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What a day! I wrapped up with a meta-seminar called "What's Hot in Adventure Travel?" featuring four destinations, each presented by different representatives. Greece: Colleen McGuire, CycleGreece Bhutan: Dr.

I've just exited an excellent seminar with Marybeth Bond, travel author and Adventure Editor for TravelGirl Magazine. Listen to my reaction to her seminar: Ms. Bond also suggested I blog the Travel Tips from her website, www.gutsytraveler.com

Today's the opening (trade conference only) for the Adventures in Travel Expo 2005 - 2006 in New York City! I awoke this morning to pea soup, thick fog and mist obscuring the view from our living room. I could scarcely see the buildings a block away. For a moment I felt a little gloomy, plunged into the fog after a balmy and sunny week, and then I remembered that I'd be "living" in the Javits center for the next two days anyway. So a little crumby weather's just fine; that way I won't feel like I'm missing anything.

I've been thinking that Turin will be one of the more enticing Winter Olympics venues I'm likely to see during my liftime. I discovered that a friend is headed off for a month to help with press coverage. Now that's a good gig! My only experience of the city was brief, a stop-over during a weeklong road trip around Italy. Unfortunately I won't be there for the Olympics, but according to Andrew Dampf's Associated Press article, "Turin may offer more after the Olympics", picked up by MSNBC, that may not be such a bad thing. Dampf emphasizes the obvious: once the craziness of the Olympic Games have passed, Turin will be at its best without the hords of toursits, inflated prices, etc.

"The 1 million people expected for the games will be gone, making travel, hotel reservations and the city's world-class food and wines much more accessible. Post-Olympic visitors will also enjoy a completely remodeled city."

Makes sense to me! At least it's helping me to overcome the jealousy I was feeling for my friend who'll be headed off to Torino soon. Dampf goes on to highlight Turin's impressive transformation (modeled on Barcelona's rebirth for the 1992 Olympics) including:

The visit of Queen Elizabeth II to the island of Malta to open the recent Commonwealth meeting resulted in nearly a week of positive coverage for the island on television, print media and the internet. While Malta has often been overlooked as a holiday destination, the coverage has come immediately before the traditional holiday booking period for the summer with Malta hotels, holiday companies and property agents hoping that it will boost awareness of this often forgotten island. For a Mediterranean island with good year round weather, a friendly local English speaking population and facilities to rival that of any of her competitors, Malta is a suprisingly often forgotten island for many people planning a holiday in the Mediterranean.