New Pirate Dinner Theater Replaces Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede on the South Carolina Coast

Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede is out and her new Pirates Voyage is in as the country singing sensation hoists the colors high in her new dinner theater show on the coast of South Carolina.

According to Parton, "We just needed to do something new and different." Parton was in South Carolina on Friday for the opening of the first show which features actors portraying pirates and mermaids. The show also includes real horses as well as sea lions. "We have been successful for 18 or 19 years," Parton added, "but pirates is a great theme - children love it, seniors love it."

The Dixie Stampede show closed last year and an $11 million renovation of the building took place, which included the construction of a 15-foot, 750,000-gallon indoor pool. 30-foot pirate galleons are located at either end of the theater while the sunken wreck of a third ship is located in the middle of the set.

Parton mentioned that the new theme has nothing to do with the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise but did add "that's a good plus. It's wonderful the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' No. 4 came out and it's No. 1 in the world. The timing couldn't be better but we didn't base it on that as much as having a wonderful theme."

Parton went on to say, "we've been talking about this for a few years. We thought it would be more fitting being here on the beach just to have something like that and we didn't want to build an additional one so we just thought that we would convert the Dixie Stampede."

Depending on how the show does in Myrtle Beach, Parton said she may attempt to bing the show to other seaside markets as well. "It was always planned for Myrtle Beach. We had a Dixie Stampede in Orlando and it didn't do very well. We're going to try this and see. If this is going well here, we may do some more beach destinations with the pirate theme."

The new pirate show is the second new major attraction to go up in Myrtle Beach this season. The tallest Ferris wheel in the eastern United States went up back in May and stands 200 feet tall and cost $12 million to make. It also has one million LED lights on it and each of the 42 gondolas are air conditioned.

So if you are planning on taking the family on vacation this year, Myrtle Beach may be the place to go. You can spend some time at the beach, ride one of the nation's biggest ferris wheels and see an awesome pirate show at a dinner theater. I'm sold already!

Source: Yahoo! News - Dolly Parton launches pirate show on SC coast

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Google Makes Traveling a Breeze

If you are one that loves to travel, then you are most likely fully aware of the immense amount of resources that that are available to you through the internet. There are tons of things on the internet that can assist you with your travels, but it is best not to overlook one of the more basic sources of information and that is Google.

Google's search box is capable of putting incredible amounts of information at your fingertips without ever going to another website. Have an inquiry about the weather where you will be traveling? Type in the name of the place where you are going along with the word weather and you can get the current temperature and conditions for that day as well as a four day forecast.

Google also offers you instant currency conversions. Type the amount of money and the currency in the Google search box and you will get an instant conversion to dollars, unless you specify another currency. You can do all of this without having to ever go to a currency converting website.

Google searches also allow you to track flights without the need of going to the airline or airport's website. Type in the name of a plane and you will get results on tracking the craft from one location to another and about departure time and arrival time.

Want to access the World time instantly? Oh yeah, Google can do that too. Type in "time Sydney" or "Sydney time" and the current time in Sydney, Australia is given. Google Maps is also an incredible resource. Type in your destination and hit search and, after clicking on the right destination, you will receive a map on the right side of the screen and pictures on the left. You can even get the famous "Street View" if you want it.

By clicking "Search Nearby" in Google Maps, you can find almost anything you desire that is around your destination. Whatever you type in will pop up with a distance measure from your location. Searching for hotels gives you the names of the places as well as check-in and check-out times, photos and the hotel's address and phone number.

Need help with a foreign language? Try out Google Translate. Simply find the language in the drop down box which you want translated and the language you want it translated to, type in your word and hit "Translate". It's as simple as that.

So the next time you are planning on traveling, keep things simple. Use Google and the tools provided there and I guarantee that your trip will go as smoothly as possible.

Source: Yahoo! News - Some tips for using Google for travel information

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Wi-Fi on U.S. Flights

According to Computerworld, one-third of all U.S. flights are now Wi-Fi friendly. This could make air travel time pass much more quickly, and it could also be very advantageous to those who travel often on business.

Virgin Flights and AirTran can boast that they offer on-board Wi-Fi on every single one of their planes. It will cost you anywhere from $4.95 to $12.95. The New York Times claims that Delta features the most planes with Wi-Fi access though. Nearly all of their 500 different planes offer their travelers Gogo-based Internet access. Gogo is an in-flight Internet service that provides coverage for Air Canada, AirTran, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, US Airways, and Virgin America.

JetBlue and Continental Airlines are currently testing out Wi-Fi on their planes, and all other airlines seem to have at least some form of Wi-Fi available on a number of their planes. Southwest Airlines only has Wi-Fi on 6 of their 540 planes as of now, but they claim that they will have all of their planes outfitted with Wi-Fi connectivity by 2012. Alaska Airlines only has Wi-Fi access on a few of their planes as well, but they say that by the end of the year all of their planes should have access.

The two main in-flight Wi-Fi providers are Aircell’s Gogo in-flight service and Row 44’s Ku-band system. Aircell is ground-based. They use cell phone towers to transmit Wi-Fi throughout the sky. Because Aircell has ground-based service, it limits its Wi-Fi range to the U.S., but as long as you are flying within the country, you’re set with great service from Aircell. Row 44 mounts an antenna to the plane using the Wi-Fi. The antenna then connects the plane to HughesNet satellite Internet service.

It's great that Wi-Fi is finally showing up prominently in the air. It will make flights so much more enjoyable. By 2012, when Southwest features Wi-Fi access on all of their planes, I’m sure that most airlines will have followed in their footsteps. Sooner than later, Wi-Fi access will be completely standard on all airlines.

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Traveling Safely with Your Data

When you travel, you probably take all sorts of precautions. After all, you'll be in a place you're not familiar with, with people you don't know. You probably stay on guard, keep your luggage locked up and don't keep large amounts of cash on you. But what about your data? Most people take their laptops and cell phones along when they go on trips, or they use public computers, but what are they doing to keep these items safe?

Most people may take a few precautions at home or the office to make sure their data is secure, but when you're traveling, there is a whole new set of things to worry about. For example, using public computers in cybercafes and hotels may seem like a convenient option, but most people don't realize most of them have malicious malware on them. This can include keylogger programs that record your strokes or capture screenshots of what you're doing. Both can lead to someone stealing your log-in information. Before you using one of these computers, ask an employee or attendant what sort of security measures are used on the computers or see if you can't find a security program icon and check it out yourself. If you can't find a secure computer, avoid doing anything that involves your financial information and if you check your email, change your password when you do get to a secure location.

Using public Wi-Fi on your own personal laptop is a safer option but it can cause some problems, as well. There is free, easy to get software on the market that allows people to view and analyze Wi-Fi traffic. Your data could be read by the wrong person using this software. Use a firewall for protection. The most recent versions of both Apple and Microsoft operating systems come with a free one. You'll also want to make sure your information is encrypted. You can check this by making sure your website addresses say "https." Also, while using your laptop or smartphone in public, you may want to consider purchasing a privacy screen. This will prevent nosy neighbors from getting a glance of what you're doing.

Even when you're not using it, you'll want to protect your laptop from potential thieves. Stealing laptops is big business these days, especially at airports. According to the New York Times, over 12,000 laptops are lost or stolen each week in airports. Make sure you've protected and backed up important data. Also, never leave your laptop alone. Take it to the bathroom with you if you need to and never check it with your luggage. Even if you leave it in a hotel room, you'll want to invest in a lock to prevent dishonest hotel staff from doing something they shouldn't.

Switching gears from laptops to smartphones, a smartphone is often a safer alternative for checking email and other data that you may use your laptop for. If you use your iPhone, Blackberry, or other device to connect to Wi-Fi, though, you have the same worries as you do when you use your laptop. Also, some people can use Bluetooth to snoop into your text messages and contact information. And don't forget there are apps you can buy that will help you find your phone if it's lost or stolen. MobileMe for iPhone allows users to locate missing devices on a map, set a password lock from a remote location, display a message on the screen and erase data from a remote location, as well as making your phone ring, even if the ringer is turned off.

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4 Mistakes Every Traveler Makes

When you start planning a vacation, it's easy to get carried away with the excitement of your trip and forget or overlook some important details. As a matter of fact, there are some extra precautions you should take and things you should avoid that most travelers are not even aware of. Below you'll find a list of a four big travel mistakes that almost everyone makes and what you can do to prevent yourself from making them in the future.

1. Cruise Insurance

Every cruise line offers it but few people buy it. What are the chances you won't be able to make it to your cruise ship in time? It happens. Maybe you get sick or maybe your flight is delayed. Whatever the reason, it's entirely possible that big boat is gonna leave the mainland without you. Sure, you can call and explain the situation to the cruise line and ask for a refund or credit for any future cruise, but chances are you're not gonna get either. Why? Because cruise ships offer the insurance for this very reason.

So how you do you remedy the situation? It's simple: purchase the cancellation insurance. You may want to shop around and get a few quotes first; just because the cruise line you're using offers a certain type, doesn't mean it's the best.

2. Rental Cars

Picture it: you rent a car for a week and treat it with more care than you treat your own vehicle. Once your vacation is over, you return the car to the rental company, only for an employee to notice a small scratch on the bumper. You're fairly certain it was there when you rented the car but the employee and the rental company do not believe you and suddenly you find yourself with a claim against you.

Avoiding this situation is easy. Make sure someone who works for the rental company inspects your car before you drive it out of the lot and makes note of any damage. Walk around the car with the employee and point out even the smallest scratch. You may even consider taking a picture. FYI, Hertz already does this.

3. Foreign Transaction Fees

When you book a flight to or a hotel room in another country, you may be surprised with a sizable transaction fee. It doesn't matter if your entire transaction took place over the phone or online in the United States, if your destination is elsewhere, it's highly probable you'll be charged a foreign transaction fee. In most cases, the foreign transaction fee has replaced the foreign exchange fee that used to cover the cost of exchanging currencies.

You should always read the fine print on your credit card member agreement and make sure you are aware of an extraneous fees. Capital One is one credit card that not only doesn't impose the transaction fee, but it also doesn't charge the cross-border fees that Visa and MasterCard charge.

4. Resort Fees

When you stay at a hotel, you expect everything to be covered in your nightly charge, right? Well, some hotels charge a mandatory "resort fee" and basically, it's just a way to get some extra cash out of your pocket. For example, Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas charges $4.99 a night for "pone calls, in-room bottled water, and additional inclusions." Those "additional inclusions" aren't specified, so who knows what that means, but shouldn't this stuff be included in your room price? Why add on a bunch of extra fees? Because they can and will if they think they can get away with it.

Again, solving this problem is simple. Don't stay at these hotels. Don't give them your business. If you're given an opportunity, voice your opinions about the fees to hotel staff and management. If they ask why you'll be staying elsewhere, tell them it's because of the pointless extra fee. Maybe one day, they'll get the hint.

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More People Using Mobile Apps for Travel

These days, travelers of all ages are using their mobile devices for everything from flight notification to check-in. And many of them are even willing to accept advertising with free apps, or so says a study conducted by the Sabre Travel Network, the world's leading provider of high-performance travel industry solutions. The global mobile survey of 800 corporate and leisure travelers from North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific covered a broad range of topis from fees for apps to preferred features. Here's a look at what they found:

69% of the travelers surveyed owned a smartphone, with North Americans being most likely to own one (78%) and Asian Pacific travelers being least likely (46%). Most of the smartphone owners used their phone for email and about half used it for internet purposes. While younger generations are usually thought of as the ones to keep up with trendy technology, the survey found that nearly half, or about 47% of smartphone-owning travelers are 40-years-old or older, proving that theory wrong.

Both corporate and leisure travelers showed that they were often using their phones for getting relevant travel information in a timely manner. According to Greg Webb, the chief marketing officer of Sabre Holdings, smartphones are actually the preferred way to get information and he sees a huge opportunity for the travel industry, "This trend has seemingly penetrated all ages across all continents, highlighting the tremendous opportunity for travel agencies and suppliers to leverage mobile solutions to demonstrate value to their customers and creatively reach target audiences."

The study found that 63% of travelers are open to automating reaccommodation services and checking in and out of hotels with their mobile phones and 61% are willing to to use their phones to book flights. The travel booking company Travelocity validated this response by saying they've seen a large increase in the number of bookings coming from mobile devices in recent months. Of the various groups surveyed, Europeans seemed more open to using new mobile technology for these activities.

All travelers said they were willing to compromise some advertising for free travel apps. 28% of frequent travelers and 22% of leisure travelers said they actually preferred the free apps. However, in Europe, only 14% of travelers preferred the free apps.

"There's been a lot of experimentation with pay-for-services in the past," Webb said in a statement. "With advertising emerging as a more palatable choice for travelers, application providers and retailers now have a way of monetizing their offering and driving more value out of a potentially lucrative marketing channel." He also asserted that Sabre is committed to helping the travel industry "advance their mobile strategies" and next year, the company plans to increased mobile investments to, "continue growing our award-winning portfolio of mobile solutions for both agency and airline customers."

Sabre's recent launch of the mobile app TripCase for iPhone and Blackberry has been downloaded tens of thousands of times and was nominated for a "Innovator of the Year" nomination by PhoCusWright and was named "Best Travel App" by Business Week. Their Virtually There itinerary service is used by over 30,000 travel agencies around the world.

A Feature-filled Budget GPS System: The TomTom One 140-S

The new TomTom One 140-S has finally brought some competition to the entry-level GPS market. It has a multitude of features that makes it stand far above many people’s reigning budget GPS choice, the $249.99 Garmin nüvi 265T.

The first thing that will draw your attention to the TomTom is its sleek stylish appearance. Its features a glossy black case with chrome-accent trimming around the 3.5-inch touch screen. The whole GPS system measures 3.0 x 3.6 x 0.8 inches (HWD) and weighs a total of 6.8 ounces with the suction-cup mounting bracket. The Easyport mounting bracket is not exactly what you would call easy. To remove the GPS from the bracket, you must either pop the GPS out of the mounting systems or remove the entire apparatus itself from the windshield. The problem with just popping the GPS out is that it is very difficult to put back into the bracket, and the issue with removing the whole bracket is that it can be difficult to stick back on your windshield.

Although the TomTom One 140-S is very similar to its previous model, the 130-S, there have been some very exciting improvements to the system. The 140-S now sports a Quick Menu. This gives you the ability to choose up to six of your most used functions for easy access through onscreen shortcut icons. There are also new and improved maps on the 140-S and an expanded points-of-interest database that features over seven million entries that spread over all 50 states, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. The maps are pre-loaded on your internal memory, and with the TomTom’s Home application you can plot your trips and update your maps through your PC.

A disadvantage with the TomTom One 140-S is that it does not include live traffic capabilities. To solve this problem, you will have to purchase a USB RDS-TMC traffic receiver for $59.97. This does include a free subscription for the first year but will cost you about $60 per year after that.

One of the really cool features included in the 140-S is the IQ Routes. This technology will calculate your optimal routes based on previous knowledge of your average speed. These results will give a more accurate estimated time than speed-limit-only data. It takes a little longer to calculate your route, but it is obviously worth the wait for a more accurate prediction and quicker route.

Another important feature to discuss is the Advanced Lane Guidance of the 140-S. This allows you to clearly see which lane you should be in to accomplish any upcoming maneuvers and informs you of any road signs that you can expect to see. Lane Guidance is an excellent safety feature that is difficult to find in any budget GPS systems. The 140-S also includes itinerary planning, which can come in handy when taking a multi-segmented trip.

The TomTom One 140-S is easy to operate, like its predecessor the 130-S. The volume has definitely been improved on the 140-S though, which is a welcome change. The 140-S can get as loud as you could possibly need, and conveniently increases the volume automatically every time the car goes over 45 mph.
The TomTom One 140-S has so many outstanding features for its small price tag. For $199.95 you can possess a GPS system that features a Quick Menu, IQ Routes, Advanced Lane Guidance, itinerary planning, and so much more. I feel that this budget GPS is definitely the way to go. With all the features that can’t be found in any other budget GPS system’s, how could you possibly pass the it up. The TomTom One 140-S is definitely a breath of fresh air.

Travel Books Meet Mobile Technology with QR Codes

As the line between actual books printed on paper and electronic books blur, the publishing industry is always looking to come up with new, innovative ways to stay current. The world of travel guides is no different. Travelers increasingly turn to laptops and cell phones to do everything from plan their vacations to find their way around a new place.

But now, Quick Response(QR)Codes offer an easier way to connect your travel guidebooks with your smartphone. The codes are already a big hit in Japan. Essentially, you can aim smartphone cameras and other devices at the QR codes, which are like barcodes found in travel books, and you're linked to online information such as maps or directions based on where you are located. You may also store information in your phone about the location on the page. QR codes aren't just in books, though. You can find them everywhere from on billboards to t-shirts.

A new travel book, Earthbound: A Rough Guide to the World in Pictures is using QR codes to help link readers to different locations around the world. The $30 coffee-table book features over 250 glossy photos from exotic world locations with insight from the photographers. It's just like any other travel or photo book, but it also features little black and white boxes next to each image. These are the QR codes and they offer a link to each location on Google Maps.

The book suggests using either of the free apps, 2D sense and NeoReader, for reading the codes. QuickMark code-scanning app ($0.99 in the app store) is also said to be a good app to use along with the QR codes. A spokesperson for the book's publisher says later generation iPhones and Blackberry's work best for reading the codes. In addition to looking at maps of the various locales, you can look at satellite images and bookmark locations so that you can get directions to that location should you ever be in the area.

This may not seem like much, but technology experts say it's only the beginning of what you could do with QR codes and travel. An Associated Press writer compares it to folding down the pages in a guidebook, while Scott Strickland, the Rough Guides Design Manager says he foresees a future where travelers can scan the codes in the books and leave the books at home or in their hotel rooms, to lighten their loads. He also says the company is simply "testing the waters" and while they do agree there is a widening gap between print books and technology, they have no further concrete plans to put QR codes in more books, at least not until the phenomenon becomes more popular.

The Garmin nüvi 1260T

The Garmin nüvi 1260T is ready to assist you in the car or on the street because not only is it an amazing GPS system but also it features an enhanced pedestrian mode. This top of the line system, when combined with the cityXplorer maps, can aide pedestrians in finding bus and subway routes. This could be a huge blessing to people living in a large city full of complex public transportation systems.

The 1260T features a 3.5-inch, 320 x 240-pixel screen, a Bluetooth phone interface, and is pre-loaded with maps for North America. Also included is text-to-speech conversion and ecoRoute. EcoRoute is a feature that allows you to find the most fuel-efficient ways to get around. In automobile mode, the 1260T functions exactly like the Garmin nüvi 265T, but in pedestrian mode, a whole new realm opens up. It will assist you in finding the nearest bus and subway stations and provide a detailed map of the city streets that you might happen to be wandering.

Another fascinating selling point of the 1260T is that it is the thinnest GPS system currently on the market. This is important due to the fact that you might be carrying this GPS around the streets of New York City and won’t exactly want to be weighted down. With its sleek appearance and lack of bulkiness, this definitely gives some brownie points to the 1260T.

I feel like this GPS system is a pretty good deal. For $299.99 you can have the thinnest GPS on the market that also includes advanced features. I think the enhanced pedestrian mode could be a big help if you travel to big cities often, and the ecoRoute feature could definitely come in handy with the ever-increasing gas prices. In my opinion, the Garmin nüvi 1260T seems like a great GPS system to look in to.

Traveling By Air... not this time

I don't mind driving, I actually enjoy it. Every family vacation I'm the designated driver and we usually take my Expedition so that the whole family (Me, my wife, our daughter, and my mother and father) has room to relax and we have plenty of space for luggage and a cooler. It really makes the trip pleasant.... for awhile.

The problem is when we start talking about 12+ hours in the car. My 2 year old daughter does well as long as she is entertained, but 12 hours is a lot for a little one. So, when we decided we'd be making a trip to Cape Corel, Florida this year I jumped online to find airline tickets. We were flexible on dates so I was able to find round trip air fares anywhere from $380 a person, to as low as $160 a person. This excited me, until I did the math... $160 times 5 people (we need a separate seat for my daughter now...)... is still $800. Which isn't bad except when we land: we need a car. A 10 day rental on a decent sized vehicle (which we need to hold all of our luggage), is another $500 or more. That brings the total for the trip to $1,300. That's also assuming we can get each person to only pack 1 suitcase... which is doubtful. Assuming we need 2 or 3 extra pieces of luggage on the plane, that's an extra $100 or so. We're now at $1,400 at least.

So next, I looked into driving. From Middletown, Ohio to Cape Coral, Florida is around 1,100 miles. Assuming gas is at $2.50 a gallon and my truck drinks it at a rate of a gallon every 14 miles... it will cost $392 in gas, round trip. That's $1,000 less than flying. Even considering any incidentals like more stops for meals, etc, we'd still save a fortune.

So... in this rough economy... how can I really justify spending $1,000 more on a trip than I have to? I can't. And that is why this year we will be driving to Florida and using our savings to enjoy activities that we otherwise might not have done.

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Welcome to our Blog on Traveling and Technology

Born of the desire to share photos, stories of traveling and the technology we use to make this all happen; we have created the Modern Traveling blog.

In the coming days and months I will be inviting both friends from real life and friends from this virtual world to post their stories and photos here. We will always have a focus on the cool places we travel to with a side of techno, involving the gadgets such as laptops, GPS device, etc, that help make the trip better. If you would like to post contact me anytime by leaving a comment here. Thanks again and enjoy the trip.

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