Ed Perkins, News from New Zealand and a Whole Lotta Toothpicks

Ed Perkins

Ed Perkins currently writes for SmarterTravel.com and was the editor of the highly respected Consumer Reports Travel Letter for many years.  Ed is retired in Ashland, Oregon, and still following travel from the consumer point of view.  He offered tips, many from the view of a senior traveler – a group which Ed proudly admits belonging to.  We hope Ed will join us on a regular basis!

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

Ben Schlappig has been perfecting his method of getting something for nothing from the airlines for a long time now.  As part of an ongoing series, he’ll be joining us today to divulge just a few of his secrets and share some interesting travel stories.  Ben, known as “lucky” in the airline blogging community, writes an awesome blog called One Mile at a Time.  We highly recommend you check it out!

Learn about how Ben got started with “mileage running,” his tactic for making the most of airline miles and getting free travel!

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.

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