What Kind of Traveller are You?

There is this really cool blog site where they offer quizes and random mutterings called Blogthings. Anyways, I came accross one of their quizes that asked me what my Travel Personality is. Well after taking the quiz my results are:

Your Travel Personality Is: The Adventurer

For you, travel is how you learn about the world. And you like to learn the stuff that's not in guidebooks. You truly have wanderlust. When you're not traveling, you're dreaming about where you'll go next. And your travels are truly legendary - they leave you with stories you'll be telling for the rest of your life!

Click here to see What's Your Travel Personality?

I found it a bit eerie cause the results are right on for this Travel Beggar. So what Kind of Traveller are you? Take the quiz and come back and leave a comment of what type of traveller you are.

Would You Swim with Thousands of JellyFish?

Everyday, people embark on a steep hike up and over a rocky limestone path to JellyFish Lake in the Beaufitul Republic of Palau. Apparently this was brought to the limelight when it was featured in the Survivor Palau season.

The Palau Visitor's Authority claims that its an attraction most can only dream of doing. This daring and unusual phenomena, Jellyfish Lake, departs radically from convention; for it is an enclosed body of water wherein - over the course of a millennia - resident jellyfish have completely lost their sting because they have not had to fight off predators. Instead, they spend their days in privileged leisure, pulsating gently from one side of the lake to the other while catching the sun's rays and farming their own food supply of algae.

Now when I researched it, I figured that people were wearing tough wetsuits. But NOOOOO, they were snorkeling around in their normal swimsuits, like it was nothing. This is too cool & definately a great adventure that I have added to my list. I thought it was the greatest thing ever when I went to the Cayman Islands & swam with the sting rays, so I can't imagine how awesome this will be.

Now the Republic of Palau is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, some 500 miles (800 km) east of the Philippines and 2000 miles (3200 km) south of Tokyo. The 16 state Island Nation enjoys a tropical climate all year round with an annual mean temperature of 82 °F (27 °C). Rainfall can occur throughout the year, averaging a total of 150 inches (3,800 mm). The average humidity over the course of the year is 82%, and although rain falls more frequently between July and October, there is still much sunshine. Typhoons are rare, as Palau is outside the main typhoon zone. Palau was ranked and listed by CEDAM International as the ranking Number 1 Underwater Wonder of the World out of the seven underwater wonders. By looking at the photo below, its obvious why.

Bomb Scare at Armstrong International Airport

Airport determined safe after Northwest flight searched
by The Times-Picayune
Monday May 12, 2008, 7:55 AM
Activity at the Armstrong International Airport has returned back to normal after an early morning bomb scare that caused passengers to be pulled off a Northwest flight.
Airport spokeswoman Michelle Wilcut said the airport received the bomb threat by telephone at 6 a.m.After searching the plane and the terminal, security officers determined the area was safe, she said.
Passengers were rescreened, then boarded once again and the airplane departed around 8 a.m. for Memphis, Wilcut said.
The delay initially caused long lines in the screening area at Concourse A, but everything was back to normal by 8:20 a.m., she said.

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So with this news, my family discussed how bat it is being trapped on the plane on the runway for several hours, if this happens. One person said that she puts her trust in the airlines. "If the airlines think that I am safer sitting on the plane several hours while they figure out the problem...find the bomb....deal with a situation....or whatever, then I am content with sitting on the airplane for several hours. She assumed that she would be compensated & at least she was safe. I told her that I don't think that she would be compesated at all.

After some research, I found that most airlines don't ever let you off even after 5 HOURS!!! In fact, this Imprisonment has been so bad recently, that Congress has gotten involved. Senators Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat, and Olympia Snowe, Republican of Maine, have introduced a bill that would require that passengers be provided with adequate food and water and sanitary bathrooms while delayed on the ground and be allowed to leave the plane after three hours. Representative Mike Thompson, also a California Democrat, will introduce a bill that would also require airlines to update passengers frequently on the cause and timing of delays. Both proposals would be strengthened if they required the Transportation Department to impose suitable fines or passenger compensation should an airline fail to comply.

So, how long have you ever waited on a plane? If you have waited long, did you receive any compensation for your imprisonment? Do you feel like the girl who will wait patiently entrusting that the airline has her best intrest at heart? What do you think about congress' new introductions? Let me know!!!

World's Largest Pool!!!

If you like doing laps in the swimming pool, you might want to stock up on the energy drinks before diving in to this one. It is more than 1,000 yards long, covers 20 acres, had a 115ft deep end and holds 66 million gallons of water. Yesterday the Guinness Book of Records named the vast pool beside the sea in Chile as the biggest in the world. But if you fancy splashing out on one of your own - and you have the space to accommodate it - then beware: This one took five years to build, cost nearly £1billion and the annual maintenance bill will be £2million. The man-made saltwater lagoon has been attracting huge crowds to the San Alfonso del Mar resort at Algarrobo, on Chile 's southern coast, since it opened last month. Its turquoise waters are so crystal clear that you can see the bottom even in the deep end. It dwarfs the world's second biggest pool, the Orthlieb - nicknamed the Big Splash - in Morocco , which is a mere 150 yards long and 100 yards wide. An Olympic size pool measures some 50 yards by 25 yards. Chile 's monster pool uses a computer- controlled suction and filtration system to keep fresh seawater in permanent circulation, drawing it in from the ocean at one end and pumping it out at the other. The sun warms the water to 26c, nine degrees warmer than the adjoining sea. Chilean biochemist Fernando Fischmann, whose Crystal Lagoons Corporation designed the pool, said advanced engineering meant his company could build "an impressive artificial paradise" even in inhospitable areas."As long as we have access to unlimited seawater, we can make it work, and it causes no damage to the ocean."

A tourist in my own backyard - New Orleans, LA

On the weekend of March 7th-10th, I, the Travel Beggar and my beautiful girlfriend decided to have a anniversary vacation in my own backyard, New Orleans, LA. So often, people think vacations have to be this elaborate organization or adventure that they often overlook the wonderful things in their own city. Of course, living in New Orleans, LA makes it easier to recognize the blessings that I have. So my adventure goes as follows:

March 7th, 2008:

We arrived at the Harrah's Hotel New Orleans. It was truly a beautiful

hotel that I got for free by taking advantage of a casino promotion. I

really wasn't expecting much, however, the hotel definately exceeded

my expectations. The beauty of the harrah's hotel is only coupled by its convenient access to the Mississippi riverfront and french quarter. The room was a basic room but was extremely clean and the bathroom was extremely spacious with not only a shower but a large bathtub. From there we took advantage of the seafood buffett at the casino due to the fact that it was a friday in lent and we wanted to find an easy way to observe the lenten fast. Afterwards, we relaxed in the room and enjoyed the scenery of the rolling Mississippi River.

March 8th, 2008:

One of the greatest parts of a vacation in your own backyard is the lazy approach to the day that often gets lost at your own house. Saturday morning was definately a lazy morning. It had been a cold week and the weather was finally warming up but we wanted to relax in the room while mother nature slightly turned up the thermastat.

Then around noon we embarked on our French Quarter adventure. The French Quarter is definately a walking adventure so we put on some comfortable shoes and some warm clothes and headed out. We first ate at Cafe Maspero's on Decatur. Many people think that this is the famous slave quarters but that is in fact around the corner near the Napolean House. However, they do make a good shrimp sandwich thats quick and easy to eat. If you ever go there, please note that they only take CASH.

After a hearty lunch, we continued on our walk around Jackson Square. On any given day, you will see countless artists, musicians, mimes, and mystics looking to tell your fortune out there. It is interesting to think that you could be looking at the next Rodrigue painting or Louis Armstrong sitting about entertaining the masses. One cool fact about the artists around Jackson Square is that they have to portray original art. According to ordinances hanging about, there are no screened copies or computer replicas allowed to be sold. Although, the ideas maynot be original, the works are made by hand by the people selling them.

From Jackson Square, we went around the side of the St. Louis Cathedral, and made our way down Pirates' Alley. Here we came upon the Faulkner House which was built in 1840. William Faulkner wrote his first novel, Soldiers Pay, here in 1925. It is now a great bookstore run by members of the Faulkner Society. My girlfriend is a big fan & member of that society, so she was able to indulge in her obsession of the great southern author. Then we walked right next door the enjoy a cigar, and an absenthe based sazerac at the Pirates Alley Bar. It was a great way to end a perfect afternoon.

We then returned to the hotel room to get cleaned, showered, and then made our way to a nice Uptown restaurant called Lilettes' where we celebrated the fact that she was able to deal with the Travel Beggar for a whole entire year.

March 9th, 2008:

New Orleans has many a grand Sunday Brunches, however, they are often at the nicer restaurants and hotels. Also, one of the great staples of the French Quarter is Cafe Du Monde where you can get a wonderful plate of beingets and some coffee. However, we were in the mood for some regular eggs, so after getting some breakfast we continued on our walking tour of the French Quarter. There are so many shops, boutiques, and galleries that it is much like walking through free museums.

Now in New Orleans, you need to experience the history, the food, the people, the music, and of course the cocktails. New Orleans is the originator of the cocktail with the Sazerac & has perfected many drinks like the Hurricane, the Vieux Carre, the Brandy Milk Punch, the Monsoon, the Mint Julep, etc. So who am I not to partake in the "spirits" of the city. In Fact, its part of my 5 point guideline to travel. Therefore, we headed first over to Pat O'Briens and sat out in the Beautiful Patio Bar. If you are in New Orleans, and the weather is nice, then this is the place to be. We sat out and enjoyed the warming weather and cool breeze, watched the people come and go, listened to music over the outdoor speakers, sipped our Hurricanes, all while I smoked a good Rocky Patel Cigar. The day couldn't get any better or so we thought.

After Pat O's, we then decided spur of the moment to check out another famous bar, the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone. This was a great call. I had been here a couple of times before, but today was the first time that I have ever experienced the Carousel Bar. I owe this great experience to my girlfriend of course but also to perhaps the greatest bartender that I have ever met, Marvin Allen. Marvin, so say it so crudely, is the MAN! He has been a bartender there for many years and has helped with the invention of many new and unique drinks that are now mainstays of the Carousel Bar amoung other bars throughout the worlds. When we got there, we told him that we were locals in search of the famous Carousel Bar cocktail that was mentioned in the Obituary Cocktail Book. He quickly and yet gracefully made the Vieux Carre' and placed it before me. Now, in the past year, I have been totally and obsessively addicted to Sazeracs, however, after 2 sips of the Vieux Carre', I may have to only drink at this bar. Marvin, made our afternoon, even as people would come in, he would come check on us and ask us about our adventures in New Orleans this weekend. He also introduced us to the Creole Shrub & the New Orleans Sunset, a specialty of his that he created with the New Orleans Absolute Vodka. I strongly recommend that if you are in New Orleans, you need to visit Marvin at the Carousel Bar. He is there Thursday through Sundays from 11am to 6pm. Tell him that the Travel Beggar sent you and enjoy the show.

After several hours at the Carousel Bar, we made our way back to the Harrah's Hotel. We decided to relax and stay in for the rest of the evening. Perhaps, we were tired or maybe we couldn't imagine it getting any better. So were the 5 Guidelines of the Travel Beggar Met?

1)Adventure Activity/Sport: Walking...sometimes walking is more exercise then i get in weeks

2) Local Food/Spirits: Shrimp Poboys at Maspero's....Sazeracs at the Pirates alley Bar, Hurricanes at Pat O'Briens...and Vieux Carre's at the Carousel Bar

3) Nightlife: romantic dinner at Lilettes in Uptown

4) Cultural/Educational Experience: Exploring Faulkners' old haunts

5) Friends - New & Old: the Travel Beggar's girlfriend & Marvin at the Carousel Bar

What do you think about our adventures in New Orleans? Did I fullfill the 5 guidelines? Let me know by leaving a comment.