Travel these days may be fraught with challenges, frustration, and inconvenience, but does this take all the fun out of traveling?

First, I would like to announce the winners of the Luxury Experience Magazine Tales of the Cocktail 2007 Contest. The contest was run to promote the 5^th Annual Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans from July 18 - 22, 2007. So with no further ado and a drum roll please, The Winners are:

Grand Prize Winner - Beth Miller Augerino, USA
Second Place Winner - Mike Young, USA
Third Place Winner - Larisa Terentjeva, Russia

I would like to thank our sponsors for the contest: Hotel Monteleone, Harrah's New Orleans, Brennan's, Authors James Waller and Ramona Ponce, and the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Tourist Bureau, Inc. The participation was extraordinary as we received entries from around the world, and I thank everyone who participated in the contest. Please keep your eyes open for future contests in Luxury Experience Magazine.

So, is travel still fun? This may be an open ended question, but it is a question that I am often asked during my travels. Personally, travel will always be fun and exciting. The journey may have taken on a few new twists, but the end result has yet to disappoint.

It is amazing how adaptive and understanding travelers have become with the numerous delays and challenges associated with traveling to destinations. I could write a thesis on lost baggage, long security lines, missed connections, and long delays sitting on planes on the airport tarmac waiting to takeoff, but alas this is not the part of travel I want to focus on. Although I am not sure if this is much different than sitting in the backseat of the car with your siblings on a long summer ‘family vacation,' singing songs, playing games, counting down the days until you have a good excuse to ‘miss out' on the next family summer vacation drive, or sharing a cramped hotel room with friends and family. It may be that we were being trained from an early age to accept the challenges we face today while traveling to a destination.

Is travel is fun? It will always be fun because there are new and exciting people and places to see. Though the world may seem smaller and more accessible through the ‘eyes' of the Internet with its virtual images and information, there is nothing that can take the place of immersing yourself into a culture, new cuisine, new sights, new sounds, and meeting people. I am proud to say that I have close friends from around the world, not just people I met in passing, but people who I stay in touch with, as well as look forward to seeing when my travel itinerary takes me through their part of the world.

Is travel fun? Yes, and with country tour boards and hotels getting the message that travelers are a bit weary of and from travel, and that the experience of traveling to a destination may be fraught with frustrations, many are imploring everyone who is a part of the hospitality supply chain to go the extra step and not only welcome the guests, but show appreciation that they selected their destination. For example: hotels know that you cannot carry certain liquids in your carry-on baggage, and they understand that the overall travel time is almost double what it use to be, so they have special packages with more then just shampoo and conditioner awaiting you, as well as other services available to ease your transition from the tribulations of travel to your final destination.      

So, is travel fun? YES! Does it have its challenges? YES. But, with respect to the challenges associated with ‘travel to a destination,' if you are flying, where else do you have a professional designated driver (pilot), a chance to eat, drink, read, sleep, and watch movies, except maybe in the back seat of a SUV with the other siblings. So, check out some exciting destinations in Luxury Experience Magazine, and book your next trip as soon as possible.

I thank you for your continued support of Luxury Experience Magazine, and as always, your comments are welcome, so please send comments to: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  

©July 2007. Luxury Experience. www.LuxuryExperience.com. All rights reserved.