Travel Calendar

Published on Monday 5 March 2012 10:29

Forget flowers and a box of chocolates – a weekend break is the best way to please Mum this year, says Sarah Marshall.

Best for… Fun-loving mums

:: Sanderson, London

Nowhere does it say that daughters can’t do something different for Mother’s Day, so this year take the initiative and book the two of you in for some quality time you’ll both enjoy.

She might wince at first when you suggest afternoon tea, spa treatments and a luxurious dinner at one of London’s top boutique hotels. But just remind her John Lewis will be a mere five minutes away and you’ll be all hers for a whole 48 hours, and watch her face crack into a smile.

The Sanderson, just off Oxford Circus in London, is the perfect place for a fun, mother-daughter bonding session.

While the modern hotel might seem self-consciously cool on the website, in reality the reception couldn’t be warmer.

Guests go there to have fun and let off steam, so whether they’re staggering through the glass front door with huge yellow Selfridges bags, lingering over cocktails at the beautiful Long Bar or enjoying the oasis of green calm and trickling water in the Asian-inspired covered garden, the sound of laughter is never far away.

The Sanderson’s Agua spa is a trip highlight not to be missed. The height of several floors, it’s sectioned by white drapes and feels like entering a futuristic palace devoted entirely to self-indulgence. The Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea is also a must-do. This Heston Blumenthal-style affair offers primary-coloured sandwiches, exploding ice cream and foams that beg you to ‘Drink Them’.

Finally, a stay would not be complete without dinner at Asia De Cuba. Although this restaurant is at the Sanderson’s sister hotel, St Martin’s Lane, it’s well worth the cab ride. What better way to convince your mum the weekend is all marvellous value for money than by enjoying their Asian-Cuban fusion dishes, which are delicious and huge!

(Sarah O’Meara)

:: Rates for a room at Sanderson start from £229 per night plus tax. For more information, visit www.sandersonlondon.com and www.stmartinslane.com

Best for… Earth mothers

:: Center Parcs, Elveden Forest, Suffolk

If you and your mum want to shut out the world for some serious pampering, try the new spa suites at Center Parcs.

With a log cabin feel, these luxe suites are decked out like a swish apartment with a bath tub ‘with a view’ and circular outdoor bed.

With interior touches such as lime green accents, wooden panels and tree bark lamp stands, the rural forest setting has been reflected in the glossy modern decor.

But the real draw is the adjoining Aqua Sana spa, which is right on your doorstep. Set over two levels, with a heated outdoor pool and Zen relaxation areas aplenty, pampering nirvana is just a few footsteps away. You can almost smell the aromatherapy vapours from your suite.

There’s unlimited entry to the spa throughout your stay, including your arrival and departure days, giving you ample time to try all 15 globally-inspired experience rooms, such as the Indian Blossom Steam Room, Greek Herbal Bath and Turkish Hammam.

Once you’ve built up an appetite, you can undo all the hard detox work and treat your mum with a visit to the spa’s Zilli Cafe, offering mouth-watering dishes designed by Aldo Zilli.

The spa suite package also includes a face and body treatment for you both. OK, so the therapist doesn’t quite come to your room, but it’s the next best thing. In fact, you don’t even have to get dressed; you can pad between your spa suite and the next door spa in your white slippers and robe.

If that still sounds too much like hard work, a concierge is on hand to arrange restaurant reservations and ensure you’re stocked up with DVDs so you don’t have to lift a finger.

Now, that’s one way to ensure your mum glows for Mother’s Day!

(Lisa Haynes)

:: Overnight accommodation in a spa suite, with double or twin beds, starts from £199 per person per night based on two people sharing. For more information, visit www.aquasana.co.uk or call 08448 266 205

Best for… High-maintenance matriarchs

:: Le Bristol, Paris

She gave birth to you, sewed labels into your school uniform, and has probably washed your socks a million times. When it comes down to the nitty-gritty, there’s really no-one quite like Mum.

If you really want to go for broke and spoil her rotten on Mother’s Day, a weekend break at one of the finest hotels in Paris could be the ultimate treat.

Take the Eurostar from London, and within two-and-a-half hours Mum could be playing princess in a property that deserves every one of its five stars.

Built on a site dating back to 1715 and opened as a hotel in 1925, Le Bristol embodies the spirit of classic Parisian style. Vibrant bouquets of fresh flowers perfume the marble hallways; a grand, old-fashioned iron elevator trundles between floors, and the hotel’s resident fluffy white cat can often be found curled up on one of the red plush sofas.

Designed to be a home from home, albeit much more luxurious, there’s none of the stuffiness usually encountered at top-end hotels. So even if Mum comes down to breakfast in her Primark pullover, no-one will bat an eyelid.

Le Bristol has recently renovated its stand-alone three-floor spa and now offers treatments by Le Prairie. Decorated in muted cream, white and mushroom hues, the environment is just as soothing as the myriad of massages and facials on offer.

While Mum may not quite be ready for the Russie Blanche treatments, which involve being beaten by birch branches infused with essential oils, you won’t go far wrong with a Platine Rare massage. After two therapists smother her skin with creams containing platinum, she’ll leave looking literally radiant.

If an overnight stay is beyond your budget, consider booking a spa treatment followed by afternoon tea.

And when it comes to checking out and paying the bill, just remember: she’s worth every penny.

(Sarah Marshall)

:: Spa treatments at Le Bristol start from 110 euros. Packages with overnight stay are also available, from 900 euros, including accommodation for two, breakfast and 150 euros spa voucher. Visit www.le-bristol-hotel.com or call 0033 1 53 43 43 00.

:: Eurostar operates up to 18 daily trains to Paris with return fares from £69. Visit www.eurostar.com or call 08432 186 186

Best for… Stressed-out mumsies

:: Lopesan Villa Del Conde Resort, Gran Canaria, Spain

Looking after kids, no matter how old they are, is enough to wear anyone down. Give tired mums a much-needed boost by booking a series of Thalassotherapy sessions at the sun-drenched Thalasso Corallium in Gran Canaria.

Based on the ancient belief in the natural healing properties of sea water, the benefits of Thalassotherapy include weight loss and cellulite reduction, as well as relief from joint pain and back and circulatory problems.

After stripping down to swimwear and popping on a delightful shower cap, guests begin the Thalasso Experience in the central Vitality Pool situated beneath an impressive copula.

For the next (recommended) two-and-a-half hours, underwater bubble beds, hydro body massages and neck massages are used to relax weary muscles. Afterwards, retire to the comfortable, heated beds in the Mineral Pavilion, where you can inhale seawater vapours to help with breathing.

Guests can then step through the cold water reflexology Kneipp Pool to stimulate legs, feet and the nervous system. The brave can opt to venture into an ice fountain. The circuit ends in a flotation pool with a specially designed sound and light system.

For an added treat, it’s possible to book one of the spa’s stunning Ocean View Suites with its own seawater Jacuzzi, private sun terrace and treatment couches just metres from the sea.

(Susan Griffin)

:: The five-day Oasis of Serenity package includes five Thalasso Experience circuits, Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Facial, Stone Massage and Anti-Age Vitality treatments and costs 534 euros per person. A five-night stay in a double room at the hotel costs from 999.40 euros. Visit www.grancanariawellness.com

Randy Clegg

It’s a Snap gallery winner Randy Clegg wanted to know how to improve the quality of this photo. Professional photographer Michael Forsberg gives him a few pointers.

We have the pleasure of posting some fantastic reader photos in our weekly It’s a Snap galleries and daily blog posts. The photographers who submit their photos share high-quality images from beautiful places.

But we also know that our readers are eager for professional tips on how to get the best shot, which is why we enlisted the help of photographer Michael Forsberg, who has been published in National Geographic and Audubon, among other outlets.

We asked the It’s a Snap Facebook community to submit their photography questions and selected a few for Forsberg to answer. In addition, previous gallery winner Randy Clegg shared two photos for Forsberg to review. If you have more questions for him, share them in the comments at the bottom.

In the meantime, check out Forsberg’s Facebook page and a preview of his new time-lapse project in the Platte Basin.

Q: I have a new Canon T3 and want to shoot some waterfalls. Any setting suggestions? — Dan Smith

A: Waterfalls can make amazing photo subjects. Here are a few tips you can use when photographing them.

On bright, sunny days use a fast shutter speed, 1/250th second and greater, which will freeze the action of the spray in mid-air. The picture will communicate the power of the water as it cascades over the ledge and splashes onto the rocks below. On cloudy days or when the light is low, use slow shutter speeds at 1/8th second and slower. At these slow shutter speeds, the flow of water will blur and the waterfall will take on an ethereal quality like a beautiful bridal veil as it flows through the frame. Remember, when using slow shutter speeds it is important that you use a tripod and a cable release or the self timer on the camera. Doing so takes the shake out of the camera and allows you to make razor-sharp images.

A nice thing about photographing waterfalls, like other landscape features, is that they are not going to run or fly away. I encourage you to experiment and shoot the scene from various angles and perspectives and see what you like best. Your results might surprise you.

Q: What settings do you use when part of a scene is bright and the other part is in the shadows? — Evelyn Conley

A: A scene with both bright sunlight and dark shadows is a challenge to expose correctly. In these cases, using fill flash is a great tool because the flash will fill in the shadows and bring them closer to the same exposure as the brighter areas in the scene. As “smart” as digital cameras are these days, they simply cannot capture details in scenes that contain both bright highlights and deep shadows and find a perfect exposure.

When flash is not an option because the subject is too far away or flash is inappropriate, it gets down to deciding what you, the photographer, thinks is most important.

If you want to keep detail in the shadows because what is in those shadows is important to the picture, then I would select the metering mode on your camera that takes meter readings from all parts of the frame and then averages all those values together for what the camera suggests is the best exposure. If you are shooting a Nikon camera this metering mode is called “matrix” metering. If you are shooting Canon, it is called “evaluative” metering.

If the subject is not moving and you have the time, shoot several different exposures both underexposing and overexposing, a technique called “bracketing,” then once you download the images on your computer, select the one you like best.

Q: What is the best angle of sunlight to use? What time of day is best to photograph in? — Mariecor Ruediger

A: If nature or travel photographers had their perfect day of light, you would have sunlight early and late in the day when the light has a golden glow, then you would have bright overcast in the middle of the day, which eliminates harsh midday shadows and creates nice soft portrait light.

There is no correct answer to what is the best angle of sunlight to use because most any angle of light can be made interesting depending on what you are trying to say in your image. But regardless of angle, here’s a good rule of thumb on a sunny day: Shoot early and late in the day when the sun is lower in the sky.

When the sun is nearer the horizon the light has to pass through more atmosphere and has more warmth and color than it does during the middle of the day. Photographers sometimes call this the “golden hour.”  Next time you are outside, pay special attention to the color of the light and how it changes throughout the day.

Q: I would love to have some details on how best to photograph stars, night scenery and even fireflies, like aperture, settings, shutter speeds, etc. — Michelle Maynard

A: Photographing at night takes a lot of practice, experimentation and caffeine! But for those that work it out, they are seldom disappointed.

Here are several steps that will give you a very basic place to start for photographing stars at night, moonlit landscapes, fireflies in a meadow, etc., but you must experiment to fine tune your technique. Understand there are many variables to night photography we can’t go into here, but a quick Internet search will provide you with many more details from photographers who specialize in that area.

1. Use a sturdy tripod because you will be making long exposures.
2. Attach a cable release to the camera so you can trigger it without putting your hand on the camera which would cause vibration and a blurry image.
3. Select a wide-angle lens, set it on its widest aperture and focus the lens on infinity.
4. Place your camera on its “Bulb” setting which allows you to be in control of how long the shutter stays open when you are taking the picture.
5. Finally, compose the scene, then use the cable release to trigger the shutter.

I would start by setting your camera at ISO 800 and try a 30-second exposure, then a 45-second exposure, then a minute exposure and so on. Experiment with different ISOs and exposures.

It helps to take notes after you download the images to see what works best for you with the camera and lenses you have. It can be tedious at first, but once you have it figured out, it is just like following a recipe. Generally, at shutter speeds up to about 45 seconds, the stars will be points of light. After 45 seconds, they will start to become “star trails,” appearing as streaks across the sky. If you center your frame on the North Star, it will remain a point of light and all the other stars will circle around it with longer exposures.

Randy Clegg

Randy Clegg also shared this photo of a church for Michael Forsberg to review.

Clegg: With software, I am able to fix photos like this, but I really want to learn to consistently take landscapes that, for the most part, don’t need to be fixed. This photo lacks contrast, and I’m not at all sure what factures of exposure affect contrast.

A: I like the compositions of the two photos you sent, using foreground elements in interesting ways that help lead the eye and frame the lighthouse and church in the backgrounds.

Your concerns over contrast in these two images simply gets down to quality of light. The images look nice the way they are, but they would really sing if they were shot when the light was much lower in the sky, during that “golden hour” when early morning or late evening sun adds warmth to elements in the scene.

Sometimes in travel and nature photography we are on a tight schedule, moving from one place to another and you simply have to take the light that it gives you. But during those times when you have the time to linger, find a composition that works, then stay and wait for the light to work its magic. If the scene is close to home, you have the luxury to return again and again until you get the light you want.

You are right, it is much better to make the images you want when you depress the shutter and not try to “fix” things at the computer later. I think we all agree we’d rather be out there with camera in hand than staring at a computer screen most any day.

Travel Channel Premieres All-New Episodes of ‘Bizarre Foods America’ Monday, March 12 and “Ghost Adventures” Friday, March 16.

Travel Channel Premieres All-New Episodes of ‘Bizarre Foods America’ Monday, March 12 and “Ghost Adventures” Friday, March 16.

Tune in alert as Travel Channel presents an all-new episode of the popular series, “Bizarre Foods America” with Andrew Zimmern on Monday, March 12 at 9:00 p.m., ET/PT.

From Travel Channel

This season, Andrew celebrates the out-of-the-ordinary cuisine and characters that are found all across the United States.

From traditional foods passed down by immigrants to modern dishes born and bred by American innovation, the U.S. is a melting pot of cultures both exotic and familiar.

In this original episode, Andrew travels to the coastal crossroads of the South – Savannah, Georgia.  It’s a city where the food is touched by rich cultural influences that are both obvious and unexpected.

From a home-cooked Gullah meal on Daufuskie Island, to getting stuck in the mud while hunting for marsh hens on the coast, to eating at Savannah’s finest restaurant with one of its most well-known residents, The Lady Chablis, Andrew goes straight into the heart of this southern city on the sea.

Then on Friday, March 16 at 9:00 p.m., ET/PT, the “Ghost Adventures” crew – Zak Bagans, Nick Groff and Aaron Goodwin –is back to investigate the scariest, most notorious, haunted places in the world.  The trio interviews eyewitnesses and historians at each location, arming themselves with the stories of the ghosts they later confront during their dusk-to-dawn lockdowns.  Then they review and analyze their findings with some of the most-respected experts and specialists in the paranormal field.

In this original episode, Zak, Nick and Aaron attempt to uncover the truth behind an unsolved murder at the Peabody-Whitehead Mansion in Denver, CO.  UFC fighter Brendan Schaub joins the guys, and things heat up when a spirit calls Brendan out by name!

CHICAGO, March 6, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ – As families pack up for a week of fun and relaxation over Spring break, everyone knows to take plenty of sunscreen to protect against sunburn. But it’s just as important to take steps to protect against identity theft.

“Identity theft can happen at any time but can be more likely while traveling because you’re carrying a lot of sensitive information in a distracting and unfamiliar environment,” said Mike Lewis, Regional President, BMO Harris Bank.

Identity theft occurs when someone obtains your personal information – such as your Social Security number – and illegally uses it to open accounts or initiate transactions in your name. This can cause financial loss and damage your credit. The most common identity theft occurs when your wallet or purse is stolen, as the thief has access to check cards, IDs and other personal information to make transactions.

Lewis said, “Identity theft does not have to be the demise of your spring break or upcoming vacation. Take a few simple precautions so you can enjoy your vacation without worry.”  Lewis recommends taking the following steps when traveling to protect you and your family from identity theft.

• Protect your Social Security number. Don’t carry your card with you.  If asked for your number, ask why the information is needed.
• Never leave your personal documents unsecured in a hotel room. This includes statements, checks and legal papers. Many hotels offer a security box in each room. This rule is especially important in foreign countries.
• Carry the minimum. You do not need to travel with every piece of personal information you own. Only carry necessary credit cards and documents.
• Beware of your surroundings. When accessing an ATM or using your PIN, beware of your surroundings. Cover your hand when typing in codes.
• Don’t check-in personal information. At airports, never place personal documentation in luggage that you intend to check-in. Once it is checked-in, it is out of your control and sight.
• Use security measures when carrying money. Reduce the risk of personal information loss and identity theft by consciously using travel accessories like security money belts, security travel purse, security travel bags and money clips.

For more information on how to protect your identity while traveling, visit www.ftc.gov/idtheft.

About BMO Harris Bank

Based in Chicago, BMO Harris Bank N.A. provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through approximately 700 branches and approximately 1,350 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nevada, Arizona and Florida.  BMO Harris Bank’s commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the U.S.  Deposit and loan products and services provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris Bank(SM) is a trade name used by BMO Harris Bank N.A. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial organization with 1,600 branches, and a retail deposit base of approximately $180 billion.

SOURCE BMO Harris Bank

Are we really the stereotype of the “ugly American” when we travel?

According to a new survey carried out by LivingSocial and Mandala Research we seem to be. And worse, it was predominately Americans ranking their fellow countrymen.

Released Friday, the survey polled 5,600 respondents from five countries– 4,000 of whom were Americans, says USA Today. Other respondents were in Australia, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

The survey also revealed that four in 10 U.S. survey-takers said they’d stolen something – mostly towels (28%) and bathrobes (8%). Other popular items taken included pillows, remote controls, Bibles and sheets.  So we’re not just rude when we travel, we’re thieves.

The most common vacation disasters, according to American respondents, were: lost luggage on an airline (21%); bad weather (21%); and getting lost (16%).

Americans weren’t the only ones to rank our own citizens as the worst tourists. Australians and Canadians also gave the U.S. number one spot.

Surprisingly, Americans do travel abroad, which may be contrary to the stereotype of non-passport-holding Yanks. According to the press release from SocialLiving, 78 percent of Americans have visited at least one foreign country, 61 percent have visited multiple countries, and 36 percent have traveled to four or more foreign destinations.

Here’s the list of the world’s worst tourist, according to the LivingSocial’s survey:

1. U.S.-20 percent

2. China-15 percent

3. France- 14 percent

4. Japan- 12 percent

5. Russia- 11 percent

6. Korea- 9 percent

7. India- 9 percent

8. Germany- 8 percent

9. Spain- 7 percent

10. Britain- 5 percent

Image via Wikipedia

You are if you have one of the 14 cards recently analyzed by NextAdvisor.com. The consumer information website just announced the results of its 2012 Travel Rewards Credit Analysis. They took a look at major travel reward cards to determine the real value of the rewards users earn. Guess who came out number one of the 14? Capital One Venture Rewards Card took top honors because of a $2 flight and hotel redemption value for every $100 spent. The Escape by Discover Card came in close on its heels, the bronze went to the Starwood Preferred Guest Card from American Express.

“This analysis allowed us to determine the actual value the rewards members earn when they use their travel credit card,” says Tasha Lockyer, senior editor at NextAdvisor.com, in a prepared statement. “Sometimes this value can be murky because rewards are given in points or miles, but placing a numerical reward value on each credit card can help users compare the cards side-by-side.”

How did NextAdvisor do the math? They looked at the cost to book hotels and flights at different times of year with each program’s rewards currency. The same dates and locations were used for each card, and bookings were made during both the “high” summer season and “low” fall season. The final reward value was based on the dollar redemption value a user would earn after a typical card spending of $100. Separate reward values were given for both hotel stays and flights. Final rankings were determined by average redemption values for flights and hotels, when available, with consideration given to how widely accepted each card is.

Take for example Capital One’s Venture Rewards Card. You need to spend just $3,000 per year to make up for the annual $59 annual fee (it’s even waived the first year). If  you’re going to use your rewards on travel, these are the biggest bang for the buck rewards cards you’ll find. And if you’re active in a hotel or airline rewards program, it’s most efficient to use the card associated with that program, as it can help you achieve reward tiers faster and most cards offer you extra perks with the hotels or airlines, such as a free checked bag.

One of the most surprising findings, says Erik Larson, founder and president of NextAdvisor.com, was that several of the rewards cards associated with the airlines or hotels, such as the United Mileage Plus Explorer Card, are excellent rewards cards, even if you’re not already a member of their rewards program. “These cards get dinged for not really offering great value, but we picked real-life scenarios for light and hotel redemption, and found that the United card rewarded users with $1.95 for every $100 spent if they used those rewards to book a United flight. That is a really high rate.” Then too, if you add in the extra perks like checking your first bag for free on all flights, priority boarding and 25,000 bonus miles after your first purchase, “this card is a no-brainer for frequent United travelers,” says Larson. Similarly, the Starwood Preferred Guest Card from American Express offers $2.50 for every $100 spent with the card if you redeem your points with a Starwood hotel stay. The $2.50 is the highest redemption rate NextAdvisor found for any card.

What’s the morale of this story? Says Larson,” If you’re not using one of our top-rated cards you should evaluate whether it makes sense to switch to get

one that will give you a lot more bang for the buck.”

Tony Muia knows Brooklyn. And he knows pizza. “I was born, raised, and still live in Brooklyn. To me, there’s no better place in the world. I love my hometown and have always had a passion for everything about it,” he says. Muia started his own bus tour company, A Slice of Brooklyn, in 2005 to share his love of Brooklyn and pizza with others. At first he ran the entire business by himself. His Uncle Louie, who worked for the Post Office, would take a break from work to help greet people before they got on the tour bus. Tony was able to hire his cousin Paula and enlist the help of cousins Fat Sal and Frankie Pancakes after a 2007 appearance on NBC’s Today Show skyrocketed the business to a new level. A Slice of Brooklyn became the first family-run, Brooklyn-based tour company doing guided bus tours of Brooklyn.

The bus tours took off in a big, big way and are generally booked way in advance. The four-and-a-half hour tour (customers are picked up and dropped off in Manhattan) includes famous movie locations from Saturday Night Fever, The French Connection, Goodfellas and many more, as well as stops in Brighton Beach and Coney Island, not to mention plenty of pizza at legendary pizzeria’s like Grimaldi’s and LB Spumoni Gardens. The success of this tour led to two additional tours by Tony’s company, the Brooklyn Neighborhood tour and the December Christmas Lights tour.

Tony’s success attracted the attention of the Travel Channel, which premieres Slice of Brooklyn tonight at 10:00 and 10:30pm. On the program, Tony and Paula are joined by Tony’s colorful consiglieri, Uncle Louie, Fat Sal, and Frankie Pancakes. The first episode deals with the fact that despite being voted the #1 tour of Brooklyn on TripAdvisor, competition is heating up from companies who are copying Tony’s ideas and going to the same locations. “These companies coming into Brooklyn have bigger budgets than we have, bigger PR firms, bigger marketing teams so they could potentially blow us out of the water even though we were the originators,” says Tony. “However, we have something that they’ll never have. We’ve got a pride for our hometown that’s as big as our hearts and that trumps insincerity any day of the week.” Will he be able to hold his own amongst the deep pockets of the competition? Tune in tonight at 10pm to find out!

Of course I had to ask Tony what his favorite kind of pizza is. “That’s like asking a father to pick his favorite kid!” he laughs. “I love it all. Thick, thin, white, you name it! If I did have to pick one, though, it would be the Sicilian pizza at LB Spumoni Gardens. I also love the regular slice at a place called JV in Bensonhurst. It’s one of those classic, walk-up-to-the-window type joints that we all grew up with as kids in Brooklyn and that are still around. The owner is Joe. His father opened the place back in the 1950′s and now Joe’s continuing the tradition. My Mom used to take me as a kid and we still go there.”

“I grew up in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, also known as the Little Italy section of Brooklyn. My parents came here from Calabria, Italy in the 1950′s and settled there. My Dad is a barber and my Mom is a seamstress. I have two younger brothers named Vinny and Joey… You can’t make this stuff up. This is my life and I’m as real a Brooklynite as it gets,” Tony grins. As for the show, he notes, “Most importantly, viewers will get to see all the amazing foods, neighborhoods and visual beauty of Brooklyn and truly understand why our company slogan is ‘Manhattan? FUHGETTABOUDIT!’”

Check out a clip from Slice of Brooklyn here and tune in tonight at 10pm to spend an hour with Tony and his gang on the Travel Channel. And if you’re in the New York area, check out his tours on his website. Andiamo!

It isn’t just the rest of the world that sees us as the worst travelers. As it turns out, Americans feel the same way.

In a recent survey conducted by daily deal website Living Social and Mandala Research, 20 percent of respondents named America the country with the worst tourists, with Americans, Canadians and Australians all giving the U.S. that distinction. The Irish called the British the worst, while the British tabbed the Germans. China finished second with 15 percent of the vote, while Ireland, Australia, and Switzerland brought up the rear with only 2 percent each.

The survey was conducted with more than 5,600 respondents in five countries and also documented various other topics including the top 10 dream destinations for Americans, favorite celebrity travel companion (Ellen DeGeneres comes out on top, followed by Oprah Winfrey, Taylor Swift, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Katy Perry), and vacation horror stories (21 percent complained about lost luggage and weather, while only three percent noted being the victim of a scam of getting arrested). The survey also noted that 78 percent of Americans have visited at least one foreign country, 61 percent have visited multiple countries, and 36 percent have traveled to four or more foreign destinations.

Inspiration strikes when you least expect it, and last summer it hit Julie Melnick on a flight from Los Angeles to Florida.

NannyintheClouds.com

She struggled onto the plane with a car seat, her 2-year-old son and assorted carry-on bags, and then had a tough time enroute. “My child didn’t want to sit still and he needed to be walked up and down the aisle 5,000 times,” Melnick, who was traveling solo with her son, told TODAY.com. “It was just such a draining experience.”

Melnick knew other moms deal with the same thing, and she thought there had to be a better way. Her solution: Nanny in the Clouds, a website that will match parents seeking in-flight babysitters with a fellow passenger on their flight who has experience caring for children.

Signing up is free, but once a match is made, parents pay $10 for an introduction to a potential babysitter. Then it’s up to the sitter and the parents to work out a fee — and to call the airline and ask to be seated together or request adjoining seats during check in.

“We’re recommending the going rate, which is $10 to $20 an hour,” said Melnick. “But a lot of people are willing to pay a premium when they’re traveling.”

Nannies must provide two references upon signing up, but Nanny in the Clouds does not do background checks. “If they’re a teacher, a college student or a grandma, they are qualified in our eye,” said Melnick. Instead, the site encourages parents to do their homework and have phone conversations and/or an in-person meeting to ensure that the match is right.

TODAY.com asked some family travel experts to give Nanny in the Clouds the once over.

“My first reaction was: How lazy are parents that they can’t even watch their own children during a measly flight?” said Colleen Lanin, editor and founder of TravelMamas.com. But after thinking it over, she decided a sitter in the air could be a lifesaver for a mom or dad who is traveling solo with two or more young children. “It would also be a great service for parents who are prone to air sickness or who are nervous/phobic flyers,” said Lanin.

“I would predict more crying, not less,” said Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, editor-in-chief at We Just Got Back. “Most small kids would want to sit with their parents, not a stranger, on a flight.”

Airplane travel “takes the whole family out of their routine” by adding anxiety, excitement, and, usually, sleep deprivation, said travel comfort specialist Anya Clowers of JetwithKids.com. “If the timing and the match were correct, and parents remain in control by using the nanny mostly as an assistant to help, this may be a blessing.”

For those who do hire an in-flight sitter, though, Clowers advises scheduling a get-to-know-you session before boarding. “A photo or Skype session prior to travel is a good idea so the nanny is not a stranger on the day of travel,” she said.

Nanny in the Clouds launched in November 2011, although Melnick said that, so far, no matches for in-flight sitters have been made.

“There are 30,000 flights a day, and right now it’s a long shot that there will be a registered sitter on the flight you’re on,” said Melnick. So within a few weeks the site will add a feature that allows travelers to search by city pairs instead of specific flight numbers. That will expand the options and allow a mom going from Los Angeles to Miami to choose a flight that already has a registered nanny.

Live Poll

Would you hire a babysitter on a plane?

While Melnick has high hopes for her service, she’s not the first to create a program that provides in-flight babysitters. One airline, Gulf Air, already offers specially trained Sky Nannies as a complimentary service on its wide-bodied aircraft flying long-haul flights and in its airport lounges.

Still, whether there’s a sitter on board or not, Clowers said, “Parents still need to take responsibility for their children and be prepared to meet their needs at 37,000 feet.”

Would you use the Nanny in the Clouds service? Tell us on Facebook.

Find more by Harriet Baskas on Stuck at The Airport.com and follow her on Twitter. 

What to do? A recent example of a creative solution to the state’s infrastructure problem is instructive.

Faced with a crisis confronting the Port of Baltimore and without funds to deal with it, the O’Malley administration engaged the private sector, creating an unusual public-private partnership — an approach appealing to Republicans but often resisted by members of his own party.

Full disclosure: I’m a Democrat and a Maryland Port Authority commissioner. I was appointed by Gov. Martin O’Malley as the port was about to face one of its most compelling challenges: the widening of the Panama Canal. Our harbor simply did not have the capacity to handle the new supertankers being constructed to take advantage of the canal’s new width.

After months of discussion, bids and negotiations, the governor approved a $245 million partnership with Ports America Chesapeake to develop a new berth at the Seagirt Marine Terminal in Dundalk, making Baltimore one of the two East coast ports capable of receiving the larger oceanic vessels crossing through the wider Panama Canal.

It was, in many ways, a policy breakthrough — transferring the construction and operating risk to a private company and jump-starting a project that would have languished for lack of funds. The Seagirt Agreement required Ports America Chesapeake to construct a 50-foot berth, to improve the terminals facilities and infrastructure, to purchase the larger cranes required to handle the larger containers, and to operate and maintain the site at their expense. The agreement also requires the company to pay the state a share of its revenue, increasing that share as the terminal shipping traffic grows.

Three months after the deal was signed, Ports America broke ground. The terminal is well on its way to completion, two years before the Panama Canal is widened. Last month, the governor welcomed another major shipper to the port, meaning three of the world’s top five container companies now use our terminal.

And now come the I-95 travel plazas owned by the State Department of Transportation. Words like run-down, dilapidated and uncomfortable are too generous to describe these terminals. You can go see for yourself.

But if you are an agency that has trouble finding funds for essential highways, bridges or airports, the idea of improving a couple of stop-overs for folks heading south or north was not welcoming — financially or politically. The state opted to fund schools, not travel facilities. And so they sat. Neglected.

What to do?

The governor and his gang went to work: Why not do for the travel plazas what they did for the port terminal? Using the Seagirt model, they solicited proposals from several industry participants and — after careful evaluation and with help from the same team that forged the Seagirt partnership — the state settled on an experienced national operator who was joined by 10 Maryland firms, including Ayers Saint Gross of Baltimore, Clarke Construction in Bethesda and Cain Contracting in Columbia.