Traveler’s Show & Tell – The Wow Factor and Best Day to Buy Flights

Traveler’s Show & Tell – 25th Edition

This Week’s Photo

I snapped this week’s photo in Paris – Paris, Texas, that is! My husband and I recently took a Weekend Road Trip to Paris, Texas, where we took in all the sights, such as: the second largest Eiffel Tower in the world, the Jesus in Cowboy Boots, the model solar system at the Trail de Paris, and more. This particular shot is a detail of a lovely marble fountain in the town square.

1. “My Travel : Ujung Genteng” by Jairo Al Jairo

Jairo Al Jairo presents My Travel : Ujung Genteng posted at Light Sensation, saying:

“I was thrilled to see the struggles of the baby turtles. They tried to reach the sea, dead or alive. Then a dog came and disturbed the baby turtle’s journey, everyone was trying to protect the baby turtles. Finally they all survived until the sea, but no one knows if they survived at sea. Goodluck!”

Jairo Al Jairo’s post is accompanied by gorgeous photos. Check out the series of beautiful silhouettes, as well as the waterfall pictures.

2. “Hoagland part 2…a different kind of wonders of the world” by Steven Germain

Steven Germain brings us Hoagland part 2…a different kind of wonders of the world posted at Rough Fractals. It is a philosophical look at travel and what Steven refers to as the “Wow factor,” versus what truly makes an experience meaningful. In his essay, Steven explains that when traveling, it is not the big sites that most impress him the most:

“…appreciating large scale stuff has always required a certain effort that I just do not have in me.”

Later, he adds:

I have always been suspicious of (and a little mad at myself for) my own seduction by the “wow factor” (in people, places and things)

What about you? Are you a sucker for the “wow factor,” or can you enjoy the little stuff, too?

3. “The Woman in Black” by Zhu

Zhu presents The Woman in Black posted at Correr Es Mi Destino. The woman was about the same age as Zhu, and they were even dressed the same – except for one major difference:

” The first thing I noticed was that we had the same shoes, a pair of red rubber flip-flop, the kind everybody wear at the beach… But while I was wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, she had an abaya (a long loose-fitting black tunic) covering everything but her hands and feet. A full niqāb completely covered her face and only her eyes were visible through a tiny slot. ”

Read Zhu’s post to find out what she learns about this mysterious woman. As she muses:

“Traveling is not just about soaking up the culture of the country you are in—you get to see so much more indirectly.”

4. “Sightseeing by Bus and Boat in NYC” by Khae

Khae presents Sightseeing by Bus and Boat in NYC posted at Air Ballooning Event, saying,

“Booking a boat cruise in New York City will take you right around Manhattan Island to see the city from the water. While on board, visitors will get a close up view of the Chrysler Building, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Brooklyn Bridge, Yankee Stadium, the Empire State Building, the George Washington Bridge, and more.”

I’ve visited Manhattan twice, but still have not seen the Statue of Liberty. It looks small on the map, but there are so many things to see and do. Next time, I may opt for a boat trip!

5. “Ayers Rock: The heart of the Australian outback” by Emma Shoshanna

Emma Shoshanna presents Ayers Rock: The heart of the Australian outback posted at The Girl with the Traveling Blue Shoes,, saying,

My parents, my grandparents and my family friends had raved over their experiences at Ayers Rock, exclaiming over the wonder of the enormous formation centered in the middle of nowhere. But for me, it wasn’t Uluru, a formation made solely from one piece of rock, that I found most awe inspiring. For me, it was the people I met along the way, the individuals that left me with a profound mark during my week’s travel across the country.

In addition to an engaging travel essay, Emma’s post includes photos that really show off the brightly colored desert landscape.

6. “The Spy who Loved Me (Almost)” by Grant Ward

Grant Ward presents The Spy who Loved Me (Almost); Marrakech, Morocco July 2011 posted at 12 Homes 12 Months. Grant lets his imagination take over during his recent stay in Marrakech, saying:

“I could have been Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, hell that’s just down the road! Or an undercover man, maybe even a double agent… If I wasn’t cool, if I didn’t keep my wits about me they could capture and torture me, and draw every important piece of strategic information from me, and I would leave a broken man.”

7. “What to do on an Airplane with Kids” by Rebecca

Rebecca presents Travel with kids – what to do on an airplane with kids posted at Expertmom, saying,

“If you have to travel many hours by plane with kids you could be in for a nightmare or you could manage just fine. If you want the time on the airplane with the kids pass fast and pleasantly you better prepare well for it.””

I have been on many a flight where I wish the parents had read Rebecca’s article prior to boarding!

8. “The best day of the week to purchase airfare” by Imbraycd

Imbraycd presents The best day of the week to purchase airfare posted at Imbracyd, saying,

“While it’s difficult to determine a better time of day to purchase a flight due to constant fluctuations like weather and availability of seats, the algorithms of the airline companies point to better days of the week to book airfare.”

Every time I buy airline tickets, I wonder if I overlooked some little tip that could have gotten me a better deal. Nothing philosophical here; Imbracyd’s post cuts to chase with great advice on the best time to buy flights.

Technorati tags:

traveler’s show and tell, blog carnival.