TravelCommons

As much about the journey as the destination.

Practical travel mechanics + destination notes for frequent leisure travelers.

Journey (Mechanics)

Practical systems for traveling well: planning, packing, pacing, rail and air.

Destinations

Notes from places worth the effort: neighborhoods, day trips, and “don’t miss” picks.

Podcast Archive

Classic TravelCommons road warrior stories and travel lessons from the vault.

Latest Posts

  • Podcast #7 – Eating Alone; Classic Travel Stories

    The TravelCommons podcast is back on the East Coast in Boston. Recorded in the bathroom of the Residence Inn in Charlestown, I talk about the tight summer travel market, strategies for eating alone without looking like a loser, and more Classic Travel Stories — fun on Air Canada. Also, e-mail and audio comments from listeners.

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  • Podcast #6 – The TSA Talks Back

    This week’s TravelCommons podcast is an “odds-‘n’-ends” podcast, following up on items from previous podcasts and answering questions from web boards and e-mails. I follow-up on last week’s Sean Penn sighting and read the reply I received from the TSA in response to my complaint about Chicago Midway airport. Responding to a topic request on

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  • Podcast #5 – Celebrities in Airports; The Right Car Rental

    This week’s TravelCommons podcast comes from the East Coast — recorded in the Mystic Marriott in Groton, CT. This week, I talk about recent experiences with rental cars, airport celebrity sightings, and my efforts to get out of my travel ruts. Here’s a direct link to the podcast file. Here are the shownotes from the

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  • Podcast #4 – The Good Things About Travel

    This week’s TravelCommons podcast focuses on the good things about travel. Last week’s podcast seemed a bit negative, so I try to bring a bit of balance this week. Recorded in the LAX Westin, I stow the laptop for a night and walk the Manhattan Beach, CA pier, reflect on a rare window seat ride

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  • TravelCommons Podcast #3

    Here’s the third TravelCommons podcast, each segment recorded in a different place. This week, after 7 flights in 5 days, I seem to be on quite a tear on the TSA. I talk about bad TSA experiences at Chicago Midway and good ones at O’Hare, Tampa, and Columbus, OH. Also, I talk about using the

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  • TravelCommons Podcast #2

    Here’s the second TravelCommons podcast. This week, I talk about the evolution of the Southwest Airlines customer, the growth of travel meta-search sites such as Kayak and Sidestep, and how Mexicans vacation in Cabo San Lucas. There’s also a clip from fellow travel podcaster Curt Taylor of emptyseat.net. Here’s a direct link to the podcast

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  • First TravelCommons Podcast

    Here’s the first TravelCommons podcast. Recorded in the Wardman Park Marriott in Washington, DC, I talk about Hungarian prostitutes, “Puff the Magic Dragon” security portals, and the 5 Boro Bike Ride in New York. Here’s the direct link to the file. Here are the shownotes from first TravelCommons podcast: Intro music — Warmth by Makkina

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