For the Record

Note: To the coward from Nicholasville, Kentucky who tried to leave a comment, I know who you are. I sent you an email hoping we could work this out. I did not receive a response from you. If you don't want discuss this, then don't read my blog or attempt to leave anonymous comments. Move on!

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Terah Shelton
www.terahs.com
Traveler. Writer. Ingenue

Travel World: Best and Worst Airports

On my way to the airport, I always consider what could go wrong or what could I have forgotten? Do I have my passport? Do I have my tickets? Did I pack the right clothes? Did I confirm my hotel reservations? Am I comfortable with my travel itinerary? But, after reading this article, I realized I need to make sure the airport I'm departing from could potentially cause problems.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation, the best airport for on-time arrivals is Cincinnati, with an 83%. The worst? Newark at 62%. Unfortunately, Atlanta is listed as one of the worst for one-time departures. Honestly, since I've moved here I haven't expected any problems. But, after learning this information, I'll make the necessary adjustments that could affect my trip, such as making sure connecting flights are not scheduled within an hour.

Do you see your airport on this list? If so, I suggest you take this information and plan your airport arrival time according.

I hope this helps!

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Terah Shelton
www.terahs.com
Traveler. Writer. Ingenue

Thanks for your patience!

Happy Friday!

I just wanted to thank everyone for their support. Posts will resume on Monday.

Have a great weekend!

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Terah Shelton
www.terahs.com
Traveler. Writer. Ingenue

The REAL Traveler's Pen

It seems the name Traveler's Pen is catching on and not in a good way. Ironically, there's a new travel website called, The Traveler's Pen. Even more, they're advertising for travel writers on Craigslist. For the record, THIS IS NOT ME! I am not advertising for travel writers for my blog. While I'm Traveler's Pen (without The) and they're THE Traveler's Pen, I'm a little uncomfortable with the similarities. Since I'm a travel writer, this is a travel blog, and the website names are close, people assume I'm the one looking for writers. This bothers me because the ad says they pay in revenue (which I'm strongly against) and is riddled with spelling errors. As a writer, I pride myself on professionalism and I do not want my readers, editors, and anyone else thinking I'm associated with this project. I've been in contact with the editor requesting an distinction be made between the two. Until I hear from him, please note again: I'm not associated with THE Traveler's Pen nor am I looking for travel writers for this blog. Please do not send me your queries, clips, or resumes. I will not open them or respond and will delete them on receipt.

Thank you.

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Terah Shelton
www.terahs.com
Traveler. Writer. Ingenue

The Traveler Next Door: Silvia Keller

This week's Traveler Next Door is Silvia Keller. She is the co-author of a book of “Twelve Steps to a Debt-Free Life” and former writer for Florida newspapers such as El Latino Semanal and Alma Hispana where she dealt with financial and legal issues. After visiting Spain’s beautiful Costa Blanca, Silvia became a U.S Representative for Deneb Properties and promotes the sale of homes on the Mediterranean. In addition, Silvia hopes to instill the joy of travel and achieve her goal of seeing the world by pursuing her second dream as travel writer and photographer. Her work has appeared in International Living’s new Magazine The European, Ex In the City, Passport Only and a few other publications.

What do you look for when traveling? When I travel I look to get the real feel for the place I visit; I like to meet the people, talk to them about their country, learn about their customs, what makes them happy and what problems do they have. I enjoy eating the different foods, visiting the local grocery stores, eating where the locals eat. For me, sitting at a café and meeting people is as educational as visiting museums.

When was your last trip? My last trip was to Austria. Visited Vienna for a second time and drove to Salzburg. Took a trip on the Danube to Slovakia.

Why do you travel? Travel is my passion. I travel because I want to see the world and learn about the different cultures. Now, as a travel writer, I want to transport readers to all the beautiful places around the world; I want them to feel the same excitement and feel an impulse to book that trip they have been postponing.

How do you prepare for a trip? When planning a trip I do a lot of research. I read about the place I am visiting; I look for accommodations based on what I wish to do and see. For example, when I visited Budapest, I found a great hotel located on a small island outside Budapest. My reason for staying so far from the city center was to enjoy a world famous spa located here. It was quite an experience.

I read about all the important places to visit and then I compare notes with the locals. I look for interesting places to visit, unusual places where to eat and create my own tour. I also try to learn the language of the place I am visiting. If this is not possible, I try to learn the basics.

If you could travel without restrictions, where would you go? I would love to visit the Middle East. There is so much to see, so much to experience and learn in these countries.

Where to next? My next adventure will either be to Russia or the Netherlands.

What's the one thing you regret about traveling? One regret I have about traveling is that I don’t have all the time in the world to stay and visit every small town, every little village. I would love to just travel and write, without time or money constraints.

* If you would like to be interviewed for the Traveler Next Door, please send an email to travelerspen@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

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Terah Shelton
www.terahs.com
Traveler. Writer. Ingenue

Thanks Goofy Girl!

By now, you've noticed the change to Traveler's Pen. And based on your responses, you love it. Guess what? So do I!!

I would like to thank Goofy Girl for the design and layout. She comes highly recommended and she did not disappoint. She's very responsive and helpful, often offering suggestions. What's more, she's does all of this and is a full-time medical student!

So, if you're interested in upgrading and personalizing your blog, learn more about her services at her website here.

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Terah Shelton
www.terahs.com
Traveler. Writer. Ingenue

Long Term Travel

Instead of a travel question today, I would like to recommend a recent article by my favorite travel writer, Rolf Potts. Over at his Yahoo! travel column, Traveling Light, Potts discusses how to stretch your travels. I love this article because I'm constantly asked how I'm able to travel all over the world on the crumbs from a freelance writer's salary. And this article gives you a few hints how.

Here's my favorite example:

1) Take out the middleman

Resist the temptation to purchase your travel specifics in advance. As wonderful as that Ugandan safari looks in the promotional literature of a Dallas-based travel company, shopping for the same experience when you arrive in Africa will be infinitely less expensive — and you'll have saved yourself the trouble of adhering to a fixed date. The same goes for air travel. A discounted "round-the-world" flight ticket might seem tempting but it's generally better to buy a one-way ticket to your first destination and plan your ongoing transportation as you go. Not only is it cheaper this way (thanks to frumpy local airlines such as Biman Bangladesh, Aerocaribbean, and SkyEurope), it allows you a more organic experience — since you'll have a much better feel for your travels en route than you will before they begin.

Read the rest of the article here.

Hope this helps!

* Have a question? Please send an email to travelerspen@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

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Terah Shelton
www.terahs.com
Traveler. Writer. Ingenue

Travel Question: Favorite Place and Why?

People always ask me where's my favorite place and why. This is a question I can't always answer. It seems, my favorite place is always the last place I visited. Off the cuff, right now, I would have to say Montserrat. But after much thought, I would have to say, Lubec, Maine. Why? Because it's the easternmost point in the continental United States, home to the nation's first sunrise. I love raw, uncooked places, unseasoned by life. Where things may or may not make sense. And I found this in Lubec.

What about you? Where's your favorite place and why?

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Terah Shelton
www.terahs.com
Traveler. Writer. Ingenue

A New Look

I'm making a few design changes today and tomorrow. But, don't worry, posts will be back either Tuesday or Wednesday. Trust me, you'll love the changes!

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Terah Shelton
www.terahs.com
Traveler. Writer. Ingenue

Subscribe to the Traveler's Notebook.....It's Free!

Why haven't you subscribed to the Traveler's Notebook? It's a FREE monthly travel newsletter featuring travel service articles, quizzes, and news from the travel world. You'll enjoy it. Trust me.

Interested? Enter your email address in the box to your left.

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Terah Shelton
www.terahs.com
Traveler. Writer. Ingenue

The Traveler Next Door: Liz Lewis

Liz Lewis is a freelance writer based in New Zealand. But living in such a far away location has not stopped Liz from continuing to roam the world (real and cyberspace) in search of new and exciting adventures to experience and document. When not writing or travelling, Liz works as an RN in the field of rehabilitation.

What do you look for when traveling? Places that have heart. Places that speak to you. Places that provide adventure, learning, and fun. Oh, and a clean toilet!

When was your last trip? The last big trip I took was in November 2005. I did a month long solo road trip around Southern California, Arizona, and Southern Nevada. The freedom just to get up in the morning and drive was great. Not having to make big decisions or compromise with anyone else about where to go was fabulous. I discovered that travelling alone also allows you to meet and talk to more people than you do when traveling with someone else.

Why do you travel? I travel to explore the world and myself within the world. I love to learn about different cultures, experience the foods, drinks, and arts of the place I am visiting. Landscape and architecture are also a big thing for me. I like to be amazed by the natural landscape (i.e. the desert) and the man-made landscape (i.e. Las Vegas)

How do you prepare for a trip? I love the research, the planning, and the learning that goes into the decisions to make a trip somewhere. I use travel magazines, travel books, and of course, the internet. The internet is great for planning accommodations, tours, discovering other peoples views of places. But I still use a travel agent for all airline bookings.

If you could travel without restrictions, where would you go? Cuba

Where to next? Right now am weighing up two options for later in the year - Spain or New Mexico. Spain for the language, New Mexico for the desert and Indian and Spanish markets in Santa Fe. Might have to flip a coin. Although at the moment, I'm considering leaving New Mexico until 2008 so that I can be in the United States during the Presidential Elections which are starting to look real interesting.

What's the one thing you regret about traveling? The only thing I regret about travel is not being able to stay longer in most places.

Check out lizlewis.co.nz for samples of her work, learn more about New Zealand at Travel Cafe Kiwi, and follow her path to freelancing success at her blog My Year of Getting Published.

* Interested in being interviewed for the Traveler Next Door? Please send an email to travelerspen@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

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Terah Shelton
www.terahs.com

Traveler. Writer. Ingenue

Learning Languages

Question: I'm interested in traveling to Europe this summer, but I don't speak any foreign languages. What should I do?

Answer: Second only to guidebooks, this question is a popular one among my students, especially those interested in traveling internationally. On two-week trip around Europe, travelers could experience multiple countries, speaking completely different languages. In most countries, the language barrier is not a problem. Why? Because everyone speaks a little English. Most businesses (usually the high-end hotels and restaurants) employ workers who speak a little English, which makes for better customer service. It's the unofficial travel language. On my first trip abroad, this was one of my biggest concerns, until I arrived with my phrasebook and didn't use it.

If you need more assurance, I suggest you purchase a good phrasebook. They're located at your bookstore near the travel department or in the reference section. I like Lonely Planet's Europe Phrasebook. It features 14 different languages, including Welsh, Maltese, Dutch, and Italian.

As I previously mentioned, you should not have problems speaking English, but I highly recommend you learn a few phrases in the local language. This is a matter of respect for the country you're visiting and a great conversation starter.

Hope this helps!

* Have a travel question? Please send an email to travelerspen@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

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Terah Shelton
www.terahs.com
Traveler. Writer. Ingenue