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On the edition of The Travel Guys…
On Sunday, March 6th, Mark and Tom play host to two noted consumer travel advocates. The first is travel expert Ed Perkins, who writes for SmarterTravel.com. You may also recognize Ed from the Consumer Reports Travel Letter, which he used to edit for many years. Also joining us this week is Ben Schlappig - Blogger and Airline Mile extraordinaire! Finally, we'll have Corey Marshall from Anderson Vacations on-air to talk about the recent earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. Corey is currently traveling through the area and will be joining us to share some insights on the aftermath, recovery efforts and effect on future tourism. You won't want to miss this interview if you're planning on visiting New Zealand anytime soon! Wait, but what about the toothpicks? We've rustled up a man who creates amazing pieces of art out of toothpicks. Don't believe us? Just continue reading and tune into the show!
Ed Perkins
What's the Latest on Travel Credit Cards? - Recently written by Ed for SmarterTravel.com
Check out more of Ed's recent travel articles here
An Update from New Zealand
Christchurch, New Zealand recently endured a horrific 6.3 magnitude earthquake. The destruction caused by the quake was unbelievable, and our thoughts go out to all those affected by this tragedy. Road Reporter Corey Marshall of Anderson Vacations is currently traveling in the area. He'll be calling in to report on the aftermath of the earthquake and some wisdom for anyone thinking of visiting New Zealand within the next few months. The Kiwis are in recovery mode and Corey shares that spirit.
For more information on the Christchurch earthquake, you can checkout some of the following:
- Christchurch Earthquake Photolog - Boston Globe photolog of the aftermath and rescue efforts
- New Zealand Red Cross Donations - Donate to help the Red Cross deal with the aftermath of the quake
Luck Has Nothing to Do With It
Learn about how Ben got started with "mileage running," his tactic for making the most of airline miles and getting free travel!
Todays episode was brought to you by PackingLight.net. Travel is easy when you're packing light!Now for the Toothpicks...
We promised you toothpicks, and man, do we know how to deliver. Well...we know how to find the people who deliver... Enter Stan Munro, a man who knows how to do incredible things with toothpicks and a whole lot of patience. Don't believe us? Just checkout the photos below! Why? How? How Long? Glad you asked; Stan does a fantastic job of answering all these questions and more (with a healthy dose of comedy, we may ad) on his FAQ page. Our current favorite: "How do you transport these things?!? - Very carefully. No, really. Tons of bubble wrap, tuck in your shirt and your shoelaces so you don‘t trip." Stan is a great guy with an amazing talent. Check out a few photos of his work below and head over to his site when you're done (www.toothpickcity.com). There's tons more photos and more info on what makes Stan tick.
Highlights from this week
- How to choose the best Frequent Flyer Program - an article for the rest of us. What to look for in your next Frequent Flyer Program.
- Business Travel News recently concluded it's 2011 US Hotel Chain Survey. Here's a copy of all their results in PDF form.
- 3 Tips for Flying Bedbug Free - Great source of information for anyone considered about creepy crawlers while out and about!
