 heading back home to Washington DC from my second stay in as many weeks at the - Read More -

One of my favorite daily reads is the Wall Street Journal, but not because I expect to find budget travel advice there. Yet writer Scott McCartney in a recent “The Middle Seat” column (Thursday 27 January 2011) shares some valuable guidance for today’s budget minded traveler.

It’s all about finding the best deal on airline tickets. Ticket pricing is a mind-boggling topic with at least one commonly known truism: depending on when you fly, there are lower airline fares on some days of the week (typically Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday) than others. But what if you change the day of week, or time of day, when you book your flight?

Here’s where McCartney’s column delivers. It describes how airline pricing follows a cycle during the week. An analysis of domestic fares shows booking on Tuesday can mean a lower fare, and that Wednesday also has good ticket prices.