It was not yet 6 a.m., but I had a bad feeling about how the day was going to go. The stone faced desk clerk had no interest in checking me in here in Vienna, not to mention through to my final destination, Seattle.

"No. Different booking."

"But it's with the same airlines..."

"Different booking. No."

"So I'll have to..."

"You'll need to collect your bag in Amsterdam, and then check in again when you get there. Take your bag to the departures desk."

"I don't understand. These flights are on the same airlines. Can you check me in, at least, so I can drop my bag..."

"No. Different booking."

I gave up. Priority club, my ass.

A couple of weeks ago, I traveled to El Paso on short notice for a magazine assignment. I found it enjoyable, but on my final day, I was itching to get out of the city limits and explore before my evening flight. Every local I talked to gave me the same response: go for a scenic drive out to Mesilla.

Located just 44 miles northwest of El Paso on the fringes of Las Cruces, Mesilla is a historic village established in 1848. Perhaps best known as the location for Billy the Kid's trial, Mesilla has also played an integral role in the development of the Southwest, in part because it was along the Butterfield Stagecoach Line. I'm obsessed with all things New Mexico, but despite numerous visits to the northern part of the state, I'd never been south of Albuquerque. I was an easy sell.

The drive to Mesilla presents a dramatic contrast in topography. About 30 miles past the arid plains and stark Franklin Mountain range of El Paso, the Rio Grande grows from a trickle to substantial enough to support lush vegetation. I'd never seen a pecan tree before, and suddenly I was passing thousands of acres of them, in all their towering, leafy glory (after Texas, this region – Dona Ana County – is the nation's largest producer). There were fields of onions and chiles (Mesilla is just 42 miles away from Hatch), and vast dairy farms. As a former ranch kid, I instantly felt at home.

For the next few days on Instagram, Gadling is off to the Isles of Scilly.

The Isles of Scilly sit about 30 miles off the coast of Cornwall, which occupies the far southwest of England. The islands, just five of which are inhabited, are known for their mild Gulf Stream-enabled climate, white sand beaches, palm trees, turquoise waters and historic gardens. Tourism is the local economy's chief motor; the islands are also known for their flower industry.

The smallest of England's 326 districts with around 2200 inhabitants, the Isles of Scilly are an understated place popular with families and a smattering of British celebrities. Both seem to like the islands for their carefree, relaxed atmosphere. But while the islands are dotted with a few high-end properties and restaurants, they are largely devoid of the glitz and flash associated with many celebrity haunts.

I'm not headed down Scilly way for celebrities, by the way. I'll be there for quiet walks, bicycle rides, fresh seafood and, weather willing, some spring warmth.

Do you have any photos you'd like to share with a larger audience? Mention @GadlingTravel in your own photo AND use the hashtag #gadling and your photo will be considered for a future Photo Of The Day.

[Image: Flickr | rodtuk]

Adventures by Disney has announced that it is expanding its catalog of travel itineraries for 2014 with new options to Europe and several tours specifically created for the teen traveler. These new additions to the line-up will expand on the company's already diverse group of tours that are designed to provide adventure travel options for families while delivering a distinctly Disney experience.

New to the Adventures by Disney portfolio is a nine-day escape to Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic that includes visits to the vibrant and cosmopolitan cities of Salzburg, Prague and Vienna. While on the tour, travelers will experience ice caves in the Alps, visit wondrous castles, tour a marionette workshop and get a private after-hours tour of the famed Vienna Zoo – the oldest in Europe.

If Italy holds more appeal over Central Europe, then the new Enhanced Italy tour may be more to your liking. This classic family escape will take travelers to the streets of Rome, Tuscany, Venice and Florence, offering VIP treatment along the way. Highlights include an after-hours visit to the Vatican and Sistine Chapel, a private pasta-making class and of course a special gondola ride through the canals of Venice.

Finally, ABD has announced three new adventures designed specifically with teenagers in mind. These options include escapes to Peru, Costa Rica and Arizona and Utah, and feature activities intended for teenagers at each of those destinations. In Peru, for instance, they can go stargazing around a campfire in the foothills of the Andes. In Costa Rica, they'll take in the exotic and diverse wildlife of the rainforest and in Arizona and Utah, they'll have the opportunity to go on a bike ride through Boynton Canyon in Sedona. Each of these itineraries was specifically crafted to engage teenagers and allow families with teens to travel together.

Since its inception eight years ago, Adventures by Disney has been providing high quality adventure travel opportunities for the entire family. These new offerings will only expand on the company's award-winning service while offering more choices for customers. If you're looking to introduce a little adventure into your next family escape, they can definitely help you accomplish that in a unique and well-crafted manner.

One of the most beautiful subway systems in the world is the Moscow Metro. The system was originally built under direct orders from Stalin to create gorgeous stations that the people of Moscow would admire for its depictions of a "radiant future." Mariusz Kluzniak took this fantastic panorama of the absolutely beautiful Novoslobodskaya Station. The station's architect, Alexey Dushkin, spent well over a decade on the design, eventually commissioning designs for 32 stained glass panels from famed Russian artist Pavel Korin. The result is fantastic and unlike any other public transportation station in the world.

If you have a great photo, submit it to our Gadling Flickr Group and it could be chosen as one of our future Photos of the Day.

The idea of a trip to Antarctica is a bucket list item that few travelers have checked off. Tourism numbers are rising as Antarctica welcomes more visitors, but the cost to get there can be prohibitive. Now, Cruise ships head south to visit Antarctica more than ever before. But a luxury cruise ship is surely not a cheap ride. Still, a new theme park attraction might just have the fix needed or at least count as research for the eventual expedition.

SeaWorld Orlando's largest-ever project, Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin takes guests on a simulated voyage to Antarctica, complete with a colony of over 200 penguins in their natural habitat. Getting an authentic feel for Antarctica, guests will experience life on the ice through the eyes of a penguin. Via new state-of-the-art interactive ride technologies, visitors get a unique, personal adventure that is said to be different for everyone.

"When our little hero penguin learns to waddle and slide, we'll feel what it's like as the car moves and reacts to the storyline," said Brian Morrow, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment's creative director, in a TravelPulse article.

"TIMELAPSE - Vivid Sydney 2013 Launch" from Vivid Sydney on Vimeo.

The video above captures an incredible light show happening at the Sydney Opera House as part of the fifth annual Vivid Sydney festival.

The largest light, music and ideas festival in the Southern Hemisphere, Vivid Sydney features lighting installations around the harbour foreshore, live music performances at Sydney Opera House and over 120 creative industry events.

Part of a tourism push, the festival has grown year over year and is expected to attract 550,000 visitors this year alone.

The artists making up the show come not only from Australia but from the USA, Germany, Italy, Greece, Malaysia, Korea, Poland, Brazil and New Zealand.

For the first time this year, the area's famous Harbour Bridge will also be lit up on its western face, and, with a creative touch, the light show will be controlled by the public from an interactive touch screen, through a collaboration with Intel and with Sydney's 32 Hundred Lighting.

The Darling Harbour is also part of the show, featuring water fountains, water projection screens and light shows.

We love the above video and only wish it was set to music so that we could feel more like we were really there! If you're in the area, please send us your comments below – we'd love to hear how it looks, sounds and feels to be there live!

After protests from neighborhood residents and representatives, a New York company offering "ghetto tours" of New York has ceased all sightseeing offerings. According to news.com.au, Real Bronx Tours allowed outsiders to gawk at life in the South Bronx "from a safe distance," taking them past housing projects and food pantry lines on three weekly tours.

The news outlet reports that Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and City Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito sent an open letter to the company owner saying they were "sickened by the despicable way" the borough was being portrayed and urging the company to stop profiting off of a tour itinerary that "misrepresents the Bronx as a haven for poverty and crime."

The company has since ceased operations, and has even taken down their website. However, those looking to make a pilgrimage to the South Bronx still have tour options - including one offered by resident and anthropologist Elena Martinez, who proudly shows off the neighborhood that was once a microcosm for hip-hop music, fashion and art, through City Lore.

Things are looking up for those traveling through New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on Delta Air Lines. After years of planning, and as part of a $1.4 billion investment, the carrier and partners opened a shiny new terminal today.

Under the 360,000-square-foot expansion, Delta says that the company not only renovated check-in areas and other facilities, but also added nine new gates, new retail and dining offerings, a 24,000-square-foot Delta Sky Club with a rooftop terrace and an improved baggage handling system. In addition to the expansion opening today, a second phase of redevelopment will bring 11 more gates, upping the total number to 27 upon completion in summer 2015.

The renovated terminal primes Delta to take (even more) advantage of the largest hub of aviation activity in the United States, New York. Delta says the company provides service to more destinations from New York than any other airline, and is also investing more than $160 million to expand and update their terminals at LaGuardia Airport.

To get a better look at JFK's Terminal 4, check out the video after the jump.

If you've visited Istanbul or any of the country of Turkey in the past, you had to stand in line to buy a tourist visa sticker (in cash only, payable in USD or Euro) before getting in a longer line to get through border control and out of the airport. If you forgot to buy the Turkish visa first, you'd have to get out of line and hope that a nice person would let you cut back in once you got the sticker. Now, you can apply online and sail right through to the Immigration line, eliminating one step.

The new e-Visa program is available to citizens of most countries, including the United States, Canada, and European Union. Like the sticker system, it costs $20 and your visa is valid for multiple entries for 90 days (the visa is valid for 180 days but you can only stay up to 90 without applying for residency). You can apply up to 24 hours before departure, though they advise one week. If you forget to apply online, don't worry, the old visa desk will still be available at the airport.

Apply for your Turkish visa at www.evisa.gov.tr