Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers on useful resources, favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.
Name: Beth Blair
Occupation: Writer, Blogger, and Author of Break into Travel Writing
Hometown: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Residence: St. Paul, Minnesota
Website: Beth-Blair.com & TheVacationGals.com
Twitter: @BethBlair
Facebook: facebook.com/BethBlairTravels
Pinterest: pinterest.com/thebethblair/
YouTube: youtube.com/user/TheBethBlair
Short Bio: Beth Blair is a recovering flight attendant (again) as well as a Minneapolis-St. Paul based travel and lifestyle writer and co-owner of the The Vacation Gals blog which won gold in the Travel Blog category in the 28th annual Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition. Beth is also author of Break into Travel Writing (Hodder-Stoughton, 2012 and McGraw-Hill, 2013) and is Shape Magazine’s 2013 Weight Loss Diary Columnist (yes, she’ll be talking health and fitness on the road).
How often do you fly: Last summer when I was working as a flight attendant I was flying four to six days a week. Lately, it’s not nearly that much.
Favorite American city: New Orleans, Louisiana. Some of my best childhood memories took place in NOLA.
Favorite World Heritage Site: Taos Pueblo, New Mexico. My family (I’m the eldest of five kids) took a family road trip there when I was a teenager. That week still goes down as one of my favorites.
Favorite airline: Southwest. As a former employee I will always have a soft spot for the Luv Airline.
Favorite aircraft type: To work or ride? I love the saying: If it ain’t Boeing I ain’t going. But when I was flying for a Delta supplemental airline I became fond of the Embraer 175.
Aisle or window: Window. Always.
Favorite U.S. airport: Any airport in Montana. Talk about easy arrival/departure. Plus, every airport out there is filled with taxidermy which gives the airports a rustic sense of place.
Favorite international airport: Punta Cana. I adore the thatch roof.
Favorite hotel: Any one with decent beds.
Favorite cruise line: I’ve only been on two cruises: Princess (Alaska) and Disney Fantasy (Caribbean). Both were fantastic.
Favorite island: Kauai, Hawaii
Favorite fruit: I’m a berry girl but put a ripe mango in front of me and life is good. That might explain my favorite song, too: Last Mango in Paris by Jimmy Buffet.
Favorite food: Avocado, although I guess that technically is a fruit…
Least favorite food: Never been a picky eater
Drink of choice (In the air and on the ground): Water with cucumber
Favorite travel movie(s): Roman Holiday
Favorite travel show(s): House Hunters International and pretty much anything Travel Channel
Favorite travel book(s): “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” by Ernest Hemingway
Right now I am reading: I’m working with a life coach right now so I’m absorbed in her book: “Progress not Perfection” by Kate Larsen.
Five things you bring on a plane: Water, book, notebook, jacket/sweater, camera (for my window seat)
What do you always seem to forget: Nothing, now that I keep a duplicate toiletry bag in my suitcase.
Most embarrassing/funny travel moment: The time a co-worker put a sign in my safety information card for my flight attendant demo. For three flights I flashed a sign that said, “I love to fly naked!” It wasn’t until a group of rowdy football fans starting cheering that I realized why everyone was laughing on my early flights.
What’s your dream destination: Iceland
Favorite travel website(s) – besides JohnnyJet.com, of course!: TheVacationGals.com of course!
Best travel tip: Always say thank you.
I’ve just added Beth’s book to my Amazon Wishlist! I’m searching for my passions and have recently taken up random writing gigs on the side. I’d love to couple that with my desire to travel. :) Thanks for the article!
Love Beth Blair, she’s a class act!