Thoughts on a Marathon Week of Travel

So, I'm finally back in DC after more than a week of travel. I was off to cover EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin - twice. I was already planning to go, and then Southwest announced a special event at the show after I would return, and they offered to fly me out. I figured, why not?

After a week on the road I just wanted to share some random thoughts on travel...

Social Media is an Awesome Tool

I've written in this space plenty of times about how social media can be powerful for airlines and airports. For example, my original trip to Oshkosh involved flying from DC to Appleton with a connection in Chicago. Unfortunately my connecting flight was canceled. Thanks to some tweeting on the part of my traveling companion, we found a ride, and got there earlier than the next flight out did.

The TSA And the iPad

The TSA has an official policy on the iPad and netbooks - they don't have to come out of your carry-on like a larger laptop. But yet again I was told the opposite. Can the TSA please make up their mind here?

Sleep - What's That?

This trip had me working pretty long hours for a few days - and I think I may have averaged about 4 to 5 hours of sleep each night. But you know what? In the end, I was fine with that. Personally, if I'm out somewhere I like to be doing something as much as I can. I can sleep for free at home.

Avoiding Overpriced Tourist Traps

My trip also involved a day trip to Chicago. Southwest was flying up to Oshkosh from Chicago on Saturday, and they were flying me up on Friday. (Full disclosure: they covered my flights and hotel.) Since I had never been to Chicago before, I decided to take an early flight. Unfortunately a couple of hours were tied up on the Sears (I mean, Willis) Tower, which costs a shocking $16.50 a head. Yeah, the views are cool, and the fact that I was able to catch up with a friend in the process was nice, but on future trips to other cities I think I might ditch some of the normal tourist attractions.

Taxi Magic is Awesome

Awhile back a friend of mine recommended the Taxi Magic app for iPhone, and boy is it handy. I finally got to use it for the first time. The app uses your phone's GPS to help determine the pickup location, and it will let you track the status of your cab (it even shows it on a map after its dispatched). Best of all, you can pay right on your phone, which saves time and means you don't have to carry a bunch of cash. Plus you don't have to deal with paper receipts - a detailed PDF is automatically e-mailed. You do have to pay an extra $1.50 but I think it's worth it.