PicaJet Blog

It’s all over the news.  Increases in airline tickets.  Increases in airline handling fees. 

In Europe, Ryanair is charging for everything from booking your ticket with a credit card to simply showing up at the airport.  Cruise lines are upping their prices, too, and all in an attempt to offset the rising price of fuel.

But should the increased fees mean less travel?  Or maybe it’s just time to get really creative when booking or packing for our travel adventures? 

Read on . . .

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There’s “adventurous” travel and then there is “dangerous” travel.  Since neither my husband nor I are members of the CIA, nor are we navy seals, we have placed limitations on our travel experiences.   Those limitations recently affected one of our travel decisions: an end-of-summer trip to Belize.

Having reviewed a recent Canadian foreign affairs travel report, we have decided that Belize is not the place for us - at least not this year.  

Read on . . .

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A man ran up to our table at the local farmers market, and boom, he and his camera were in my granddaughter’s face.  No preamble, no “Hi. How are you?”  No nothing.  Just wham, bam . . . you get the picture (pardon the pun).

I was stunned.  It was all I could do not to grab the guy by his camera cord and demand that he erase the picture.  He stupidly bobbed his head, mumbling something about how he “hoped I didn’t mind,” but I knew he wasn’t asking permission.  He was just reacting to the look on my face. 

He scuttled away like the vermin he had proven himself to be.

Do you photograph people this way?  If so, you are WRONG!  And worse, you are a coward.

As a photographer, I am very opposed to this grab-and-run style of thievery.  In my estimation, it is a type of violence, a rape, if you will.   Without some form of permission, be it a slight nod of acceptance or a full model release, modern day shutterbugs should NOT be zooming in on people, and taking their photos.

Here are some suggestions to ensure you remain civilized when shooting photographs of strangers.  Read on . . .

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Guns, knives, hand grenades, alligators, and bottles of water — these things will be confiscated if you try to take them through American airport security.  But what currently is allowed in your carry-on luggage?

Since the terrorist attacks of 9-11, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has changed its mind repeatedly on what is and what is not allowed onto a plane.  Nail clippers, once taboo, are now okay.  But what about foods?  Can you take your lunch onto the plane?  What about lithium batteries?  A camcorder?  What about a tube of face moisturizer?

The answer is “Yes,” to some things, and “No,” to others.  If you are still unsure, here’s a quick checklist of some of the most common items allowed and those disallowed in airport security.

Read on . . .

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Okay, call me a traitor, call me a fool, call me any name you like but I had to take the chance.  I made a decision, before a recent trip to southern Texas and New Orleans, to leave my heavy Olympus Evolt E-300 DSLR at home.  I replaced it with a sleek little 12-megapixel Fuji FinePix F50 compact digital camera. 

My husband looked at me askance as he repeatedly asked me if I still wanted to take my DSLR camera.  I told him, firmly, “No.”  That I would take my chances.  And that I would live with my decision.  Only time would tell if I had made a terrible mistake . . .

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Who owns the most haunted house in New Orleans, Louisiana?  He’s a big star, he’s done lots of movies, he’s an Oscar-winner, and he was once married to the child of a King.  Can you guess?

Okay, here’s another clue: he lives down the street from another famous star, in fact, a pair of Hollywood notables: Brad and Angelina.

Have you guessed yet?  No? 

Read on. . .

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Ignore its dumpy exterior because if you want to eat in this New Orleans restaurant, you’ll have to get over first appearances.  Besides, the place was good enough for celebrities like Steve Martin, Jimmy Buffet, Kathleen Turner, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and LeAnn Rimes.

Look for a plain building with a side entrance; one of the entrances probably has a busted door, so you’ll have to go to the side.  You’ll see lots of people coming and going; that’s always a good sign of good eats.  Once inside, don’t stand around waiting for any special attention, just grab a menu, and place your order.

Read on. . .

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Nothing proclaims, “This person is an adventurer” like a Tilley hat.  It’s true; look at a group of tourists - the ones in the khaki Tilley hats don’t look so touristy - they look more serious, more experienced, more like seasoned travelers.

Yes, it’s all good when you wear a Tilley hat unless, of course, you (like my husband and world travel companion) refuse to wear the hat’s chin strap.  That decision, or lack thereof, can get you into a lot of trouble.

Read on. . .

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I was feeling a tad envious as I watched other passengers board the charming Taieri Gorge vintage train.  They didn’t even have to drive into Dunedin because the train pulled up alongside our Celebrity ship. 

However, had I known how wonderful a day in Dunedin, New Zealand was going to be, I would have merrily waved them on their way, without a second thought. 

I found out later those folks didn’t get much of a chance to explore Dunedin (Celtic for Edinburgh) and that would have meant missing so much.

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Favorite travel destinations?  The question is hard to answer because there are so many.  But if I am asked what some of my favorite foreign cities are, the question is more easily answered. 

In the number one position is the ancient city of Florence, Italy.

It’s in Florence that I had my best cappuccino, at a sidewalk café; it was so artfully decorated with the image of a fern leaf designed with coffee in the milky foam.  Florence is also the city that introduced me to one of the most surprising street performers I have ever encountered.

Read on . . .

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