Nikol Hasler travels a lot for work. A lot.
So she did up a little video on how she uses Boingo, and where she can use Boingo. Enjoy!

Nikol Hasler travels a lot for work. A lot.
So she did up a little video on how she uses Boingo, and where she can use Boingo. Enjoy!
While traveling, it is possible to come up with green alternatives and to make the world a greener and better place. A few tips are:
As written by Kim Mickenberg, Communications Associate at Earth Day Network.
As a tireless business warrior and traveler, this time of year can be a bit perplexing with the April 15 breathing down your neck.
Here’s a list of the 11 most overlooked tax deductions for 2008 and some clarity around what business travelers can deduct on their taxes this year:
A good tax software package like TurboTax or online tax service like TurboTax Online, can help make it easy to get all of these deductions and more.
And … just how much of that business travel can I deduct?: Go out on the town with your clients, pick up the bill and get a tax deduction. What could be easier? Just make sure that the outing is business-related. In other words, any payments you deduct for travel, meals and entertainment must be ordinary and necessary in your trade or business. In general, entertainment expenses must be directly related to, or associated with, the conduct of your trade or business.
Travel expenses include those for ordinary and necessary travel away from your home for your business. You must meet two conditions to take the travel expense deduction:
If your trip meets these requirements, you can deduct a wide variety of travel-related expenses, including costs for:
Other deductible expenses include costs for dry cleaning and laundry care, telephone calls, use of fax machines and tips. For more information on travel, see IRS Publication 463: Travel, Entertainment, Gift and Car Expenses.
Entertainment expenses fall into a broad category and include any activity generally considered to provide amusement or recreation. Some examples include hosting clients at social, athletic or sporting clubs, theaters, yacht trips, hunting or fishing, vacations and the like.
And if you are on the road traveling, and just have not had the time to get your taxes in, you can always use TurboTax’s free online extension filling service.
Tips and information above provided by Scott Gulbransen from TurboTax. Follow Scott on Twitter @prgully, and get more tax tips from TurboTax on Twitter @turbotax.
As told by Michelle Reesman, R.N., Executive Director for Passport Health Colorado. Ressman holds a certificate in Travel Health from the International Society of Travel Medicine, and is an avid traveler, outdoors enthusiast, a certified sailboat captain and holds advanced scuba diver certification. She has worked in medicine more than 20 years.
1. Don’t believe everything you hear. That goes from Uncle Mark telling you that timeshare doesn’t work because he was never able to trade to go anywhere else (perhaps because he owned in Kansas?) to the salesperson telling you that you’ll always be able to trade at anytime, for any place. Location is key. If you want to trade or exchange into different locations, especially high-demand locales like Hilton Head in the summer, the French Alps in the winter, etc., you need to own in an high-demand, year-round area like Las Vegas or Orlando.
2. Avoid anyone, especially a salesperson or a sales manager who uses the words free, perfect, always, and/or never. Generally speaking, if things seem too good to be true, they are.
3. Do your homework ahead of time. Have some general ideas about timeshare and be truthful about how much you spend for vacation accommodations, such as:
4. Keep an open mind. If you are going to go to one of those timeshare presentations for the gift (dinner, cash, theme park tickets, etc.) or just because you are required to go in order to receive the discounted hotel room, then do yourself a favor and at least go in with an open mind and let the salesperson do his/her job. On the other hand, if you have already determined that timeshare is not for you, for whatever reason, then why would you want to waste your valuable vacation time by listening to something you don’t want? After 2 or 3 presentations, you should be able to determine if timeshare is a good idea for you. If so, then purchase one. If not, then just stop wasting your time!
5. Don’t purchase any type of timeshare as a real estate investment. Even if the timeshare is deeded, it should not be considered a financial investment, but an investment in your future vacations. If you buy a timeshare today for $15,000, use it for the next 20 years and sell it for only $7,500 (half of what you paid for it), ask yourself how much you’ll be able to get for your hotel/motel receipts over the same 20-year period.
6. Don’t assume anything. Many timeshares are deeded in perpetuity. Many are not. Many timeshares operate on a “points-based” system. Often, those points are not inflation proof. Always ask questions and don’t be afraid to say “no” if the product doesn’t suit your needs or wants.
7. Don’t cave in to high-pressure sales techniques. A high-pressure sales person or sales manager is high pressure for one or two of two reasons: Ignorant or they don’t believe in their own product. Don’t confuse high pressure though with the fact that in all cases, you will be asked to purchase on the spot. Focus on these points:
As told by Lisa Ann Schreier from Timeshare Insights. Schreier is also the author of two books on timeshare, including “Surviving A Timeshare Presentation … Confessions From The Sales Table” and “Timeshare Vacations For Dummies”.
1. Everyone has a black bag and those cute little ribbons we tie to our luggage fall off. Buy a bag in a color or pattern so that no one will accidentally take your bag. Plus, it will be easy to spot on the carousel.
2. Get used to it — the quart-size clear bag is here to stay. Invest in one that won’t fall apart after three uses (save the sandwich bag for your lunch). When you are not traveling, you can use it to store things in your purse or beach bag.
3. Always throw a small expandable bag in your luggage. You never know when you’ll need it — and it can hold some of those extra items you buy on your trip home … 3-foot Toblerones anyone?
4. Always “break in” new shoes before traveling with them. But just in case, carry a back-up in your purse (Come on, the 4” stilettos are not that comfortable no matter what we tell him).
5. Remember before you dress for your flight you’ll have to do the security “strip tease.” That means shoes and all outerwear (jackets, cardigans, zippered hoodies, etc.) will have to come off before you walk through the metal detector. Don’t wear a jacket with 20 buttons that takes 5-minutes to get off. Slip-on shoes are also a must, no lace up boots! Keep your dress simple and easy.
6. You would never take your shoes off at the end of the day and put them on a stack of freshly washed clothes, right? Why do it when you pack? Put shoes in drawstring bags to keep your clothes clean and to protect your shoes from scuffing. Plus the bag can double as a laundry bag for undies and socks on your return trip.
7. To keep ourselves wired, we travel with too many chargers – laptop, iPod, cell phone, etc, etc. Try using a specially designed charger bag to keep all these cords in one place – and tangle free!
8. Train and airplane tables are rarely cleaned, wipe them down with a disinfecting hand wipe before using, plus this little effort will make your whole area smell fresh.
9. Flying can make feet swell and security checkpoints require you remove footwear, make sure to bring a pair of slip-ons or flip flops to wear during the flight, and never walk around without some form of shoe on. Have you seen the floor in the bathrooms?
10. A nice travel pillow is a must for plane, train or automobile. But, if you don’t have enough room in your carry-on for a pillow make sure to bring your own disposable pillow-case for the airplane pillow since they are almost never cleaned.
As told by Jessica Good, Owner of Passport Boutique
Long known for Disneyland and not much else, Anaheim has recently grown to become a major hub for sports and entertainment for Southern California. While we’re huge fans of the Magic Kingdom, those wishing to venture beyond its walls will find the L.A. Angels of Anaheim, the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, performances from major artists at the Honda Center, and a variety of high-quality cultural, shopping and dining options popping up all over the city.
Muzeo – The Muzeo is our favorite new cultural institution. Since opening in 2007, the Muzeo has featured a number of prestigious and provocative traveling exhibits, some of which make their only U.S. appearance here. The MUZEO complex encompasses Anaheim’s original Carnegie Library (built in 1908) and a new state-of-the art gallery space. Running through January 9, 2009 is Under African Skies: Journeys of the Past, Present & Future. For more information, visit www.muzeo.org or call 714-95-MUZEO.
The Anaheim Ballet – One of Orange County’s best-kept secrets, the Anaheim Ballet serves as a haven for talented dancers from throughout the region. Its well-established educational and outreach programs draw in some seriously talented dancers who might not otherwise have the chance to train and perform. With contemporary presentations of classic performances, the Anaheim Ballet prides itself on engaging even novice ballet fans. On December 6, 2008, the company will perform everyone’s favorite holiday confection, the Nutcracker, with two performances that day. For more information and to see if the Anaheim Ballet is performing while you are in town, visit www.anaheimballet.org.
Anaheim GardenWalk – GardenWalk is the new dining-shopping-drinking-dancing-bowling complex located within the Anaheim Resort District. It has a movie theater, too. Just a few blocks from the Hilton Anaheim and the convention center, our favorite places to visit at GardenWalk are Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion restaurant (try the Lakanilau Roll with seared Kobe beef and dymanite crab…wow!), 300 – a swanky bowling alley with good food and great beverages, and Heat Ultra Lounge, the biggest and best nightclub in the area. The shopping is not quite on par with the dining and entertainment, but new retail stores are opening regularly. Visit www.anaheimgardenwalk.com for more info.
Hilton Anaheim – A great place to stay if in town for conventions, or to have fun is the Hilton Anaheim. Located next to the Anaheim Convention Center and a couple of blocks from Disneyland Resort, the Hilton Anaheim is in the final stages of a massive, $60-plus million renovation. With brand-new guestrooms, a state-of-the-art 25,000-square foot fitness center, a sleek new lobby and our new Mix Restaurant & Lounge (set to open in December), this is not your father’s Hilton. For the absolute best views of the Disneyland fireworks show, grab a beverage and take your seat in our 14th floor Executive Lounge. With floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the park, the view is outstanding and you (probably) won’t have to worry about stepping on small children. If you do decide to get your “mouse” fix, you can purchase your Disneyland tickets in our lobby. To book a stay at the hotel, visit www.anaheim.hilton.com, call 800-222-9923 or check out our blog at www.hiltonanaheimblog.com.
Hope to see you in Anaheim soon!
Andy Keown is the public relations manager for the Hilton Anaheim and blogs about the hotel and destination at www.hiltonanaheimblog.com.
Know the Risks – Different countries’ health and safety risks change all the time. Just recently, we’ve seen spikes in malaria in the Bahamas and yellow fever spread in Brazil far beyond the regions previously considered risk areas. Educating yourself before you go will help ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable trip. Products like International SOS’s country guides will provide you with the most current information on everything you may need to know, including travel tips and information on health risks, medical care standards, and security alerts.
Plan for the Unlikely, But Possible – Take measures ahead of time to ensure you know how to best safeguard your health and safety when traveling to foreign lands. Find out what immunizations you need and ensure that you get them. Leave detailed copies of your itinerary with friends and family back home. Purchase a translation dictionary in the language of your destination. Enlist the services of a travel assistance company who can help you locate credentialed medical or security providers. This includes the ultimate failsafe of evacuating you when the medical or security situation puts you in harm’s way. These bits of planning will make all the difference when the unthinkable happens.
Back it Up – Ensure that you have access to your vital
documents even when abroad. Scan in copies of your passport, driver’s license and credit cards and email them to yourself at an account you can access from the Internet. Invest in a service that will provide access to your medical records online no matter where you are. Ensure that your emergency contacts are listed in multiple places.
Stay Connected – A country’s security and health status can change at a moment’s notice. Sometimes you cannot rely solely on governments to keep you informed. Companies like International SOS provide e-mail medical and security alerts from the time you book a trip until you safely return home.
Rely on Experienced Professionals in Emergencies – Whether you forget your blood pressure medicine or are caught in the middle of a civil uprising, remember that you are not alone – your assistance company should be able to help you deal with anything that arises. Your passport was stolen and you are unable to communicate with local police? They can translate. In the middle of a natural disaster and need to get home? They can help you evacuate and repatriate. Travel assistance companies are experienced in helping travelers with whatever they need. Make sure you carry your travel assistance company’s phone numbers with you wherever you go – if you need them, you’ll be happy you did.
As told by John G. Rendeiro, Jr., Vice President, Global Security and Intelligence for International SOS Assistance, Inc. Rendeiro has more than 25 years of experience keeping the U.S. State Department’s travelers and expatriates safe around the world.

As told by Colorado travel expert and member of the Society of American Travel Writers, Gaylene Ore, president of Ore Communications in Granby, Colo.
1. How often do you travel: I have to be disciplined because I have a family and a business here in New York. I usually travel about 8 days per month whereas in my ‘previous life,’ I used to travel 20 days per month.
2. Favorite Hotel: I spend my professional life ever challenging my list of favorite hotels so this is a difficult question. The best way to answer this question is to defer to my most recent hotel stay at Nimb hotel in Copenhagen. Another one of my all time favorites is Como Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri in Bali - a truly amazing setting. It’s a place where you can really rest your mind.
3. Dream Trip: Namibia - I want to see the red dunes, surf on the coast, and take a safari. I’d also love to see the German ghost towns.
4. Worst Travel Story: I was working for Michelin in the early 90’s and was on a sales trip at a gold mine in the Philippines. Suddenly, some guys with guns came in and took me to a bungalow and kept me hostage and warned me I wouldn’t be going anywhere for a while. There was no explanation given, so the reasons remain unclear. The fire arms were pretty scary - especially hearing them the distance - but what was more terrifying was my roommate, an enormous flying cockroach. In the end, the guards found it so funny that I was so overwhelmingly afraid of this cockroach that they actually let me go after one night. I am forever indebted to that cockroach.
5. iPod travel mix - My passion for music is equal to my passion for hotels, so much so that I created a Web site dedicated to soundtracks for your travels called Tablet Tunes. My favorite mix on that site is Volume 3, with songs from Blur, Sigur Ros, Mylo, and many others. You can find the full list here.
After spending countless nights on the road in dreary, indistinguishable hotel rooms, Laurent Vernhes co-founded the Web site www.TabletHotels.com. The objective of TabletHotels.com is to be the definitive destination for global nomads who seek more than just a place to sleep.