Those traveling gurus over at Gadling are giving away the summer’s sweetest travel package: an “All You Can Jet” JetBlue pass for thirty days of unlimited travel anywhere JetBlue flies, a $250 gift card from SCOTTEVEST, a 4GB wireless Eye-Fi memory card, a three-month Boingo Wi-Fi subscription, and a free book and CD or Movie from Swap.com.

To enter the contest, all you have to do is post a comment on Gadling’s site about what you would do/where you would go if you had thirty days of unlimited travel. Not one but TWO lucky ducks will win Gadling’s travel package.

As one of the contest sponsors, we aren’t eligible to enter the contest. Boo hoo. But if you win, will you grant us one wish? We’d like to feature your thirty-day adventure here on our blog. Grazi!

Recently, we announced Boingo Wi-Fi would be embedded on the Samsung 5500/CL80, a 14.2 megapixel digital camera that allows you to email or upload your photos to social networks — all directly from the camera using Boingo’s high-speed connectivity (read our review here). The team here at Boingo is having a hoot of a time taking and editing pictures with this camera, and we want to let you in on the fun.

Starting today through July 22, 2010, we invite you to participate in the Boingo Hotspots and Snapshots photo contest for a chance to win your very own Samsung ST5500/CL80. The contest, for amateur photographers only (sorry, Annie Leibovitz), features the four following category themes: Boingo hotspots, travel, technology, and happiness. Four winners, one from each theme, will be selected based on both popular vote and professional judging.  So upload  your best shots to the Boingo gallery, get your friends to vote for your photo once it’s posted in the Boingo gallery, and you could be one of the lucky winners!  Good luck!

For the Official Rules, click here. For the contest terms and conditions, click here.

About the Judges:

Leah Zawadzki has loved photography as far back as she can remember. After her twins were born in 2005, she became passionate about learning the art of photography. In 2006, Leah launched lilyblue photography. She is and always has been committed to doing things her own way and creating images that truly move her and the people who experience them. Leah studied interior design at Cal Poly and worked in the architecture industry for over ten years. She currently works as a portrait photographer in southern California and is happily married and the mama to three beautiful, crazy children.

Deb Schwedhelm spent ten years as a registered nurse in the U.S. air force before she pursued her dream to be a professional photographer. In 2006, she purchased a DSLR camera and began teaching herself photography, eventually launching Deb Schwedhelm Photography. Whether commissioned portrait sessions, commercial assignments or her ongoing personal projects, Deb always remains true to herself and her artistic vision. Deb is married to a U.S. naval officer and is the mother to three incredible children, who are often the subjects of her photographic work. She is currently based in Tampa, Florida.

I recently had a 10-hour layover at Narita Airport in Tokyo en route back to the U.S. During the first hour of the layover, I was optimistic about my prospects of making it through the day without too much difficulty. After all, I had my laptop, plenty of email, a Boingo Wi-Fi connection, my iPod, a handful of airport shops, and some tasty-looking restaurants.

But by the end of that first hour, things started unraveling quickly. My laptop’s power cable was in a checked bag. I only had about 2 hours of battery life. Then, as I was racing through my inbox, I saw an email invite to deliver a presentation within hours of landing at LAX after the 8-hour flight. I burned through the remainder of my laptop’s power finishing the slides and then found comfort in a bowl of soba noodles. That comfort was short-lived when I realized the yens for the meal converted into more dollars than I expected. By the time I finished eating, I had 7 hours remaining until my flight. I was exhausted. I needed to sleep ASAP. But where????

I do not exaggerate: I turned around and there in front of me was a sign for “Day Rooms and Showers.” I marched right over. A friendly lady greeted me at the front desk, took down my passport, and processed my payment before handing me a key. The small sleeping room contained a single bed (twin beds were also available), a bedside table with a lamp, and a bathroom with a shower.  I slept for 5 precious hours until the scheduled wake-up call. The second I stepped out, a cleaning lady entered the room and immediately stripped the bed sheets. The cost for this very clean, very efficient room? Only $12 USD for the first hour, and $6 USD for every ensuing hour. So reasonable and so worth it!

Those 5 hours of horizontal shut-eye were my saving grace. I hit the ground running when I arrived in LA, made it through my presentation as well as an 8-hour work day, and arrived home for a full night of sleep on my own bed. Thank you, Narita Airport.

For more information about Narita’s Day and Shower rooms, including locations, click here. I’m told I was lucky to get a room without a reservation, so be sure to reserve a room online. Several other airports around the world offer on-site sleeping facilities for those of you who face the same long layover predicaments. The Guide to Sleeping in Airports is a great site that identifies airports where you can catch some zzz’s and includes user reviews. If you’ve been saved by an airport sleeping facility, let us know about your experience and whether you’d recommend it!

Introducing  Dr. Enoch Choi, a Family Medicine partner in urgent care at Palo Alto Medical Foundation. In his spare time, Enoch is a prolific blogger, a clinical instructor at Stanford University School of Medicine, a volunteer at the Community Pregnancy Center of Mountain View, a member on various boards including the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church Medical Missions, an advisor for venture firms, a doting father, a dedicated husband, and a fantastic  karaoke singer. This is far from an exhaustive list of all the things that make up Dr. Enoch Choi. That’s why “Renaissance Man” is an apt description for him.

Recently, Dr. Choi spoke  about the H1N1 virus (“swine flu”),  emphasizing the importance of getting vaccinated. Even if you rarely get sick and don’t usually get the flu shot, he says, this year is the time to do it. People who are  most vulnerable to H1N1? Pregnant women, those with already compromised immune systems, young children,  and travelers.

That’s right, you globetrotters! Even if you’re as  healthy as a horse, get vaccinated because on the road, you’re exposed to a considerable amount of germs, including H1N1. To listen to Dr. Choi’s entire chat, please click here.

Meanwhile, we delved into one of Enoch’s many pastimes: traveling. Here are a few of his travel tips:

1. Is there a gadget you can’t live without?

The iPhone.

2. When you travel, what is the one item you always take with you?
I always pack a corkscrew.

3. What is your favorite city in the world and why?
Singapore because it’s multicultural, clean, affordable, accessible, and a gateway to Southeast Asia.

4. What is your favorite dining spot in the world?
The hawker stalls in Singapore.

5. What book is on your nightstand?
Testosterone for Life by Abraham Morgentaler.  

6. What’s the most surprising/unexpected place you’ve ever visited?
Poyang hu, in the Jiang Su Province of China.

7. Can you offer an insider tip or recommendation for your favorite vacation place?
Get unlimited data / wi-fi access for wherever you’re going. I confess: I’m a big Boingo Wi-Fi fan.

Thanks, Dr.  Renaissance Man! Keep saving the world!

As I write this, I’m gorging on an Angus Third Pounder, large french fries, and large Coke from McDonald’s. The food is good, but it would be even more delicious if I had a shot at winning $1 million from the MONOPOLY^® Game at McDonald’s, which kicks off today and goes through November 2nd.

Unfortunately, I’m out of the running since Boingo Wireless is a game sponsor, precluding employees from participating. Alas. But YOU still have a chance to win any number of prizes including the already mentioned $1 million and other cash prizes, an Xbox, a Shell gas card, My Coke Rewards® points, and free Boingo^® Wi-Fi service at more than 11,000 Wi-Fi enabled McDonald’s® restaurants in the U.S.

Mac Daddy!

In order to play, all you have to do is collect game pieces on medium and large drinks, large McCafe hot cups, hash browns, Angus Third Pounders, large french fries, and 10-piece and 20-piece chicken McNuggets.

What distinguishes the 2009 MONOPOLY^® Game at McDonald’s from other years is the ability to play through your mobile phone as well as social media channels. Enter game codes through text messages and Facebook, and receive updates on the “$1 Million Dice Roll” by following McDonald’s on Twitter at @McDonalds.

Note that in order to roll the dice on your latest game pieces, you have to go online at www.playatmcd.com. So consider bringing your smartphone or laptop to a Wi-Fi enabled McDonald’s and connect to Boingo^® Wi-Fi for that lucky roll!

If you win either the $1 million prize or a Boingo^® Access Pass, don’t be shy about boasting! Send us a Tweet, Facebook post, or blog comment and tell us all about it!

Read the game rules here.

Good luck, and may the best McPerson win!

Budget Travel magazine just announced their 2009 list of top 10 travel innovations that contribute to an “easier, more enjoyable and more affordable” travel experience. Drum roll please…

1. Kayak.com: the discount travel site added new features, including “search sharing, a real-time map of available airfare and an iPhone application.”
2. New York City: the Big Apple gets kudos for creating “new public spaces like making Times Square car-free and turning an abandoned railway into a walkway called the High Line.”
3. Apple: the company continues to get recognition for the iPhone 3GS and its “built-in applications store for anything you might need on the road.”
4. American Airlines: the “One-Way Flex Awards loyalty program…helps occasional travelers earn rewards.”
5. JetBlue: it’s the little amenities, “like the Re:Vive bar kiosks at JFK airport,” that differentiates this popular airlines.
6. Intrepid Travel: the adventure travel site is “carbon-offsetting all of its itineraries by early 2010.”
7. Google: “Street View mapping feature for theme parks and trails” makes family vacations much easier to navigate through.
8. Delta: customer service is friendly and stylin’ with the Red Coats, “agents dedicated to troubleshooting at a number of airports.”
9. Hyatt: the ubiquitous hotel chain makes a habit of announcing “new surprise perks to new and loyal customers.”
10. TripAdvisor: Nifty new tools such as “the Vacation Rental Calculator, the Top Values Tool, and the Fees Estimator” give travelers a leg up on savings.

Our one contribution to the list at #11 is…Boingo Wi-Fi for laptop and smartphone users! Our 2009 “innovations” include the addition of 16,000 hotspots (for a total of 130,000+ locations globally) as well as support for the hottest new smartphones such as the iPhone 3GS, Android MyTouch 3G, and Nokia N97. Boingo Wi-Fi helps travelers get online to check their itinerary on TripAdvisor or to email photos to family. We make your travel experience easier, more enjoyable, and more affordable. Find a Boingo hotspot just about everywhere.

Read the entire USA Today article here.