Sherman's Travel

Using public transportation is a great way to get to know a new city and save money while on vacation. Sometimes, however, it just makes more sense to hail a taxi. Perhaps it’s late at night and you don’t feel comfortable on the subway. Or maybe you’re running late thanks to a jetlag-induced nap. Whatever the reason, taking cabs in new cities – both foreign and domestic – can pose challenges if you’re not familiar with how things operate in that locale. The last thing you want is to get taken for a ride – figuratively speaking – and wasting money on a cabbie that is taking advantage of you. Nor do you want to get lost because of innocent confusion between you and the driver. In order to stay safe and successfully get from Point A to Point B, be sure to keep our taxi tips in the front of your mind before anyone turns on the meter. Read more

Transportation options haven’t quite evolved as we had hoped. Flying cars appear to be a ways off. Segways didn’t quite live up to the hype. And hoverboards remain a work in progress. What we’re left with are cars that parallel park themselves and a scooter craze that I really thought would be dead by now. The problem with scooters, however, is everything that they become difficult to ride when you’re holding things. In order to keep your hands free while on a scooter, you need to carry a backpack. Well, that just makes you top heavy and prone to disastrous falls. Granted, I don’t leave SkyMall Tuesday headquarters without first putting on a helmet, but not everyone is so careful. But what if you need to get somewhere with a backpack’s worth of belongings and you’ve realized that teleportation, like the aforementioned transportation dreams, has yet to become commercially available? Well, what if your scooter was your backpack? Or, your backpack was your scooter? Thankfully, our friends at SkyMall know a good mash-up when they see one, and that’s why you can now get to school, work, or through the airport while riding your Glyde Gear Backpack Scooter.

Read more

Author’s Note: In light of the recent financial crisis in Europe, it seems like the appropriate time to air some grievances regarding traditional practices in the region and how they affect tourism. By no means am I an economist, but I do have a checking account and a fair amount of common cents sense.

Dear Europe,

Hola. Bonjour. Γεια σας. While I hope that this note finds you well, I know that things have been a little rough on your side of the pond lately. With unemployment in Spain close to 25 percent, at least I know nearly six million people will have time to read this letter. Sorry, that was harsh. I’m not writing this to antagonize you or make light of your economic collapse. On the contrary, I’m here to help. Europe has long relied on tourism to fill its coffers, and summer is prime time for Americans to flock to your ruins, relics, and monuments (your stuff sure is old).

You need Americans to visit you. We need a strong Europe to bolster the global economy. So, how can we get things straightened out over there and encourage Americans to head your way? Here, in no particular order, are a few simple suggestions that you can have for free (which, I imagine, is a pretty good price for you these days). Read more

When I first stumbled upon my new favorite haunt in Willemstad, Curacao – a sexy Latino bar called Mundo Bizarro – and parked my ride on the sidewalk with the assurance that I would never have to worry about getting a parking ticket, my vacation officially began.

As the Caribbean’s most populous and largest of the ABC islands, Curacao offers a variety of activities which include shopping along the Breedestraat Punda; photographing the colorful Dutch architecture from the rickety Pontoon Bridge connecting the two sections of Willemstad separated by waterway; diving and snorkeling at over 30 beaches renowned for their coral reefs (both natural and man-made); and lots of bars and restaurants scattered throughout the island.

Read more