Gadling

Rude US Customs Officials: How Not To Welcome People To The United States

Sean McLachlan — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: North America, United States, Transportation, Airports, Travel Security

Some people should not be allowed to wear a uniform.

While flying from Spain to the U.S. to attend the Gadling annual team summit, I touched down first at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. I got into line at U.S. Customs to enter the country.

The line was in a huge room with a row of bulletproof glass booths manned by U.S. Customs & Border Protection officials checking passports and visas. These booths blocked entrance to the baggage claim area and, officially, the United States. The line for U.S. citizens and Green Card holders was long but moving steadily thanks to several booths being open and the generally efficient work of the U.S. Customs folks manning them.

The line for foreigners was a different story. Only one booth was open and the line was practically at a standstill. There was a bit of grumbling in various languages but no loud complaining. Everyone just stood there looking jetlagged while watching a big flat screen TV hanging over the booths.

It was playing a promotional video about all the things to see in the United States. Images of the Grand Canyon, Alamo, Yosemite and other great attractions flickered across the screen, interspersed with a diversity of smiling Americans saying, "Welcome."

As I waited my turn, one woman in her early twenties who looked like she was from Southeast Asia walked up to the head of the foreigners' line where an airport worker stood.

"Excuse me," the Asian woman said with a heavy accent, holding out her ticket, "I will be late for flight."

"There's nothing I can do," the worker said, waving her off. "Get back in line."

"But the flight--"

"Wait in line!"

The Asian woman quickly retreated, looking at her watch.

Continue reading Rude US Customs Officials: How Not To Welcome People To The United States

Rude US Customs Officials: How Not To Welcome People To The United States originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 23 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dogs Abroad: The Most Dog-Friendly Countries

Elizabeth Seward — Wed, 23 May 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Learning, Africa, Europe, Caribbean, Travel Security

I adopted my first dog as an adult last July. In January, I happened upon a stray dog and took him in, too. Now I have two dogs. It was only a year ago that I was without a dog and, in regard to traveling, without a worry. I now see that I took for granted my ability to hop on a plane to anywhere in the world and leave, for as long as I wanted to, prior to having dogs. Destinations still aren't off limits for me - I can still go wherever I want to go - but my dogs can't go everywhere with me and certain restrictions make it not worth trying in some cases. So where can we travel with dogs? What are the most dog-friendly countries?

The dog-friendly countries I have seen listed with the most frequency are below. If you have any you'd like to add to the list, please tell us about the country and respective rules in the comments.

Continue reading Dogs Abroad: The Most Dog-Friendly Countries

Dogs Abroad: The Most Dog-Friendly Countries originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 23 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nakation Nation: Nudist Resorts And Beaches Solve Airline Baggage Fee Woes

Laurel Miller — Sun, 20 May 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Business, North America, Oceania, United States, Australia, Camping, Budget Travel, Women's Travel, Travel Security

And from the, "OMFG" department comes this information, via press release: The American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) "encourages wholesome family nude recreation ["Nakations"] in appropriate settings such as designated nude beaches and AANR-member resorts, or around the home. Experts have attested that children raised in a social nudist environment grow up with a stronger sense of self-esteem, free of many of the body image issues that trouble the average textile youth."

I'm most disturbed by the terms, "textile youth" and "Nakation." I'm not going to touch those with a ten-foot...never mind. Why I'm so skeeved out by the naked family vacay thing is a bit more convoluted. I like to think that I'm pretty open-minded, and it's true we've become a nation of body dysmorphic, eating-disordered freaks...when we're not morbidly obese, that is.

I have no problem going topless on European beaches, and have often bemoaned the puritanical leanings of Americans when it comes to censorship with regard to nudity on television and in magazines. I just feel that it's potential fodder for a therapist's couch when children and their parents frolic about sans textiles after the toddler stage has passed; I also believe that public nudity past toddler-hood is something that should only be done by consenting adults.

I've been to a nude beach twice. Maybe it's because I didn't holiday in the buff with my family (my eyes, my eyes!) as a child, but I can tell you two things my nude sunbathing didn't accomplish: providing me with a stronger sense of self-esteem, and freeing me of the body image issues that have troubled me ever since I was an average, deprived textiled youth.

Continue reading Nakation Nation: Nudist Resorts And Beaches Solve Airline Baggage Fee Woes

Nakation Nation: Nudist Resorts And Beaches Solve Airline Baggage Fee Woes originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 20 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Traveling Safely To Avoid Identity Theft

Chris Owen — Sun, 13 May 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Gear, Europe, North America, United States, Travel Security

When traveling we take extra care to secure our gear. Entering unknown worlds requires an extra measure of caution, causing us to keep cash, cards and travel documents out of sight. We pay special attention to where these things are at any given time and taking extra precautions keep them from being lost or stolen. But how much thought goes into protecting our identity on the road? It's a topic worthy of a little thought and some action before traveling.

"Our phones are used more and more to organize our lives," Nikki Junker, social media coordinator and victim advisor with the Identity Theft Resource Center told us in an email. As the use of smart phones increases, con artists are finding ways to access personal information. "Smart phone security is going to become even more important," says Junker.

Protecting smart phones, and the information that is transmitted over them does not take all that much work or time, just a few security pointers.

Create a complex password. Your first line of defense is a strong password, one that combines letters, numbers and symbols. An 8-digit combination of letters and numbers, once the gold standard of passwords, is no longer good enough to foil identity and data thieves.

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Traveling Safely To Avoid Identity Theft originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 13 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vagabond Tales: How To Pay Off The Police While Traveling

Kyle Ellison — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Stories, North America, South America, Costa Rica, Mexico, Uruguay, Central America, Travel Security

Let's face it: things happen while you're traveling. Although many travels go off without a hitch, occasionally there are unforeseen hurdles, which simply need to be navigated. Sometimes this can be as minor as your bag ending up in Hamburg when it's supposed to be in Berlin, as unlucky as contracting swine flu in Mexico, or as downright scary as ending up in a knife fight in a back alley in Spain (more on those stories another time).

Of all the travel inconveniences I've experienced over years of vagabonding, however, the one which happens with undoubtedly the most frequency is being cornered into paying off the police. Sometimes this is my fault, sometimes it's someone else's fault, and other times it's nothing more than rampant corruption. Either way, I've paid off the police enough times while traveling to warrant mentioning it with some authority.

One thing I want to set straight, however, is that I have never intentionally bribed the police, because that, I believe, is illegal. In every situation where money has exchanged hands between myself and an officer of the law the idea was proposed to me without my offering it first. I don't by any means condone corruption because it's one of the largest social cancers plaguing much of the developing world. Nevertheless, when staring down the barrel of a sticky situation there is often too little time for letting your morals get the better of you.

It's worthy of mentioning that all of these situations occurred while driving vehicles in Latin America. If the idea of confrontations with police officers doesn't rank high on your list of travel plans, perhaps my number one rule of advice would be avoid operating vehicles in Latin America.

If your bucket list includes a surf safari across Central America or driving the length of Highway 1, however, I offer this mini-survival guide for navigating an awkward situation in places where the lines of justice and extortion are frequently blurred.

Continue reading Vagabond Tales: How To Pay Off The Police While Traveling

Vagabond Tales: How To Pay Off The Police While Traveling originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 10 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adventure travelers: Your travel insurance ship has come in

Chris Owen — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: North America, United States, Travel Security

Adventure travelers have needs. Insurance needs that are unlike those of other travelers that choose a different, maybe easier path. Now, a major insurance plan provider has what they think is just what this edgy group needs.

With their new Great Outdoors plan, Travel Guard North America has enhanced coverage and benefits, offering a streamlined solution to travel insurance.

"A lot of time, effort and money go into planning active and adventure vacations," said Carol Mueller, Vice President of Travel Guard North America in a release. "Whether you're planning a relaxed sporting vacation or participating in extreme adventure, many factors can cause a dream trip to go awry."

On safari, surfing, spelunking or mountain climbing, the comprehensive Great Outdoors plan covers gear and equipment, along with coverage for emergency medical expenses and evacuation, trip cancellation, interruption and delay, and more.

"Travel Guard's new Great Outdoors travel insurance plan provides a wide range of coverages and specific sports travel services to help put active travelers' minds at ease," adds Mueller.

Along with this plan comes 24/7 access to Travel Guard's travel assistance and emergency services for flight re-bookings, physician referrals and prescription refills. Plus, the Great Outdoors plan includes additional sports-related concierge services like hunting and fishing guide referrals, coordination of equipment pick-up and delivery, driving directions, and any other requests active travelers may have.

Continue reading Adventure travelers: Your travel insurance ship has come in

Adventure travelers: Your travel insurance ship has come in originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Grounding Of Costa Concordia Brings New Rules For Cruise Travel

Chris Owen — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, North America, Israel, United Kingdom, United States, Cruises, Luxury Travel, Travel Security

After the grounding of Costa Concordia in January, the governing organizations of the cruise industry ordered an Operational Safety Review both in response to the troubling Concordia grounding and as part of the industry's continuous efforts to review and improve safety measures. Now, the review is complete and has resulted in three new policies that promise to address safety concerns.

These three new policies, which go beyond international regulatory requirements, address safety issues related to passage planning, personnel access to the bridge and lifejackets. Each of these three policies will be reported to the United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO) for consideration at their next session in May.

"As highlighted by these wide-ranging policies, we continue to take proactive measures to improve the safety of passengers and crew across the globe," said Christine Duffy, president and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in a Wall Street Journal statement.

The three policies answer questions asked about specific topics concerning the Costa Concordia grounding:

Continue reading Grounding Of Costa Concordia Brings New Rules For Cruise Travel

Grounding Of Costa Concordia Brings New Rules For Cruise Travel originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Americans Shouldn't Be Afraid To Travel

Sean McLachlan — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: North America, United States, Travel Security

Obama is a Muslim. The Moon landings were faked. The South should have won the Civil War.

People believe a lot of stupid things, and one of the stupidest is that Americans are somehow at much higher risk than other nationalities when traveling. Many Americans I know won't travel to foreign countries, and I've even seen Americans wearing Canadian flags in the hope that it will make them safe. Many Americans seem to think they're targets, especially in Muslim areas. My own personal experience says otherwise.

Although I'm Canadian, I lived in the States a long time and have an American accent. Most people assume I'm American, so I know what it's like to travel as one. I've been to lots of places that my American friends think I'm crazy to visit, like Iran, Pakistan, Syria, Palestine and Somaliland. Instead of being threatened or insulted, I've been welcomed.

Again and again I've told my American friends how surprisingly safe it is to adventure travel around the world, yet they persist in the belief that what I do is crazy or brave or just plain stupid, when in reality the only real threat I face is from the microbes. Oh yes, foreign microbes have kicked my Western ass on numerous occasions. Damn foreign microbes. The people have been much nicer. Here are two examples of "exotic" locations where I was assumed to be American and treated well.

Continue reading Americans Shouldn't Be Afraid To Travel

Americans Shouldn't Be Afraid To Travel originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crime In Mexico, Just Part Of The Deal

Chris Owen — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: North America, Mexico, United States, Travel Security

Crime in Mexico continues to concern travelers. Recent accounts of death by a drug lord urge caution when visiting Mexico, yet the country still ranks high as a desirable travel destination.
Seeming to run deeper than ever, crime has weaved its way through Mexico in some unlikely areas as well. Affecting everything from the police, accused and indicted with claims of extortion and false imprisonment, to the launch of an app that could have predicted a recent earthquake, crime continues. Maybe, just in spite of tourism-charged efforts to paint a different picture of Mexico, crime is always going to be a deadly part of the canvass.

Police in Mexico's northern state of Tamaulipas discovered the bodies of 14 men placed in plastic bags and left in a small delivery truck just this week. All of the men, between 30 and 35 years of age, are suspected to be the victims of the ongoing war between drug cartels, as reported by news organizations as far away as the Daily Star in Lebanon.

Granted, Tamaulipas is one of the areas most affected by drug cartel violence, but the deaths still add to the more than 47,000 people killed in drug-related violence since Mexico launched its "war against organized crimes" in 2006.

To counter the perception that all of Mexico is riddled with crime, the Mexico Tourism Board is making efforts to put a new face on the country.

Continue reading Crime In Mexico, Just Part Of The Deal

Crime In Mexico, Just Part Of The Deal originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Vote Travel' Bus Coming To A City Near You

Libby Zay — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: North America, United States, News, Travel Security

The United States Travel Association (U.S. Travel) has rolled out a new plan to spread the word on the importance of tourism in America: A big blue bus that is now making its way across the country on a 20,000-mile tour. The bus is a roving advertisement for U.S. Travel, an organization that is on a mission to highlight the economic benefits of travel. The association makes some pretty good points too, citing that travel contributes $1.9 trillion to the US economy and supports more than 14.4 million jobs here on our home turf. Looks like they're also having some fun while playing off the current political campaign climate.

Continue reading 'Vote Travel' Bus Coming To A City Near You

'Vote Travel' Bus Coming To A City Near You originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marriott Responds To Internet Privacy Issue

McLean Robbins — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Hotels and Accommodations, Travel Security

Last week we reported that a Marriott Courtyard in New York might be engaging in some less than above-board Internet marketing practices. At the time, Marriott assured Gadling that they were looking into the issue, stating, "This is not a Marriott-endorsed protocol and we are working to investigate the issue."

It looks like they've done some more digging, as an emailed statement to the New York Times indicated that, "unbeknownst to the hotel, the Internet service provider (ISP) was utilizing functionality that allowed advertising to be pushed to the end user. The ISP has assured the hotel that this functionality has now been disabled."

We spoke also with Justin Watt, the guest who noticed the issue, who says that he received the same email press statement shared with the public.

"I feel like their response could have been more transparent and information dense," he wrote in an email to Gadling today, and indicates that he updated his original blog post to state the following:

What bugs me about their response is that the device required to do this type of on-the-fly JavaScript injection of HTML is both rare and expensive. It requires specialized hardware (like the RG Nets' RXG-A8) starting at a cost of $10,000. In other words, this hardware was procured precisely for the purpose of perpetrating this kind of attack... the optimal solution to this snafu wasn't simply that "we've disabled the functionality"-it has to be "we've removed/replaced the offensive hardware". Nothing less is sufficient. Otherwise, what's to stop someone from accidentally (or otherwise) re-enabling it later?

Marriott has assured users that "at no time was data security ever at risk," but the question is, should they be more transparent in sharing their fixes to the issue?

Marriott Responds To Internet Privacy Issue originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Times Square's Courtyard Marriott Accused of Bugging Your Internet

McLean Robbins — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Hotels and Accommodations, Internet Tools, News, Travel Security

Justin Watt, a web developer, is accusing the Courtyard Marriott in New York's Times Square of bugging his Internet, injecting ads into each page he viewed while logged into the hotel's Wi-Fi network.

After some digging (and complex code you can read more about on his website), Watt found that Marriott's Internet provider injected CSS and JavaScript code into each page to run a "Revenue eXtraction Gateway" for the purpose of putting targeted ads on each page.

Chris Rill, a software engineer and entrepreneur familiar with web application development told Gadling:

"This is much different from a typical ad pixel because the Internet provider (the hotel in this case) is injecting the ad, not the content provider (website).

This is a key issue in the net neutrality debate. The "network" is looking for a way to increase revenue and this is an example of how the network can modify the content to monetize the user."

In modifying the code, YouTube was also disabled in the browser - another fact that didn't make Mr. Watt particularly happy.

A Boston-based digital media expert, familiar with the industry but not with this particular case said,

"I think it's safe to say that this is not a Marriott-wide, or even Courtyard-wide effort. This is a single hotel (or particular HSA provider) doing their own thing."

"It's unclear to me if something that crosses the line is actually happening," He adds. "From where I sit, [Watt] is using a free service, and in this day and age when we are using a service for free we should expect to have advertisements shown to us. Heck, even when services are not free, we should expect to have ads shown to us."

Watt is angry - as are most of the commenters on his blog post and other places it has been shared. Many feel as if they are being spied on by the hotel.

While users are understandably outraged by what they see as spying, displaying contextual ads following a user's visit is fairly common practice. At question here, as Mr. Rill points out, is whether the network or the hotel is actually profiting off of the user by placing targeted ads.

Still, if you wish to guard your privacy, Watt suggests that you BYO connectivity or connect through a VPN so that a public network can't detect your traffic.

UPDATE: 5:30 PM, April 6, 2012:
A Marriott spokesperson says "This is not a Marriott-endorsed protocol and we are working to investigate the issue."

[Flickr via StreetFlyJZ]

Times Square's Courtyard Marriott Accused of Bugging Your Internet originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nebraska Senator Proposes Air Passenger Fairness Act of 2012

McLean Robbins — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Airlines, Airports, News, Consumer Activism, Travel Security

Senator Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) today introduced the "Air Passenger Fairness Act of 2012," an act he proposes will "promote fairness for all air travel passengers by barring airlines and airport operators from using express security lines that allow for certain groups of air passengers to cut to the front of the TSA security screening line at the airport."

In short, The Nelson bill would prohibit elite flier lines that expedite some passengers' TSA screenings. Nelson feels that this practice is unethical because all passengers pay the same TSA screening cost, regardless of the overall cost of their ticket.

"This bill is about fairness. Regardless of whether you have a first-class ticket or have reached a certain frequent flier status, the purpose of the airport security screening line is to ensure traveler safety. Allowing a select few to cut in front of those who are waiting patiently, just in order to provide a perk, has nothing to do with safety," said Senator Nelson.

Who Is Not Covered
The act would not affect the current Transportation Security Administration-administered program that travelers can use to apply for pre-screening clearance that may expedite their security screenings at designated locations in select airports. It also would not stop an airline or airport operator from setting up express lines for disabled passengers.

An Act Not Based In Opinion
While we fully support the idea that everyone needs a full security screen and deserves to be treated, as the bill's title states, with "fairness," we can't help but think this is a waste of congressional effort.

Continue reading Nebraska Senator Proposes Air Passenger Fairness Act of 2012

Nebraska Senator Proposes Air Passenger Fairness Act of 2012 originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Instead Of Passport Stamps, Let's Collect ICTS Stickers

Grant Martin — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Airlines, Airports, Travel Security

There's this nagging question that keeps coming up every time I read an interview with a travel writer or person who spends a great deal of time on the road, and frankly it's starting to bother me: "How many countries have you been to?"

The problem with that question is, visiting a country is different for every person. Some people are there for business; some are there for pleasure. Some step out of the airport for a smoke while others stay for months or years. It's not a balanced question, and using the number of countries visited as a blind measure of comparison is like asking a frat boy how many beers he had at a house party. Maybe it was fifty. Does that make him a better drinker?

Here's a fun alternative, because in reality I don't think that anything should be used as a comparison between the status of one traveler or another: let's keep track of the ICTS stickers on the back of our passports. Not sure what I'm talking about? ICTS International is the organization that runs the second layer of security required for many passengers flying to the United States. Whose bag is that? Did you pack it? Has it been with you the entire time? Do you have any weapons? Those are the guys.

As soon as you pass their rigorous (but perhaps predictable) questions, a sticker goes on your passport and your information goes into a database that's cross referenced with the airline prior to boarding. If you haven't been approved, you can't get on the plane.

ICTS is a another step -- the sometimes laughably long process of making it from the ticket counter to the gate. That effort and that trudge through the swamp of international airline security should be heralded. I have not been to France; I have been through security at Charles de Gaulle. I have not been to sixty-seven countries. I have been patted down fifty-nine times, strip searched twice and chased through Heathrow on an electric cart. I have suffered, and these are my scars.

Count them up. I have 21 on a passport from 2004.

Instead Of Passport Stamps, Let's Collect ICTS Stickers originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The best way to fight terrorism is to ignore it

Sean McLachlan — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Learning, Travel Security

Last week, the global intelligence company Stratfor finished a series about terrorism. Their final article, "Keeping Terrorism in Perspective" is especially important for travelers. The entire series is fascinating and enlightening and I recommend it highly.

In a nutshell, the analysts at Stratfor say terrorism is not going to go away and can never be entirely defeated. No government, even the most authoritarian, can keep its people and property entirely safe. Also, public and official reaction can often be more harmful than the attack itself.

To take an example from history, at the turn of the last century in Barcelona there was a wave of anarchist bombings. While most of the bombs were small and did little damage, they caused a general panic. Sidewalk urinals became popular targets. It was a public place where a man could be alone for a few moments to plant a bomb. After several explosions in urinals, the city got rid of them. The anarchists moved on to other targets and the entire male population became burdened with a major inconvenience.

A modern example of how terrorism can have an effect far beyond its ability to do damage is the case of shoe bomber Richard Reid. After Reid failed to ignite his shoe bomb on a flight, airport security responded by forcing everyone to take off their shoes. The authors of "Superfreakonomics" did some interesting math on this, "Let's say it takes an average of one minute to remove and replace your shoes in the airport security line. In the United States alone, this procedure happens roughly 560 million times per year. . .Five hundred and sixty million minutes equals more than 1,065 years -- which, divided by 77.8 years (the average U.S. life expectancy at birth), yields a total of nearly 14 person-lives. So even though Richard Reid failed to kill a single person, he levied a tax that is the time equivalent of 14 lives per year."

Continue reading The best way to fight terrorism is to ignore it

The best way to fight terrorism is to ignore it originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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House Oversight Committee requests feedback on TSA

Grant Martin — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Airlines, Airports, Travel Security

Public acceptance of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and its somewhat dubious methodologies has always been tenuous among the American public. Some feel that the technology they use is the only way to keep American travelers safe. Others feel that their power and influence reaches too far. In either case, there's lots to say, and for once, congress appears to be listening.

On next Monday, the 26th of March, the House Oversight Committee is convening a hearing on the TSA and their recent operations. Led by Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, the meeting plans to investigate "program challenges and failures," no doubt including recent efforts with Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) -- or 3d scanners -- and other questionable measures in place.

As part of the initiative, the committee is soliciting stories via its Facebook wall for discussion during the meeting. This is a great opportunity for those with praise or complaints about the agency to voice their opinions. Even if the comments don't get read, the sheer volume of feedback from users should provide some insight for the group. Check out the Facebook page here and leave a message -- your feedback could help shape security in this country for good.

House Oversight Committee requests feedback on TSA originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tips for enjoying Rio de Janeiro's beaches without looking like a tourist

Jessica Marati — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Photos, South America, Brazil, Travel Security

If you daydream of sunbathing on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, you probably have visions of looking tall, tan, young and lovely. But more often than not, you probably just look like a tourist. Thankfully, we have some tips that'll have you faking the local carioca look in no time, so you can worry more about catching rays than robbers.

Choose the right posto
Some of Brazil's most famous beaches -- Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon -- are located in Rio's Zona Sul, and their sections are divided by lifeguard stands called postos. The area in front of Posto 6 in Copacabana is crowded and touristy, while Posto 8, recognizable by the large rainbow flag flying over it, hosts a predominantly gay crowd. Postos 9 and 10 have a younger, more bohemian feel. Choose the posto that's right for you.

Dress appropriately
For the gals, that means itty-bitty string bikinis (appropriately called fio dental in Portuguese) - all women of all sizes wear them so you don't have to worry about stares. Guys can get by with a pair of boardshorts or speedos. Havaianas are mandatory for everyone. And please, keep your clothes on -- or hop in a taxi to Rio's only official nude beach, Abricó.

Gallery: Snapshots from the Beaches of Rio de Janeiro

Continue reading Tips for enjoying Rio de Janeiro's beaches without looking like a tourist

Tips for enjoying Rio de Janeiro's beaches without looking like a tourist originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Outside magazine's inaugural 'Travel Awards' winners

Laurel Miller — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Biking, Climbing, Arts and Culture, Hiking, History, Learning, Paddling, Scuba Diving, Surfing, Business, Gear, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, Antarctica, Burma (Myanmar), Nepal, United States, Papua New Guinea, Chile, Ecuador, Hotels and Accommodations, Airlines, Camping, Ecotourism, Budget Travel, Internet Tools, News, Consumer Activism, Central America, Caribbean, Women's Travel, Luxury Travel, Travel Security

With twenty-three categories and every continent up for consideration, the competition is fierce, but today Outside magazine released its picks for its new Outside Travel Awards. The winners include everything from travel companies and locales to cameras, suitcases, hotels, and apps, road-tested by those in the know (you know, those people).

Amongst the chosen is Seattle-based Mountain Madness, a mountain adventure guide service and mountaineering school, for its new Tsum Valley trek in Nepal, named "Best Trip in the Himalayas." Known in sacred Buddhist texts as the "Hidden Valley of Happiness," the Tsum Valley lies on the edge of the more visited Manaslu Conservation Area, which opened just three years ago to tourism.

Best travel company Geographic Expeditions (GeoEx) has "consistently taken travelers to the most remote regions of the world, from Everest's north side to Patagonia's glaciers to the far reaches of Papua New Guinea. This year its trailblazing new terrain with a 27-day trek to the north face of K2 ($11,450)." Bonus: "the price of every GeoEx trip includes medical assistance and evacuation coverage from Global Rescue and medical-expense insurance through Travel Guard." Not too shabby.

Also making the list: Myanmar is the "Best New Frontier;" Canon Powershot G-12 makes the "Best Camera;" the "Best New Adventure Lodge" is the Singular, outside of Puerto Natales, Patagonia, Chile; and the "Best Eco-Lodge" is the architectural marvel, The Mashpi in Ecuador.

[Photo credit: Flickr user tarotastic]

Outside magazine's inaugural 'Travel Awards' winners originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What will you do if the Mayan calendar is correct?

Jessica Festa — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Biking, Climbing, Arts and Culture, Hiking, History, Learning, Paddling, Scuba Diving, Skiing, Surfing, Festivals and Events, Photos, Stories, Camping, Internet Tools, Travel Security

Lately, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the end of the Mayan calendar and 2012 marking the end of the world, as we know it. To help gain some insight, the people over at First Choice have created this infographic to give everyone a fun visual of where and how one could spend their last year on Earth. The group polled over 2,000 United Kingdom locals as well as some top travel bloggers. While 51% of participants said they would spend time with family, 22% said they'd want to see the world. How would you respond?

If you're having trouble viewing the infographic, you can click here to see a larger version.

The 2012 Bucket List was created by First Choice - The Home of All Inclusive

What will you do if the Mayan calendar is correct? originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Students travel to Japan, help recovery efforts

Chris Owen — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Japan, News, Travel Health, Travel Security

Travel to Japan was disrupted last year when a devastating earthquake and tsunami hit Japan on March 11. The disaster brought an alarming death toll, fear of nuclear explosion and travel alerts cancelling hundreds of flights and stranding tens of thousands of travelers. But that disaster also elicited enormous response from people all over the world who pledged their help to the affected area. As we approach the one-year anniversary of the tragedy, recovery is well under way but there is a lot of work to be done. One of the organizations helping in the effort has students traveling to Japan for an immersive foreign travel experience like no other.

People to People Ambassador Group will be sending over 100 students to Japan in July for the first time since the devastation. These students were so committed to traveling to Japan that they've waited a full year to be able to make this trip.

People to People's Spirit of Japan program puts student ambassadors in the heart of Japan, on an immersive itinerary that provides an immersion in a rural Japanese community where students will work at local schools and farms in the ravaged Tohoku area. The idea is to lend a hand to a host community, providing much needed help doing everything from assisting farmers in clearing their fields to teaching local students English. Working side by side with local citizens during a home stay with a Japanese family is part of the experience as participants offer up close and personal time with those actually affected by the natural disaster.

It is all part of People to People's mission to get students involved and raise their global awareness with immersive experiential learning through travel.

Continue reading Students travel to Japan, help recovery efforts

Students travel to Japan, help recovery efforts originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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