Relaxing Reflections

I have totally enjoyed the Web 2.0 experience and will be putting much of what I have learned to good use. I have even educated not only my husband, but also my 23 year old son and 19 year old daughter as to some of the available tools and applications (and I thought they always knew more than I did when it came to computers!). My favorite lessons were Del.icio.us which I now use instead of Favorites on both my work and home computers, the online music site Pandora which I use while I am working, and of course, Google Earth. Google Earth provides me, the wanderluster, the vicarious experience of exploring the globe and scoping out the many exciting destinations I plan to visit in the future.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to become more savvy as to some of the many wondrous tools and applications available on the Web. I would definitely choose to participate in a similar program in the future.

Gleeful Gaming

I did not realize how many free games there are on Yahoo! Games. I attempted several of them, but my favorites were any involving words and puzzles, particularly the puzzle Ball Lines. For the traveler, gaming online can be enjoyed while passing countless hours in airports, train stations, hotels, or on airplanes, trains, or busses. Since I have always been a huge fan of games, I can see myself taking advantage of free online games not only when I am traveling, but also when I have some spare time.

Google Earth Enormity

Wow! It is amazing to see how enormous and diverse the world is when using Google Earth. I chose random locations throughout the globe to zoom in on and was awed by the many places I would like to visit in the future. For the wanderluster, Google Earth inspires him/her to explore new possibilities for exciting destinations. The traveler can then plan his/her trip accordingly. I examined Disneyworld/Epcot Center in Florida where we will be vacationing this December, and managed to even find the hotel we will be staying in! My son is now looking at Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Singapore (using Google Earth), where he will be traveling for six months beginning this December. I, along with other family members, will be able to track his adventure, getting a feel for the jungles, villages, and amazing beaches. Google Earth is one of my favorite applications and I have also downloaded it to my home computer for much future use.

Amusing Avatars

This was a fun learning experience. It reminded me of when I used to play with paper dolls when I was a little girl, only this was more fun since I could choose a background and an action/pose. How amusing for the traveler to create an avatar depicting his or her location in the world and then display the different moods he or she is feeling at the time. This avatar could then be attached to emails that are sent to friends and family. Amusing for everyone all around!

Online Applications and Tools

What an excellent innovation this is for not only the everyday user, but for the traveler as well. Fellow wanderlusters can plan a trip together, each one researching a specific topic regarding the destination, and then saving it to a shared document on Google Docs. Furthermore, each traveler can examine and add to it at will. This would also work well with spreadsheets providing costs and supplies needed for more detailed planning such as with a lengthy rafting adventure down the Colorado River . Using Google Docs, the trip leader could provide details regarding supplies, menus, etc. without having to send out a multitude of emails. The ease of sharing the information using this application is definitely advantageous for the adventurer. Also, if you are on a "work" vacation, you can work collaboratively on spreadsheets with those poor employees stuck in the office while you are basking in the sun on some exotic beach, or while drinking wine at that French cafe. Vive les online applications!

Savvy Search Engines

Of all the search engines I tried, I found Google to provide the most up-to-date information for the traveler. I searched for Thailand Budget Travel and Vietnam Budget Travel, but many of the sites I visited using Rollyo, Mamma and Dogpile provided articles written years ago. Yahoo was a bit better, but their most current information did not appear at the top of the list. Google consistently came through with the most significant and current articles at the top of their list. When I also searched for Phuket, I preferred Google, since the first result showed a map, the second was a link to a multitude of images of Phuket, and then the third was the travel information guide to Phuket. Yahoo began with the travel information guide, but I prefer to see the location of where I'm going, so the map on Google had me sold. The traveler needs to be aware of the most current advice and information as to his/her destination, so a savvy search engine like Google would be the best to use first, and then compare the results with Yahoo.

Practical Podcasting

There is definitely much practical advice and information to be gained from listening to podcasts. I enjoyed listening to book review podcasts by Steve Campion at Pierce County Library. I particularly enjoyed learning about the many travel podcasts that exist. I sampled Rough Guides Podcasts which has author interviews relating to travel and other travel information; Travel with Rick Steves' weekly one-hour podcasts with guest experts about travel, cultures, and people; Discovery Channel Travel Podcasts, National Geographic Traveler Magazine's Walks of a Lifetime Podcasts, and my favorite, the Lonely Planet Travelcast Podcasts. While listening to the Lonely Planet podcasts, you feel as if you are traveling right along with them, since they are podcasting directly from the country/city they are visiting, providing you with sights and sounds as they happen. Also, some of their podcasts are fun and interesting such as "A Bicycle Built for Two," or "Drinking in Berlin." I will be telling my son about Lonely Planet's fun and interesting podcast, "Off-Beat Bangkok" since he will be there in December. Travel podcasts are definitely the way-to-go for practical travel advice and information, and they also give the wanderluster ideas to inspire that next world adventure.