Flying standby is a common enough practice, but what do you need to know about it?

How can you make sure that you actually get on a flight, as opposed to just ’standing by’ for one?

And which days are good days for flying standby, and which should be avoided?

Knowing the facts may make the difference between an un-ending layover and a short one.

So find out what you need to know about flying standby, after the jump …

Talk about and rate this video on YouTube.

Catch more videos on Peter’s official new YouTube channel.

And don’t miss Peter’s guide to Beating the Airlines at the Frequent Flier game.

If you want your next family vacation to include some outdoorsy activities, consider going on a family bike tour—where exercise and fresh air are the main attraction.

Tour operator Butterfield & Robinson offers several family bike trips, including a Loire Valley with the Kids bike tour.

You’ll visit a 15th century castle and bike through forests, along riverbanks and past orchards and sunflower fields.

With Backroads, a Netherlands Biking tour costs about $4,000, and includes kid-friendly activities like a scavenger hunt at a museum and clog painting at a market; this program tailors the amount of bike riding so that the kids don’t overdo it.

With Bike Riders, children ages six and up can bike through Italy, visiting medieval villages and taking horseback riding or fishing lessons.

Or, a five-day Island Hopping Family Adventure costs about $2,000 and takes you through Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket for a real East Coast experience.

Looking for more advice? Click here for more Free Daily Travel Tips.

There’s lots of stuff in the news, most of it not good—surcharges are going up, fees are going up, aging airplanes. But right now it’s all about the ongoing tragedy in Myanmar, where the death toll may be up as high as 100,000 and disaster relief is being stymied by the government.

One of the people I know who is at the forefront of the relief effort is Richard Walden, from Operation USA (www.opusa.org). Like many other relief agencies, they have staff in Bangkok that is waiting for visas that haven’t come yet.

The Burmese have said they don’t want a lot of foreign relief workers in the country. That’s typical [of Burma], but the relief workers who go there would be able to get their electrical grid back up, get supplies into the country. Getting it distributed is another problem.

A lot of these areas don’t have road access—you have to get there by helicopter, which they [the Burmese] don’t have, or by small boats, many of which were destroyed by the cyclone.

But right offshore is a flotilla of U.S. Navy ships, including a helicopter carrier, which was critically useful in Indonesia after the tsunami. They have 22 helicopters on board, but the Burmese don’t want American troops or equipment on their soil.

Burma only has two allies, China and Thailand. The Chinese were trying to help and even they said the Burmese don’t want them to send any personnel, just equipment and medicine.

We know that Burma is an isolationist country run by a military junta for decades. I’ve always believed that you can break down those doors with travel and tourism. But in a situation like this when it’s a medical crisis, when every hour that passes more people are dying, it’s easy to feel very helpless.

In the past, Operation USA has gone into Burma on rafts across the river from Thailand, when the army burned out villagers to suppress their insurgency. Some of the relief agencies would quietly put a couple of hundred of pounds of medical supplies on these bamboo rafts, go a mile or so into Burma and then get right back out.

But now we’re talking about 7 million people being affected. Six million in the former capital that we called Rangoon [now Yangon], and a million more in the Delta region. There could be as many as 100,000 dead, compared to the 22,000 that the Burmese government estimates. If you see the satellite images, you’ll see a huge swath of it is under water, the size of Maryland.

For people who want to help … this is a years-long recovery, so please donate to Operation USA or another charity. There are about 50 other American relief groups that are trying to help and we will get in. This is such a large disaster that’s going to be sustained and the critical time is the first two weeks.

How you can help:

• Operation USA
  www.opusa.org
• Unicef
  http://www.supportunicef.org/site/pp.asp?c=9fLEJSOALpE&b=1023561
• Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/news/in/profiles/Intl_profile_MyanmarCyclone.html#HelpNow
• Salvation Army
  http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_sa.nsf
• World Vision
  http://www.worldvision.org/Worldvision/eappeal.nsf/egift-disaster-response-southern-asia-cyclone-relief

From Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio - May 10, 2008

Check out more entries from Peter’s blog, the Travel Detective Files.

Find out more ways to help the world with our Voluntourism page.

Enormous Earthquake Jolts Western China

UN Leader Tells Myanmar “There Is No More Time To Lose”

Tourist on Train Dies of Blood Clot Not Disease

Programs to Decrease Passengers Stress Levels Ineffective

New Interactive Ads at Airports May Cause Dazed Crowds

DEATH TOLL IN CHINA EARTHQUAKE CLIMBS TO MORE THAN 12,000 – CNN
The 7.9 magnitude earthquake shook southwestern China on Monday has killed more than 12,000 people, and that death toll continues to climb as rescue workers frantically pull victims from the rubble. It’s estimated that another 26,206 people were injured and as many as 3.5 million homes have been destroyed in the Sichuan province. More than 18,645 people were buried under rubble in the city of Mianyang alone, and 3,629 people were reported dead in the city which is next to the epicenter of the quake. Schools, shops and homes were decimated by the earthquake, which is being considered one of the worst to hit China since the monster quake in 1976. Following the quake, there was a series of nearly 30 seismic jolts, each magnitude 4.0 and above, which slowed the progress of rescue teams. Though the U.S. Geological Survey says that the quake had a magnitude of 7.9, the larger debate will eventually focus on what the earthquake means for China’s leaders as they prepare for the Olympics this summer.

Link: CNN

U.N. LEADER TELLS MYANMAR THERE IS “NO MORE TIME TO LOSE” – International Herald Tribune
As the death toll in Myanmar reaches nearly an overwhelming 32,000, authorities at last admitted one American military aircraft, carrying the first large-scale delivery of aid. Disgusted and with “deep concern and immense frustration,” Security General Ban Ki-moon accused the junta of demonstrating an “unacceptably slow response to this grave humanitarian crisis. This is not about politics, it is about saving people’s lives. There is absolutely no more time to lose.” Up until this point, the junta had prevented aid to more than a million victims. According to the Myanmar toll, as many as 31,938 people are dead, and another 29,770 still missing; however, the United Nations estimated on Monday that between 62,000 and 100,000 are dead, and fewer than one-third of the people desperately needing assistance are being helped. People whose homes, farms and food stocks were destroyed have been flocking to “refugee camps” located north of the delta, but these have turned out to be hodge-podge gathering places—not organized camps offering water, shelter and medical aid.

Link: International Herald-Tribune

TOURIST ON TRAIN DIES OF BLOOD CLOT, NOT DISEASE OUTBREAK - CTV
A woman who died aboard a Via Rail train from Jasper, Alberta to Sudbury, Ontario last week, causing the train to be quarantined and a full-scale health scare. Brenda Buckley, 43 years old, died of a pulmonary embolism, according to Dr. William Lucas of the Ontario Coroner’s Office. This condition occurs by a blockage of one or more blood clots that make their way to the lungs from another location in the body. Reports have not been confirmed, but Dr. Lucas did say deep-vein thrombosis was a probable cause. Buckley died on the train when it was traveling from. On the same train, a passenger fell ill and was air-lifted to a Timmins hospital, and five others demonstrated flu-like symptoms and respiratory problems, causing health officials to worry about the possible occurrence of an infectious disease outbreak. The death, however, was unrelated to the other illnesses. Catherine Kaloutsky, a spokeswoman for Via Rail, said no one has ever developed deep-vein thrombosis on a Via Rail train.

Link: CTV

PROGRAMS TO DECREASE PASSENGER STRESS LEVELS INEFFECTUAL – The New York Times
Much to no one’s surprise, airport security lines that separate frequent fliers, first-class and business-class from coach travelers do not lessen passenger stress levels. Designed to promote a bit of serenity, Checkpoint Evolution offers somber music and “whole-body imagers” that reveal schematic 3-D images of your pocket’s contents—a wallet, lipstick, gum wrapper—or even scars, moles and genitalia, but the endless lines before the checkpoints are the cause for passenger frustration. The Registered Traveler program allows anyone to become a member by paying $100 to line up in a private, “faster” lane, but many airlines oppose them, saying the money has been “wasted.” Whenever the TSA is called to comment on queue formation, it responds by saying, “That real estate in front of the checkpoint is owned by the airlines.”

Link: The New York Times

NEW INTERACTIVE ADS AT AIRPORTS MAY CAUSE DAZED CROWDS - Jaunted
As if crowds at airports aren’t atrocious enough, now interactive ads will mesmerize the masses, drawing their attention to floors. STEPscape ads, often seen in malls, encourage folks to step over them, which causes digital images to ricochet against the ad’s frame. Airports already signed up for the ads include Atlanta, Denver, Orlando, Dallas-Fort Worth, and San Francisco.

Link: Jaunted.com

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Looking for even more in-depth news coverage of the week’s top stories? Visit our Travel News Analysis Category.

If you need chocolate just to get through your day, here are some some tours that will satisfy all your cravings.

A Costa Rican Chocolate Plantation Tour takes you to the ChocoRart organic cacao farm and chocolate factory in Playa Chiquita.

You can learn how cacao is harvested and made into chocolate, and a tasting of their homemade hot chocolate is included.

In New York, the Union Square Chocolate, Wine & Culture Tour is an $80 walking tour that teaches you about the cultural and chocolate history of the Union Square area, and it takes you to five of the top chocolate and pastry artisans.

Or you can hop on a trolley and take Boston’s Original Chocolate Tour.

This three-hour tour costs $75, and takes you to visit the birthplace of the Boston cream pie, as well as the Langham Hotel’s Chocolate Bar.

Love chocolate? Check out an extensive article on the subject: The Sweetest Chocolate Tours: Good for the Body and Soul.

Want more food-oriented travel ideas? Don’t miss our Culinary Travel section.

Looking for more advice? Click here for more Free Daily Travel Tips.

With the summer months approaching, it can get more difficult to secure a campground in one of the United States’ national parks.

Plus, you’ve already camped in Yosemite, hiked the trails of Yellowstone and admired the Rocky Mountain National Park from its peaks.

Before you announce that America has no natural wonders left to discover, check out these lesser-known National Park Service or U.S. Forest Service designated lands that will help you rediscover America’s beauty—from the mountains to the prairies.

APOSTLE ISLANDS NATIONAL LAKESHORE

Island hopping doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to board the next flight to Hawaii. With 21 islands and 12 miles of coastline, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore provides a less crowded way of admiring Lake Superior’s natural beauty.

Although most people today come to the islands, nicknamed the “Jewels of Lake Superior,” to be able to enjoy its scenery and to take advantage of the photographic opportunities, the Apostle Islands boasts a rich history of peoples who have inhabited its lands including the Objiwe tribe, who had settled on the islands as far back as the 1400s, and early French fur traders and missionaries.

Even though none of the islands designated as part of the national lakeshore are occupied year round, many of them have docks, campgrounds, and hiking trails that can be enjoyed by patrons.

Activities on the island range from guided tours of the many lighthouses (including the Sand Island Lighthouse, which accepts volunteer lighthouse keepers) to scuba diving the shores to look at shipwrecks and unique rock formations.

For experienced boaters and kayakers, getting to the Apostle Islands can be as simple as taking your vessel and navigating it toward the island of your choice. The National Park Service offers public docking spaces on the islands on a first-come, first-served basis for a small overnight fee. However, for those who may lack experience, the National Park Service offers the Apostle Island Cruise Service as a means to get to and around the islands and even offers short tours for those who cannot stay overnight. www.nps.gov/apis

Fees: http://www.nps.gov/apis/ (Fee Schedule in .pdf format)

Docking:
Overnight docking, boats less than 40 feet: $10
Overnight docking, boats 40 feet and greater: $20

Cruise: www.apostleisland.com/cruises.htm
Apostle Islands Cruise Service: starts at $28.95 for adults/$16.95 for children
Ashland Bay Express: $39.95 for adults/$23.95 for children

Other options to get to island, like guided kayak tours, fishing expeditions: www.nps.gov/apis/ (Trips, Tours & Services Document in .pdf format)

SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST

While all your friends and family head off to Yosemite, why not go to the Sierra National Forest instead? Nestled on the western slopes, the Sierra National Forest is part of Sierra Nevada and shares the mountain range’s vast botanical life, as well as its abundance of wildlife that live in its dense wooded areas.

During the winter, the forest offers snow activities such as skiing and snowmobiling; however, during the summer, the forest transforms itself into a summer camp playground for visitors. While the traditional boating, camping, fishing and horseback riding activities are available, the Sierra National Forest is also home to many roads only accessible by off-highway vehicles, such as the difficult Dusy-Ershinroute, a two to three-day expedition between the John Muir and Dinkey Wilderness areas.

However, if you would prefer to stay in your car, you can always take Route 168, better known as the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway. The 70-mile road takes you through the heart of the Sierra National Forest, and it provides breathtaking views from your car window. Overnight stays require a wilderness permit, which is $5.00 if reserved up to 21 days in advance or you can obtain a walk-in permit for free up to 24 hours before on a first-come, first-serve basis. www.fs.fed.us/r5/sierra

And, if you really want a throw-back to the good old days, why not drive the forest in a classic car? You can rent actual restored originals of a Model T or a Model A Ford while soaking in the natural beauty around you. Choose among a top-down 1915 Touring Car, a 1928 Model A, a 1929 Model A Roadster, starting at $450 a day for four people. www.driveamodelt.com

Don’t miss this video on Great Lesser-Known National Parks, which includes the Model T program:

BUFFALO NATIONAL RIVER

Traversing 132 miles through Ozark Country in Arkansas, the Buffalo National River offers an alternative view of the South from the more-visited Mississippi River. One of the last rivers in the contiguous United States that is dam-free, the river is ideal for water activities of all levels.

Home to Arkansas’ only wild elk herd, the Buffalo National River also offers short hikes which display its changing foliage. The Whitaker Point trail may only be three miles roundtrip, but it will take you through the floral and arboreal wildlife of the area toward Hawksbill Crag, a bluff than many have cited as ideal for picnicking.

The nearby Los Valley trail offers caves and areas inhabited by Native Americans to explore and features portions that are wheelchair accessible. For more on accessible travel, visit America’s Accessible National Heritage, or if you’re into accessible outdoor adventures, try Adaptive and Accessible Hiking.

Some roads are also vehicle accessible, but it is important to note that the roads are rocky and should only be attempted by experienced drivers when conditions are dry. Many roads that are no longer accessible to cars have been re-designated for horseback riding, and two camping areas, Steel Creek and Erbie, are reserved for visitors and their horses.

Though camping is allowed, there are also cabins that are available for rental through Buffalo Point Concession and other companies. Cabins with modern amenities and cabins for those who prefer a more rustic experience are both available. The Buffalo National River is accessible through three main highways, but private shuttles and boat chartering are offered within the National River boundaries. www.nps.gov/buff

Fees & Reservations: www.nps.gov/
$10 a day for most campgrounds

Cabin Rentals (on NPS site): www.nps.gov/buff/concessions.htm

Cabin Rentals and shuttles (private company): http://buffaloriver.com

GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

Many travelers will head to Carlsbad Caverns; however, venture 56 miles southwest from there and you can admire the Guadalupe Mountains’ fossilized reef. The area houses the fossilized remains of the Captain Reef, a geological wonder that was buried once the sea dried up but revealed centuries later by high winds and rain.

Skeletons of plant life and animals formed the basis of the limestone rock that is visible today and have created El Capitan, a thousand-foot cliff that overlooks Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

Guadalupe Mountains’ canyons are yet another of the park’s wonders. An oasis in the desert, McKirrick Canyon is one of the few areas in west Texas that can support non-desert wildlife and is home to the Grotto, a limestone area decorated with stalagmites and stalactites.

Through the generous donations of past residents, many cabins and ranches are open to the public. Frijole Ranch provides a history lesson into what life was like living in the arid Texan landscape and houses a museum that shows artifacts from the first occupants of the area to the early ranching entrepreneurs. Located in west Texas, the national park is accessible by car from two major roads, Highway 62/180 and New Mexico State Road 137. www.nps.gov/gumo

Fees: www.nps.gov/gumo/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm
$5 for anyone 16 and older; valid for seven days
Camping: $8 per night per site, $4 for seniors

BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON NATIONAL PARK

West of the Rocky Mountains National Park, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a lesser-known canyon with views that can rival its more popular colleagues. Due to its steepness, the canyon walls are excellent material for rock climbers looking for a challenge.

Holding the title of the tallest vertical wall in the state of Colorado, the Painted Wall is located in the north part of the park and is popular for experienced climbers. Hiking through the interior of the canyon is also possible; however, due to the fact that these paths are not designated, they are meant for experienced hikers who love to explore unmapped territory. There are easier marked paths on the canyon rim that can be enjoyed by campers looking for a way to admire the canyon’s beauty.

However, during the winter, the Black Canyon’s resources are open to people of all ability levels. Cross-country skiing through the South Rim Drive, which is left inaccessible to cars for the winter months in order to provide a ski trail, and snowshoe journeys through the national park are typical activities enjoyed by nature lovers. Park Rangers even guide snowshoe walks and rent snowshoes for free and offer an annual Midnight Ski Outing.

The South Rim of the Canyon is only 15 miles east of Montrose, CO. However, the North Rim, which is 11 miles south of Crawford, is only accessible through the unpaved North Rim Road, which offers scenic views through its six overlooks. www.nps.gov/blca

Fees: www.nps.gov/blca/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm
$15 per vehicle or $7 per person, 16 and older

By Michelle Castillo for PeterGreenberg.com. All photos courtesy of the National Park Service.

Learn more about: America the Beautiful: Five (More) Hidden National Parks.

Don’t miss The “Grand Dame” Hotels of Our National Park System.

So what’s the difference between ‘ocean view’, ‘ocean front’, and ’steps from the beach’ when it comes to brochure language?

Well, if you don’t pay attention, it could make a big difference in your vacation.

In this video, Peter Greenberg has the scoop on what brochure language really means …

Talk about and rate this video on YouTube.

Catch more videos on Peter’s official new YouTube channel.

Forget about the brochures and check out our Off-the-Brochure Travel Guide series.

Rising Fuel Prices Hit Airline Customers in the Pocket

Short-Term Car Rentals in Europe

What’s the Deal With Runway Incursions?

Hotel Companies Planning Construction Despite Slowing Demand

The Wackiest Festivals in America

RISING FUEL PRICES HIT AIRLINE CUSTOMERS IN THE POCKET - MSNBC
Customers aren’t exempt from the rising fuel prices that are affecting the major airlines. American, United and Delta (aka “the big three”) are hiking their round-trip fares by $20. The result? The carriers’ excess charges cost about $130 round-trip, meaning that some passengers are paying more in taxes and fees than the base airfare itself. Delta was the first to make this move, mostly in domestic markets, which is its second fare increase in just over a week. The other carriers matched the fee almost immediately. Between increased airfares, surcharges and paying for extra bags and legroom, what will it take for air travelers to start pushing back?

Link: MSNBC

Related: Peter Greenberg on MSNBC: Tips to Ease the Impact of Airline Fees

SHORT-TERM CAR RENTALS IN EUROPE – Upgrade Travel Better
Want to zip around a European city for just a few hours? It’s easier now that Hertz is offering short-term car rentals in 1,200 cities across Europe, including France, Italy, Spain, the UK and Switzerland. Renters can now use the new service, called Hertz 369, to hire a car for three to six hours for a day trip, or nine hours for overnight trips. This move responded to a recent Hertz survey which said that 61 percent of travelers would be more likely to rent a car if they didn’t have to do it for a full 24-hour day.

Link: Upgrade Travel Better

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH RUNWAY INCURSIONS? – Salon
If you’ve heard one too many stories about the rise of “runway incursions” at U.S. airports, it’s time to learn what the deal is. Pilot Patrick Smith explains that a runway incursion is “when a plane or other vehicle erroneously enters or crosses a runway without permission from air traffic control, setting up a potential collision hazard.” But that doesn’t necessarily mean that two planes are on the verge of crashing into one another. In fact, most incursions are harmless. But numbers are undoubtedly up and there were a handful of close calls—and despite the increase of aircraft taking to the skies, the incursions have been rising out of proportion to traffic growth.

Link: Salon.com

HOTEL COMPANIES PLANNING CONSTRUCTION DESPITE SLOWED DEMAND – Business Travel News
Many hotel companies have announced their ambitious plans to expand both domestically and internationally, despite growing concerns over the economic outlook. Carlson Hotels Worldwide announced that it will open 50 new properties in 19 countries, while InterContintental Hotels Group said that it signed 19,678 new rooms during the first quarter of this year. Starwood Hotels & Resorts recently reported 43 hotel management and franchise agreements, which will add 120,000 rooms, most of which will be in its “upper upscale” and luxury brands, more than half of which will be outside of North America. And Marriot International is planning to add 130,000 new rooms, more than 40 percent of which are already under construction.

Link: Business Travel News

THE WACKIEST FESTIVALS IN AMERICA – Budget Travel
Don’t turn your nose up at the next small-town or wacky festival that you see listed in the local paper. Some of them have a kitsch factor that shouldn’t be missed. Take the O. Henry “Pun-Off” in Austin Texas coming up in a few days, followed by the Horned Toad Derby in Coalinga, California (it’s exactly what it sounds like, plus barbecued beef). If you can stomach the Testicle Festival in Olean, Missouri, then chances are you’ll be able to handle the upcoming Cherry-Spitting Festival in Eau Claire, Michigan. Oh, and if you can’t stand wacky festivals, try the Telluride Nothing Festival that is literally about nothing (don’t worry, it’s free).

Link: Budget Travel

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Burmese Junta Prohibits Relief Experts but Welcomes Donations

Woman Dies, Others Ill on Quarantined Train in Ontario

Fewer Leis for Travelers as Fares Increase, Seats Decrease

FBI Mislabels Curious, Photo-Snapping Tourists as Terrorists

Backseat Plane Pockets Hold Dirty Secrets

BURMESE JUNTA PROHIBITS RELIEF EXPERTS BUT WELCOMES DONATIONS – The New York Times
The United Nations’ efforts to assist homeless, starving and dying victims of Myanmar proved mostly futile on Friday, as military leaders seized food aid, stating they would accept food and medicine donations, but experienced aid workers were not welcome. The junta has continued permitting a limited amount of aid deliveries and stated it would accept an air shipment from the Pentagon, but worldwide concern increases as doctors and disaster relief experts are denied entry, even though starvation and epidemic diseases could kill a catastrophic amount of people. Out of nearly 1.9 million people who are homeless, injured or at risk or disease and starvation, the government and relief agencies have only given aid to 220,000. Danish Red Cross director, Anders Ladekarl, said, “We are simply lacking transportation. There are almost no boats and no helicopters. This is really a nightmare to make this operation run.” Thus far, the government has only allowed 11 airborne deliveries. Foreign Ministry stated, “[A]t present Myanmar is giving priority to receiving relief aid and distributing them to the storm-hit regions with its own resources.”

Link: The New York Times

WOMAN DIES, OTHERS ILL ON QUARANTINED TRAIN IN ONTARIO – Associated Press
An unknown illness killed one woman and infected several other passengers aboard a train in Northern Ontario yesterday, and Canadian authorities quarantined the train. Steve Trinier, the director of ambulance services in the area said that authorities are prohibiting passengers from leaving the train. Nearly 10 people became ill with flu-like symptoms, and officials believe that the illness was contained on two cars of the train carrying 269 passengers and 30 crew members. The woman who died reportedly was in her 60s and had already displayed flu-like symptoms when she boarded the train. Officials have yet to determine the cause of the illness.

Link: Associated Press

FEWER LEIS FOR TRAVELERS AS FARES INCREASE, SEATS DECREASE – USA TodayBad news for travelers wanting to visit Hawaii this summer: Increasing airfares and fewer flight options may keep you from that much-deserved lei. From this June to August, there are 14 percent fewer seats scheduled versus last year. “There are fewer seats in the market, therefore the airlines are able to raise their prices,” says Rex Johnson, CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Board. For the average ticket purchased by March 31 for summer travel to Hawaii, the cost was 9 percent higher than the prior year—and this percentage doesn’t even include taxes or fuel surcharges. For July and August, round-trip tickets from California cost an alarming $700-$1,100 each. Last year peak fares cost $600 to $650.

Link: USA Today

FBI MISLABELS CURIOUS, PHOTO-SNAPPING TOURISTS AS TERRORISTS - BoingBoing
Since last summer, the FBI has been searching for two men who were paying too much attention to a car-ferry in Seattle. The agency took them to be terrorists and guessed they were plotting to explode the ferry. They guessed wrong. As it turns out, the two suspicious men actually were tourists in awe because they had never seen a car ferry. When crew members and ferry riders reported their curious behavior, the FBI launched an international search for the men. The men were citizens of a nation in the European Union, and FBI Special Agent Robbie Burrough said, “Where these gentlemen live, they don’t have vehicle ferries. They were fascinated that a ferry could hold that many cars and wanted to show folks back home.” Moral of the story: Don’t be alarmed if a fanny pack-wearing tourist is taking “uninteresting” snapshots; they’re just not pro photographers.

Link: Boing Boing

BACKSEAT PLANE POCKETS HOLD DIRTY SECRETS – The Wall Street Journal
Think twice before you reach for that SkyMall magazine in the seatback pocket; while some travelers use it to stow their books or iPods, others discard gross trash—from soggy meals to toenail clippings. For some reason, passengers think they can get away with things on airplanes that they wouldn’t dream of doing in public. As reported in The Wall Street Journal, “They pluck eyebrows, polish nails and pick noses. They stick chewed gum in places only other passengers will discover. They blow noses into blankets that get folded up for the next weary traveler.” On occasion, they even give in to hot-and-steamy sex-capades. Steve Cuzzone, finance director for a Birmingham, Alabama manufacturer, has discovered stale French fries, a dank baby diaper, half a hamburger, used Kleenex, and a melted candy bar in seat-back pockets. “Increasingly, passengers are certain that the airlines are not on their side and actually don’t care anything about them,” said Irwin Sarason, a University of Washington psychologist in Seattle who has studied passenger behavior. On your next flight, what will you find in your backseat pocket?

Link: Wall Street Journal

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Looking for even more in-depth news coverage of the week’s top stories? Visit our Travel News Analysis Category.

If you want to avoid the crowds of the Keukenhof Gardens in Amsterdam or the Tuileries in Paris, you may find that some of the most peaceful gardens can be found in unexpected places, like rooftops and even cemeteries.

In London, the one-and-a-half acre Roof Gardens offer an unbeatable view of the London skyline, 100 feet in the air above Kensington High Street.

And, in the summertime, London’s Open Garden Squares Weekend lets you visit secret gardens that are normally closed to the public.

In Paris, the Jardin Atlantique is located on the rooftop of the Montparnasse train station.

This garden feels as if it’s a world away from the busy city, with sculptures, a sun bathing deck and plenty of greenery for a peaceful experience.

A little closer to home is the El Carmelo Cemetery in Pacific Grove, California.

It has views of the rugged coastline of the Monterey Bay, grassy fields and tame deer that roam the property.

Looking for even more secret urban gardens? Don’t miss the full article on Secret Gardens Around the World.

Looking for more advice? Click here for more Free Daily Travel Tips.