Southwest shames another woman

Who isn't tempted by the allure of the islands? The lush flowers, the droopy palm trees ripe with coconuts, the gentle waves lapping the shore…. Sure, it's a clichéd vision of Hawaii, but it's an effective (and largely deserved!) one. Travel companies have been milking it for decades, and Hawaii remains one of the top spots for honeymooners. While on my own honeymoon in Maui, I came across a package of postcards featuring vintage art from the early 20th century—the glory days of travel to Hawaii. This was a time when airlines and cruise lines were selling the glamour of travel to the Pacific by using some of the classic art imagery that had already been seen on "luxury" items like canned pineapples. Check out the slide show I've put together, showcasing a bunch of these iconic images of Hawaii. Related While we have you in the mood, read up on your favorite island, whether it's Kauai, Maui, Oahu or the Big Island. Earlier A slide show of photographs from the book Exotic Postcards: The Lure of Distant Lands [artwork courtesy of islandartstore.com]

We received the following email from Judy McFarland of Columbia, Mo. Please let Kate Appleton know that she missed one Wacky Festival in Missouri, the Testicle Festival. I've attached a billboard picture from the festival, which happens in Olean, Mo. Duly noted, Judy. We clicked these photos on Flickr to learn more. But you may be heartened to know that Budget Travel mentioned the Testicle Festival in its recent Road Trip: Eastern Kansas. [Update: A reader has reported on a second testicle festival. See comments below.] You can see Judy's testicle festival photo... here: And here is Kate Appleton's terrific roundup of Wacky Festivals.

Last month, I boarded a 13-hour flight from L.A. to Auckland, New Zealand, expecting hassle, discomfort, and general unpleasantness. But I was in for a surprise because I was flying with Air New Zealand. As I boarded, I was politely greeted (gasp!) by genuinely friendly flight attendants. Once seated, I was offered a choice of beverages that included fine teas, coffees, wines, and much-appreciated water. This service continued throughout the flight like clockwork. As the cabin dimmed for dinner, I, for the first time, consumed an entire airline dinner--a tasty and fresh New Zealand lamb loin, which was a far cry from traditional airline fare, to say the least. The pre-arrival breakfast was equally impressive, including quiches, frittatas, spinach omelets, and French toast. My fellow passengers who forgot to pack sleep aids were glad to know that each seat on Air New Zealand is outfitted with an on-demand entertainment system. Over 250 programming are offered: current and classic movies (including a selection from New Zealand directors), games, sports, travel guides, television shows, and a wide selection of music channels. I even found myself slightly bummed when the pilot announced our arrival, halfway through my Lord of the Rings movie marathon. The leg room in "Pacific Class," like most airlines, could stand improvement, but, all aside, Air New Zealand proved that flying (even on epic trips) can still be painless and (dare I say) enjoyable.--Liz McKenzie. Related: A Month in New Zealand With No Set Plans [Photo by Liz McKenzie.]

Peter Tarlow is a Texas rabbi and religion professor who, decades ago, became fascinated by security issues facing the tourism industry. His main impulse has been to bring together the best minds in the field to think about how to improve security for travelers. Every year, in larger and larger conferences, he has brought together hotel owners, airline owners, law enforcement officials, and other travel groups, prompting them to trade ideas on how security can be improved. This week, he's running the XVI International Tourism Security and Safety Conference in Las Vegas. Along the way, Tarlow has become one of the nation's acknowledged thought leaders on the topic, and president of the Tourism & More consulting company. Tarlow is currently taking questions from readers like yourself. (Click here to submit a question.) He will respond with answers in an online chat tomorrow (Tuesday) at BudgetTravel.com between noon and 1 p.m. Eastern time. Tarlow and I recently talked about today's top security issues. He unnerved me with the following thought: Many famous hotels are in denial about the safety of their buildings... Currently, he says, many hotels have no truly effective plans for emergencies. For example, many hotels have unrealistic ideas about how quickly their guests would be able to evacuate. They also lack plans for rescuing guests who are severely overweight and physically impaired. These folks may struggle to step down stairwells when elevators aren't working. Tarlow hopes that several hotels will do more to improve their security. But he says that pressure from the public and from law enforcement will be needed. Resort areas, such as the coastal beaches of Hawaii, also need to improve security for guests, he says. For instance, many travelers injure themselves or lose their lives when they attempt to surf and swim in the Pacific Ocean. One innovative program Tarlow is touting is that resort areas should partner with local universities to tap into the knowledge and manpower of students enrolled in kinesiology classes. These students would come up with creative ways to get the word out about ocean safety. If you have any questions about tourism safety, broadly defined, please submit your question to Tarlow now.