• Singapore's Changi Airport just recently opened a 40 foot twisty slide in its Terminal 3. Passengers who spend at least $22 in the airport shops will receive tokens for two rides down the slide. This is the latest addition to the airport, which also features a butterfly garden and a rooftop swimming pool. [YouTube]
  

• Atlantic City celebrates the launch of HBO's latest period drama, Boardwalk Empire, about bootlegging during prohibition by offering rooms for the decidedly throw-back price of $19.20. [Hotel Chatter]

• And this is one way to get through airport security. [Vagabondish]
  

Singapore Changi Airport - Singapore - Terminal 3 - Asia - Aviation

Many of our readers have responded to Daisann McLane's latest column in our September issue, "The Lies We Tell," in which she discusses posing as a jewelry designer when visiting a gem dealer in Jaipur, India, and other instances when she's twisted the truth while traveling. An excerpt:

...when I travel, I'll improvise extravagant new identities for myself only with shopkeepers, hoteliers, and strangers I'm absolutely sure I'll never see again. I try on the hats that, but for a few twists of fate, I might have worn (as well as some I would not have): anthropology professor, Peace Corps volunteer, Hare Krishna devotee. If I meet someone who my gut tells me could become a friend (or someone who--hello Facebook--might know one of mine!), I make sure I keep it real.

Some of you were astounded, saying that we had condoned lying or posing under false pretenses. "What kind of article is this, an encouragement to lie as we travel?" reader Jim asked. "I could not believe my eyes when I read her tacit approval of lying to others." Others saw the practical benefit: "As long as it's not illegal, stretching the truth can keep you safer. I once had to fake my way out of an angry protest mob of hundreds," wrote Dave.

For some like Raechal, it was the artifice of adolesence: "Growing up in a divorced family with my mother in Maine and my father in California I would travel by plane, train, and automobile between the two homes. Quite often I would pretend to be someone else, traveling for some other reason to elicit different responses from people. It was a form of amusement for an adolescent during a long and tedious trip."

And for others, it was a white lie, depending on the circumstance. Writes Marce: "I have double citizenship, and sometimes I introduce myself with one or another depending on the situation."

What's your take? Read the piece and let us know.

Photo: Martin La Delfa, My Shot



India - Travel - Recreation - Travelogues - Asia

This weekend I took advantage of a free Zozi deal I blogged about last week and tried out stand up paddleboarding for the first time. After driving about an hour southeast of Washington, D.C., to YK Kiteboarding and Stand Up Paddleboarding in Maryland's Chesapeake Beach, I got my sea legs, so to speak, on a wide and surprisingly stable board and managed to hold my balance while cruising the bay without falling off. I wouldn't quite say I'm a master, but I did take home enough tips to share them.

• Stand up paddleboards are boarded two ways: either you step directly on the far side of the board with one foot, then the other, or you climb on the board with your knees and then raise yourself to a standing position. I chose the former, as it seemed slightly less complicated, though it was odd to feel as though you're stepping on water.
  
• The paddle is quite long, and can reach up over your head as you're switching hands. The owner of the rental company recommended making a scooping motion with the paddle as you move it from front to back. (I really have no idea whether I succeeded in doing this, but I do know my arms got a workout.) I typically took about two to three strokes on each side of the board before switching.
  
• The same rules apply to weddings as they do to paddleboards. Don't lock your knees while standing too long or else you'll end up falling over. It's best to bend them slightly and try to ensure that your weight is evenly distributed.

• The term "engaging your core" sounds like gym jargon, but it's true. The more you use your entire body while paddling, the better your balance will be.
• Look up. It helps stabilize you, and hey, you're supposed to be enjoying the view, so you may as well look at the scenery as opposed to your feet.
  
• Give yourself a break, as paddleboarding is not only tiresome for your legs but also a bit tough on your feet. (Mine were fairly swollen after about an hour of paddling, and my husband got a blister, ouch!).
  
• Sunscreen is a must. You're out on open water just waiting to get crispy. 
• Avoid jellyfish if at all possible or be prepared to get stung. (Some of us were not so lucky.)
  
• Watch out for the wakes of passing boats. It's best to try and arrange your board so it's perpendicular to the wake; if you're riding parallel to it, you're more apt to tip over.
• Be friendly. Stand up paddleboarding is still new enough that many people haven't seen it before, and they may be apt to stare. A smile and a quick greeting is a nice way to acknowledge them, as a big hearty wave does little for your balance.

Photo: Dallas Killian




United States - Maryland - Washington - Business - Consumer Goods and Services

• The Boston Public Library has just opened an exhibit of hundreds of postcards depicting the city in the early 20th century. It's a companion to their popular exhibit of vintage travel posters which opened earlier this year. Both are on display at the Central Library at Copley Square. [Boston Globe]
  

• How do you make 11 million Brazilians in São Paulo disappear? Hint: it involves soccer. [The Offside]

• And because we know you're curious, our good friends over at Neatorama have compiled a list of beer facts from around the world. One thing of note: Arthur Guinness has a 9,000-year lease on his brewery in Dublin, so the iconic stout should be around for a long, long, time. And Nevada tops the U.S. in beer consumption, with 44 gallons per person consumed each year. [Neatorama]

Photo: Vintage postcards courtesy The Boston Public Library under a Creative Commons license



Boston Public Library - Postcard - 20th century - United States - Libraries

Jeff Probst travels a lot. As the host for CBS's Survivor, he knows a thing or two about zipping around the globe and what happens when you drop everyday people into exotic countries. Curious to know what he's learned from a life on the road, Andrew Evans caught up with Jeff on a steamy beach in Nicaragua, where he's currently filming the show's 21st season, to find out how the man behind Survivor handles his extensive travels and what it's like to sleep on the Great Wall.  

How many countries has Survivor taken you to?

18 countries over 11 years.

What's the best part of traveling with Survivor? 

All the things you experience, like sleeping on the Great Wall of China or visiting Samburu tribes in Kenya. We spend so much time in each area that we usually develop friendships with local families or the locals who work on our show. Those connections are very rewarding. In the Amazon, most of our locals had never earned any money before--their lives were based on barter. But there are times when bringing money into a community via local hires and spending with local vendors can kick-start a city into new growth.

As a person who travels constantly, do you have any "survival" tips for fellow travelers?

I've learned to be much more prepared than I was before Survivor. I am always thinking about where I am heading, what papers I need, etc., and I always carry power for my phone and laptop along with snacks for layovers because most airports are not like LAX with a coffee shop and a "food court" in every terminal.

In your opinion, what makes someone an "Intelligent Traveler?" 

Thinking ahead and anticipating problems. One of the downfalls of traveling with Survivor is that our security team meets me when I land and take off in any foreign country. They handle my passport clearances and visas. They are always thinking forward, anticipating problems. But they take such good care of me that I have to really pay attention to what is happening, so that when I'm traveling without Survivor, I still remember what to do!
What's your preferred travel outfit? 

It's usually T-shirt, jeans, tennis shoes. I often throw a long-sleeved T-shirt in my backpack for cold airplanes.

Do you think Survivor has inspired more Americans to travel outside the U.S.? 

I have definitely run into people who say, "We went to Palau and it was as beautiful as it was on the show!" I got a photo from a couple who went to Kenya and found the elder who had appeared on our show. I think Survivor speaks to the adventure in people's souls. I remember reading a poll that CNN had done years ago. The result revealed that very few people knew where Iraq was but an overwhelming percentage knew where the Marquesas Islands were, because we had just finished shooting there.

Whenever you arrive in a new location, what are some things you do to connect to that place? 

I don't really do anything in particular. I just begin and the adventure creates itself.

Other than Survivor locations, what are some of your favorite destinations to visit?

I'm a road tripper, I love getting in my car and just driving. I love Sedona, Arizona. I like driving along the California coastline. I like Boston. The best part of a road trip is usually the conversations you end up having with random locals in small towns you'd never have found if not for that one left turn you made a few miles back.

Have you ever returned to a Survivor location on your own, just to visit? 

No. But only because I travel enough as it is. I would go back to the Cook Islands, Palau, Nicaragua, and Kenya. We've gone to some amazing places.

What's your favorite mode of transport?

Well if I'm flying, I won't lie, the best way to fly is first class with the chairs that turn into full-on beds, like they do on Air New Zealand!  That's pretty tough to beat.

Window or aisle? 

Aisle. I tend to get a little claustrophobic. If I'm against the window I feel trapped.

Any favorite travel memories from your years traveling with Survivor? 

On August 5th, 2007, there were only seven people sleeping on the Great Wall of China and I was one of them. It was an awesome night. One of my two brothers was there with me, along with some other friends. We had wine, cheese, crackers, and my cell phone got reception so each of us was allowed one phone call to share the moment with someone. I called my other brother to complete the connection.

Survivor's new season, which is being filmed in Nicaragua, will air September 15 at 8p.m. E.T. on CBS. Photos of Jeff Probst, and Nicaragua courtesy of CBS. 




Jeff Probst - Survivor - CBS - Television - Arts

Travelers who missed being in New Orleans to observe the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina will have the opportunity to discover what really happened during the storm beginning this October 26, when the Louisiana State Museum opens an exhibit devoted to the hurricane and the wild, wet weather that has influenced the Gulf Coast in its history.

Living With Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond is a $7.5 million exhibit opening at the historic Presbytere in the heart of the French Quarter. "Visitors to New Orleans will see and experience what happened, and see how the region has rebuilt itself to be better than it was before," said Louisiana State Museum Director Sam Rykels. Rykels and his curators hunted down and found iconic artifacts to display -- like the Fats Domino's water-damaged Steinway piano (above) salvaged from the musician's Lower Ninth Ward home and a tarnished menorah, retrieved from a flooded synagogue in Lakeview, an affluent neighborhood. Also in the exhibit: videos that relay stories of survival and rescue like Ken Bellau's - the professional bicycle racer commandeered a loose boat and proceeded to rescue some 400 people from their homes. (Watch one of the videos after the jump.)

Though the State Museum of Louisiana is housed in the Presbytere, a 219-year-old building, it boasts some thoroughly cutting edge technology -- QR codes -- a bar code that will immediately link smart phone users to in-depth additional information. In the museum's case, the QR code for its upcoming exhibit Living With Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond links visitors to the exhibit's Facebook page where they can upload their own thoughts or experiences.


Images and video: The Louisiana State Museum




Hurricane Katrina - New Orleans - Louisiana State Museum - Hurricanes - Earth Sciences

Garden - Clarence House - London - Charles Prince of Wales - Sustainable living

Last October, I took a river trip into Peru's Pacaya Samiria National Preserve aboard the Aqua; my account of this Amazon wilderness is in the latest issue ("The Lost World," page 82). What I found there constituted a trip of a lifetime and the article chronicles why. Alas, for all the deep reporting I did on its undeniable magnetism and natural richness, I drew fire--deservedly--for an error that should not have happened. In the field, despite using several sources, I said that the Aqua was the "only large boat running regular trips down the Peruvian Amazon.... The alternative: industrial banana boats that haul river cargo and offer a hammock for the night." The statement was double-checked by our researchers. Despite all that, it's not true. We goofed.

Two other finely appointed boats of similar scale work these waters. The 120-foot-long luxury Delfin II (www.delfinamazoncruises.com), which began service after my visit, carries 28 passengers and has just struck an alliance with National Geographic Expeditions. International Expeditions' 28-passenger La Amatista (www.IEtravel.com, pictured), an old-style riverboat, has been in service since 1994 and was cited by our now-defunct sister publication Adventure as one of the world's greatest adventure trips. Neither vessel, rest assured, resembles a banana boat. While the undeniable star of the trip is the Amazon itself, these boats can let you experience it in style. Our apologies for the error.

--Keith Bellows, Editor

Photo: La Amatista is one of several boats that makes trips down the Amazon River; photo courtesy of International Expeditions.



Peru - Amazon River - Lost World - South America - Loreto

Manhattan-dweller and former Traveler researcher Meg Aftosmis recently took a trip on the ZipRider at Icy Strait Point in Hoonah, Alaska and sent us this video of her thrilling experience. Icy Strait Point is a privately owned cruise ship destination near the village of Hoonah, a small Tlingit community on Chicagof Island along the Inside Passage, about 25 miles south of Glacier Bay National Park. Meg gets strapped in and the ride operator releases the gate and "Three, two, one, thanks for coming!"



Icy Strait Point
Hoonah, Alaska
National Geographic's guide to Glacier Bay National Park
50 Ways to See Alaska





Alaska - Hoonah Alaska - United States - Travel and Tourism - Glacier Bay National Park