Dear Peter,

I heard you talking [the other day] about unsanitary conditions in hotel rooms. Very good.

I would like to point out to you another unsanitary condition that occurs in many hotel rooms I stay in, and it drives me crazy.

March 25, 2007

I just received this email:

[Dear Peter],

I have just returned from a wonderful holiday in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Unfortunately it ended badly, as we were among the 100,000 stranded by US Air in Philly. We spent all day Saturday at the Charleston Airport.

They finally put us on a flight to Philly at 4:30ish. They were crazy to do this since they must have known the chaos in Philadelphia.

When we arrived there, it felt like we had descended into hell.

In honor of Women’s History Month this March, we reached out to one of the gutsiest woman travelers we know.

Marybeth Bond traveled the world solo for two years, and is the author of 50 Best Girlfriend Getaways (March 2007, National Geographic).

We sat down with her to talk about women and travel, and the five most important things a woman should remember when traveling…

1) Know how and what to pack. It’s a cardinal rule, and most women tend to ignore it. When it comes to packing for a trip: less is more.

2) Women need to take care of themselves and know how to use their common sense. Be aware of date rape drugs …

Did you know that your hotel room could act as an aphrodisiac? Check out some cozy rooms that just might get your loved one in the mood.

At the Old Inn on the Green in Marlborough, Massachusetts, nearly every light is not electric, but a candle. Talk about mood lighting.

If your romance needs some space, try the Adobe Grand Villas in Sedona, Arizona. These oversized villas offer plenty of ways to escape the Arizona heat, with walk-in showers, Jacuzzis, and jetted tubs with nearby fire pits.

Then there’s the Rabbit Hill Inn in Vermont, which is so remote that most cell phone carriers won’t work — and there isn’t any Internet access or even televisions, in most rooms, either. So there’s no …

March 23, 2007

It’s impossible for airlines to be on time.

That’s a pretty bold statement. Now I’m sure you want to know the reasons why — and who is at fault.

Other than weather — and even there I have an issue — every single contributing reason for dismal on-time performance can be solved. But the airlines, and in fact, even the government, do not want to spend the money to make these simple fixes. And it all has to do with staffing, language, or unnecessary competitive practices.

When you make a reservation, the airline always asks for your phone number. But they never call you when there’s a problem. …

It used to be that a long airport layover with kids was something parents dreaded. These days, airports are actually catering to tiny travelers. Airports have finally begun to recognize that if traveling kids are happy, their parents might be, too. At San Jose International’s Kidport, kids can listen to actual air traffic controllers’ conversations with pilots.

At Philadelphia International’s Please Touch Aviation Station, young pilots-in-training control a propeller to learn the basics of aviation. McCarran International in Las Vegas offers an interactive control tower and a mock jet engine, while San Francisco boasts a color-changing plasma wall that responds to hand clapping. And then there’s Chicago O’Hare’s Kids on the Fly area, with its two-story control tower, an airplane cockpit, …