It's Black Friday! I hope you all survived the mall madness. We can look forward to more Christmas lights and even more shopping deals through the weekend and then Cyber Monday! It will be an exciting few days for sure. Here are a few exciting travel reads from across the web, too.

• One of my best friends is living in Albuquerque and I think this is a great guide to the city. [via Intelligent Travel]
• If you have an eye for vintage travel paraphernalia, then you might want to browse these cool vintage travel posters. [via Been-Seen]
• Travel is all about reflection, and this article breaks down the importance of quiet time when on the road. [via Brave New Traveler]
• I <3 San Francisco. It was my stomping ground for 3 years, after all, and there is so much to see. Here's a great guide to nearby Bernal Heights and Glen Canyon. [via NY Times Travel]
• BootsNAll has a great guide to holiday travel and gift giving. This season, I think we need all the advice we can get.

'Til Monday, have a great weekend. Don't spend too much money!

More Gadlinks here.

Gadlinks for Friday 11.27.2009 originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Corporate," "database" and "morale" usually don't show up in the same sentence - at least not without some sort of negative word nestled in there. Images of tedious data entry are conjured, which does nothing for your state of mind while on the road. Yet, these words can be joined, and the resulting concept can be a gold mine for any company with legions of road warriors. Every employee accumulates knowledge while traveling. They learn which restaurants are best (and worst) in a particular city, and they develop coping strategies that their colleagues may find useful.

The curse of a travel-heavy company, of course, is that the employees don't see each other often enough. When they do, talk turns to business first, and many of these tips remain hidden. A single place where the collective wisdom can be stored and shared can make business travel much more enjoyable tolerable while fostering communication where it might not exist otherwise.

I'm still stunned by the fact that I only saw the corporate travel database in action once during close to a decade of frequent business travel (frequent = around 40 weeks a year). It was pure genius, worked well and was used regularly. With the social media tools now available, it's even easier than it was back then to implement the concept. Rather than a "database" in the traditional sense, a company could use a Facebook page, LinkedIn account or even a simple message board to share ideas, experiences and advice with coworkers.

So, how do you get a corporate travel database off the ground?

Continue reading Corporate travel databases: give morale a shot in the arm

Corporate travel databases: give morale a shot in the arm originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Keep up on Thanksgiving airport traffic with Travelocity's Task Force originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• I didn't realize there were so many travel contests going on during the holiday season! That would obviously make sense, but this great list gives us the 411 on how you can enter and win. [via About.com]
• Photography is my weak suit when it comes to traveling. Here are some really helpful tips on how to improve your photo-taking skills. [via Journey Etc]
• When the weather gets warmer, I am hoping to make it to eastern Europe -- and I'll be taking this guide to eastern European food with me. [via Travel Fusion]
• Talk about a different way to travel! How about travel by color? [via Open Travel]

Gadlinks for Monday 11.23.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mobile Magic: Disney Park's new app for wait times originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Gadling readers compile Belize must-sees

Gadling readers compile Belize must-sees originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading How to effectively complain about your trip via Twitter

How to effectively complain about your trip via Twitter originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sosauce, a self-proclaimed "travel geek blog," is looking for the most unique, engaging, and breathtaking postcards that celebrate the saucy side of travel. If you have a favorite travel photo, turn it into a postcard and help them decorate their boring white walls and turn the office into a travel haven.

Continue reading Enter to win Sosauce's "Decorate Our New Digs" postcard contest!

Enter to win Sosauce's "Decorate Our New Digs" postcard contest! originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In anticipation of the Christmas Day release of the new Sherlock Holmes movie (starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law), Visit Britain has developed a microsite to help guide fans to the London locations used in the film. The site also offers possible itineraries for a Holmes-themed tour of London.

The list of London stops on the Holmes tour includes St. Paul's Cathedral, Simpson's-in-the-Strand, Freemason's Hall, Brompton Cemetery, and the Sherlock Holmes Museum. The site also suggests a drink at the Sherlock Holmes Pub (decorated with Holmes memorabilia) or walking tour, "In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes", offered by London Walks.

For those venturing out of London, there are additional filming locations in Manchester. Cheshire, Kent, Leeds and Suffolk in England, plus spots in Scotland and Wales.

Explore London with Sherlock Holmes originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Free wi-fi in Times Square originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Friday the 13th: a lucky day for booking a hotel reservation originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The newest edition of Moon Belize is a gem

The newest edition of Moon Belize is a gem originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Frequent Flyer Master -- A product review

Frequent Flyer Master -- A product review originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Get sports, news, entertainment and more on your phone with Lexy originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Free airport WiFi this holiday season - courtesy of Google originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading A review of Cheapflights.com's "Travelnomics: Calling on Cuba" guide

A review of Cheapflights.com's "Travelnomics: Calling on Cuba" guide originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Travel industry research firm PhoCusWright's new study puts the amount spent on leisure and unmanaged business travel (i.e., employee picks for himself) at £17.1 billion for 2009, comprising 45 percent of all bookings for the year in the UK. So, a hefty portion of the industry over there is seeing some growth.

Meanwhile, the overall UK travel business is expected to shrink by 8.9 percent this year, with gross bookings dropping to around £37.6 billion. So, the online world is holding its own while the rest of the market gets spanked. For the near-term, PhoCusWright says, the "outlook is bleak." The UK travel business should reach 2007 levels in 2012 (ouch).

"British travelers have had to cope with currency devaluation on top of the recession, and both have driven significant changes in travel patterns," says Carroll Rheem, director, research at PhoCusWright.

Continue reading UK online bookings to grow this year

UK online bookings to grow this year originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• I love companies that give back. Here are five travel outlets that make giving part of buying. [via Jaunted]
• Yikes! As a single female traveler, I've been wary of couchsurfing. This give me more reason to avoid couchsurfing altogether. [via True/Slant]
• I read this article on the plane recently and was really moved by what this graffiti artist is doing to share his vision of the world. [via Hemispheres]
• This is a nice, comprehensive guide to wine tasting in South America. [via BootsNAll]

More Gadlinks HERE.

Gadlinks for Friday 11.6.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Expedia drops telephone booking fees originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I suffer from serious anxiety while flying. I've tried learning about the mechanics of flight, popping Xanax, I've even taken a flight lesson in an effort to cure my fear. Sometimes I can stay calm, but on other flights, for apparently no reason, I'll suddenly have a panic attack. It's more than a small problem.

For people like me, Virgin Atlantic has created a new iPhone app based on their Flying without Fear class. According to a press release, their course has a 98% success rate for helping fearful flyers cope. The iPhone app takes elements of the course (which recently helped Whoopi Goldberg manage her fear) and offers a mobile solution for use during the flight. Passengers can watch a video explanation of how planes work, read answers to frequently asked questions, and follow along with deep breathing and relaxation techniques.

There's also a "fear attack" button for emergencies. The problem with that idea being, of course, that when I truly panic - shaking and hyperventilating - I don't really have the capacity to hit my fear button and read and process the information. I'm too busy trying not to cry. But perhaps reviewing the information beforehand might help if a moment of panic strikes.

The Flying without Fear course usually costs about $350; the iPhone app is $4.99 in the iTunes store. Even if the app only helps a little, it sounds like a sound investment to me.

New Virgin Atlantic iPhone app helps people with a fear of flying originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.