In 2007, Joe Gebbia (1 of 3 founders of airbnb) and roommates found themselves strapped for cash and looking for a way to bring in some extra income. The combination of an upcoming design conference,  sold out hotels and their unused airbed provided the eureka moment. By the end of the conference they had made $1000 and the genesis of AirBnB began in earnest.

Today with listings in 1120 cities and 82 countries, AirBnB has grown beyond Joe’s living room. In fact even I use them on a regular basis and so far the experience has been great. The process is simple – tidy up, throw up the shades to light the apartment and shoot some decent pictures to create a profile and a listing for your space and let the the website work its dissemination magic. You determine the rental cost and AirBnB charges an additional 10% to the renter. Money is held in escrow as soon as the reservation is accepted and upon guest check in gets put in your paypal account.

I’ve rented my shoebox of an apartment about half a dozen times and get inquiries daily. Each time has gone really smoothly and I’ve even met some really interesting people. You can usually get a pretty good feel about the person based on their profile and the kinds of questions they ask. Asking what their plans are in your home city is a good starting point as well.

Roomorama, while much smaller in scale offering their service to only Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington DC, works on the same premise with a couple of distinct differences. Roomorama, which just got a face lift a few days ago, allows you to set a weekly and monthly rate, which is better for those who actually have a second home or apartment and the payment process works differently. Once the booking has been accepted the renter is given a code which they give to you upon arrival. Once you input that code money is sent to your account.

I use both services, though am more often on AirBnB, one- because the design of the site is better (though that gap has lessened tremendously with Roomorama’s redesign), and two- with more cities they obviously get more internet traffic.

So with Missadventures planned for Kauai’s Napali coast, Mexico’s version of the French Riviera and backpacking through India, well I think jet setting frugality is as aptly coined a term as jumbo shrimp.

http://tinyurl.com/pn3psl

VolunTourism is a relatively new concept, as defined by Voluntourism.org:

“VolunTourism is a combination of the words volunteerism and tourism. It integrates the best of travel and tourism – arts, culture, geography, heritage sites, the natural environment, and recreation – with the opportunity to serve and enhance the destination – its people, places, and things.”

Research shows that the concept of volunteering and vacationing together has grown in appeal in the wake of September 11, Hurricane Katrina and the Southeast Asia Tsunami of ’04.

Large corporations are also jumping on the bandwagon. My mom recently went to Mississippi to work with Habitat for Humanity to rebuild homes for those who lost everything during Hurricane Katrina. 

VolunTourism is also becoming more viable because it allows flexible scheduling. Instead of having to commit to months or years in the Peace Corps, it’s now easy to find an organization that can arrange a great opportunity for just a few weeks.  And even short-term experiences can be valuable.

Our trip was coordinated through Global Crossroad but there’s a vacation with a purpose out there for everyone: from teaching English, wildlife conservation, health-care, to rebuilding and rehabilitation centers.

Why are we doing it?  We think it’s a wonderful way to bond and have a fun, meaningful holiday and give back to the local community we are visiting while getting up close with these children in need.  It also lets us really “get into” the destination, rather than just see it from a tourists point-of-view.  We hope to make a difference while exploring the world and enriching ourselves in the process.  Now that’s an adventure!

The “no boys allowed” trend is booming and it’s not just the younger crowd heading to Vegas for a drunken weekend.  Women of all walks of life are deciding to indulge in a little “me time” and many of the vacations are themed: shopping trips, spa weekend, surf safari, yoga retreats, mother-daughter, ranch adventures, or cultural sightseeing.  Another hot trend is learning something new while traveling, such as a cooking class in Italy or a language immersion course in France.

More and more resorts are now offering special getaway packages for girlfriend escapes.  My only complaint is that most of the packages are spa related or revolve around sipping pink drinks by a pool. Attention hoteliers: women like to do more than sit around getting pedicures!  Our closest thing to a spa retreat was when we ended up working, (more like slaving away) in a Turkish hammam in Istanbul, but that’s another story.

Research shows that girlfriend getaways are rapidly growing in popularity, in part because American women feel a need to escape their personal and professional responsibilities.  Findings are that girlfriend getaways “ease stress and have become an important part of the lives of American women.” 

What about the husband?  It’s also important to travel with your spouse or partner as well.  We make it a point to getaway together, even if its nearby, at least a few times a year.  We even did a big couples trip with Mihae that was one of the best experiences of our lives. There are people  (usually older folks) that are shocked that a married woman would take a holiday without her husband.  I find this sad.  My husband understands that this very positive thing for me and he respects the fact that I have my own interests.   In fact, we find great appreciation for one another with a little time apart.  He enjoyed a “boys” trip earlier this year and went on a surfing safari to Indonesia with his friends.  I doubt it will be his last.

Women today are so busy taking care of their their careers and families that enjoying themselves and nurturing their friendship takes a backseat.  No matter what the destination, make time to reconnect with your friends.

Here are just a few other incidents that show the appropriateness of our moniker “The Missadventures:”

• Paris, France: We took some spectacular photos after a few days in the city, then accidentally erased every last image on the camera. We spend the second half of our trip trying to recreate the photos.
• Cairo, Egypt: We miss our flight by 24 hours. That’s not just unfortunate, it’s just plain stupid.
• Ephesus, Turkey: We get the worse case of food poisoning known to man. It lasts for a week.
• Istanbul, Turkey: We arrive at the wrong airport for a flight to Munich. It takes a 100 Euro cab ride from the Europe side to the Asian side of the city.
• Barcelona, Spain. Mihae gets mugged in the Barri Gòtic.
• London, England: Mihae gets all the money stolen out of her purse at a pub.
• Kailua, HI: Emele accidentally erases every picture from our three week Europe trip.

Jakarta, Indonesia

President Obama. Those two words together bring tears of joy to my eyes. Not only because he will be an amazing president, but because of this election, I can’t wait to take my next international trip!

Sydney, Australia

I love to meet new people when I’m abroad, and the most frequently asked question I get is “where are you from?” I have received many uncomfortable responses to my answer, as if the person doesn’t really know how to respond, like they feel sorry for me. And can you blame them?

Jerusalem, Israel

I have come up with a standard answer….I’m from the states…but I live in Hawaii…it’s almost 3,000 miles from the rest of the country…we are a very democratic state…I didn’t vote for Bush…we don’t like him either…really…

I’ve even heard stories of Americans who sew red maple leaf patches to their backpacks to make others believe they are Canadian. And I’ve heard stories of those who are treated with utter disrespect abroad for their nationality. This is a big problem. Our reputation as a country is not good.

United States of America

According to travel expert Pauline Frommer, there may be other benefits to Obama’s presidency:

• Family Travel restrictions to Cuba may be lifted
• Travel could get greener. Obama has spoken about breaking America’s addiction to oil, restoring abandoned rails, he’s a strong supporter of Amtrack
• The president elect wants to upgrade our travel control systems which will help fight delays as well as air safety
• As part of the Travel Promotions Act, he will give money to promote the U.S. as a travel destination. Travel is a $740 billion industry and we are losing our piece of the pie!

Manila, Philippines

A new day has dawned on America and we are on the road to healing together as a nation and restoring our relationship with the world. As we embark on our next journey, we are so excited to say we are American. After eight long years, we can be proud of the decision our county made. We are in good hands, my friends. And the world is cheering us on.

Barack's step-grandmother Sarah Obama in Kogelo, Kenya

No, really.

Last year, when new travel document requirements went into effect, the government was quickly overwhelmed by passport applications. One of them came from Martin Mitchell, an Air Force major who sent a passport renewal in April but still hadn’t received it by mid-July. With less than two weeks to go before a planned trip, he contacted me.

“I read that you have contacts with the State Department,” he wrote in an e-mail. “I would appreciate if you could act on my behalf to try and shake loose my application.”

Well, I did have a few names, and with their help, Mitchell managed to get his passport renewed in time.

Not everyone was so lucky. Christine Simmons and her husband applied for passports after booking a vacation through Expedia last January.

But by early March, just days before her trip, her husband still didn’t have his paperwork — although, for some odd reason, she did.

“Please help!” she wrote in an e-mail. I phoned the State Department, and it was able to find the passport. It arrived a day after they were supposed to leave — “a dollar short and a day late,” she says.

Fortunately, Expedia allowed her to change her dates after paying a rebooking fee, so all wasn’t lost.

Don’t let that happen to you. Here are four new rules you need to know for 2009:

Passports will be mandatory for all border crossings

On June 1, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). That means U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry must either have a passport, passport card or WHTI-compliant document. It’s a major — and long-anticipated — change from the current rules, under which you can cross the border with either a passport, passport card or a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.

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Susan Tanzman, president or Martin Travel & Tours, a Los Angeles travel agency, is advising her clients to get their passports early.

“If they have a trip after the beginning of the new year, I tell them they need a passport,” she says. Why the rush? Tanzman, who is also a lawyer, remembers the last passport crisis, and doesn’t want her travelers caught in the middle of a possible sequel. That’s sound advice. Applications made at the end of the fourth quarter or the start of the first quarter — in other words, in December, January and February — typically get processed within two weeks, she says. After that, who knows?

Airlines must quote a total price for European tickets

The European Parliament this year approved a new “transparency” rule mandating that airfares have to include all taxes, fees and charges added to the basic ticket price and known at the time of publication.

It is expected to take effect either in late 2008 or early 2009, according to the EU. At least theoretically, that should mean no more unpleasant surprises when you buy a ticket for travel within Europe or to Europe. Under the rule, airfare or air rate, taxes, airport charges and other charges, surcharges or fees, such as those related to security or fuel, have to be included in the price of the ticket.

And any optional price supplements must be communicated in “a clear, transparent and unambiguous way at the start of any booking process” and allow passengers to opt-in for them, according to the EU.

Stanley Gyoshev, a co-founder of the online travel site Lessno.com, was one of the key proponents of the change. He says there are two reasons why American air carriers may have no choice but to adopt these transparency rules, too.

“For one, the federal government could increase consumer protection by using laws relating to unfair advertising — by insisting that airlines only advertise products and pricing which is readily available to the traveler without undue restrictions and red tape,” he told me.

“The second is that since major international airlines are selling tickets in Europe, they will need to comply with the EU regulations. Since they need to make consumer-friendly changes to their European Web sites and advertising, we are hoping there will be some carry-over to the U.S. sites.”

Visas go electronic

The Department of Homeland Security’s new Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will become mandatory on January 12, 2009. It’s a fully-automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program.

(The Visa Waiver Program allows nationals of 27 countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without a visa.)

It’s still unclear how this will affect Americans traveling to one of the countries who participate in the Visa Waiver Program. Last summer, EU ministers expressed misgivings about parts of the program, and it is possible that traveling to one of those countries may involve answering more questions and a different (and possibly confusing) application process.

Travel attorney Al Anolik says he expects “some retribution” against American travelers, if not for the ESTA, then for fingerprinting and eye-scanning inbound visitors to the United States — a practice he expects to see more of in 2009. “I don’t think it will deter people from traveling,” he says, adding that the time needed to complete a biometric scan “won’t add that much” to a traveler’s time spent at customs and immigration.

Passengers get a bill of rights — maybe

Last year, in response to increasing consumer frustration over flight delays, the State of New York enacted the New York State Passenger Bill of Rights. It provided fresh air, waste removal and adequate food and water for passengers on flights delayed by more than three hours. Although the law was struck down by a federal appeals court this spring, that decision has been appealed, and it may become law in 2009 or later.

Jeff Miller, a travel industry attorney based in Columbia, Maryland, believes the bill of rights stands a good chance of being upheld by New York’s Court of Appeals. “But one way or another,” he adds, “I think this is going to go to the Supreme Court.”

If that happens, New York won’t have a passenger bill until 2011, at the earliest. But the chances of such a law being enforced at the national level are reasonably good, according to observers who say either airlines would have to adopt the same standards nationwide, or that other states would pass New York-style laws. Either way, that’s good for passengers.

Considering that 2008 is an election year — which typically means that few significant laws are passed — next year is shaping up to be an eventful one for travelers. If nothing else, new passport, visa and airline ticket rules, plus the prospect of a passenger bill of rights, will make it an interesting one.

(Tribune Media Services)

In the coming months, the government expects to revisit its rule for the amount of liquids that may be brought aboard planes, while boosting the number of behavior detection officers deployed at checkpoints across the country.

More than 2,000 are already on the job, and the program is growing every day, said Christopher White, a spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration.

“What the officers are looking for are physiological signs that cannot be manipulated that indicate stress, fear or deception,” White said. “We find bad people everyday with behavior detection officers.”

The specially trained agents, who work in teams, establish a baseline of behavior and then search for people who rise above that level, he added.

The TSA has been taking steps to reduce stress for all travelers at security, such as adding special family lanes, to make it easier for the officers to spot passengers who are acting suspiciously.

“By calming the checkpoint down, it makes people with potential hostile intent really stand out,” White said.

“If there’s a shark fin in a rough sea, it’s impossible to see. If there’s a shark fin in a lake, it’s very easy to see.”

The word on liquids

Meanwhile, new technology may help change a familiar part of the security screening process.

By now, most air travelers know the government’s 3-1-1 rule for liquids and gels: Containers no larger than 3 ounces are allowed in carry-on luggage, provided they are packed into one quart-size clear plastic zip-top bag, with one bag allowed per person.

Those restrictions could be eased next year with the help of advanced X-ray machines that can be upgraded with software, like computers, White said.

“Scientists at the national labs have been working to develop an algorithm to plug into the machines that would allow us to tell the difference between a bottle of Coke and a bottle of liquid explosives,” he said.

The TSA is planning to have 600 of the machines installed at airports across the country by the end of this year and may look at changes to the 3-1-1 rule in fall 2009, White added.

Coming much sooner: the expansion of the family lane program to every airport in the country starting Thursday. See where the nation’s busiest airports are »

The special lanes are designed to make security screening as smooth as possible for people traveling with children, passengers with special needs or anyone unfamiliar with security procedures, while improving wait times for other travelers.

What’s not changing for the foreseeable future: taking your shoes off at security. Running them through the X-ray machine is simply the fastest way of ensuring there’s nothing hidden inside, White said.

Preparation and planning

If you are flying this Thanksgiving, expect lots of company but fewer people than last year. The Air Transport Association of America predicts a 10 percent drop in the number of people traveling on U.S. airlines during the holiday, compared with the same time period in 2007.

“Some of the capacity cuts that carriers put into place have finally taken effect, but also we do think that the economic downturn is finally taking a toll on consumer spending when it comes to travel,” ATA spokeswoman Elizabeth Merida said.

The trade association for U.S. airlines predicts that the busiest travel days of this Thanksgiving holiday will be Wednesday, November 26; Sunday, November 30; and Monday, December 1, with planes 90 percent full on average on those dates.

Airports across the country are gearing up for the travel rush.

“We are making a commitment that even during peak periods, the [security] line will not exceed 20 minutes,” said Ben DeCosta, aviation general manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia.

The world’s busiest airport has spent more than $25 million on improvements, including 10 additional “high-productivity, speedy” security lanes for a total of 32, he added.

Hartsfield-Jackson also offers a number of queuing options for the more than 40,000 people who line up at its security checkpoints every day.

“Our line management segregates people by expertise and by preference, and it helps to speed everything up and to make people less anxious about the beginning of their trip,” DeCosta said.

Hartsfield-Jackson is also joining the growing number of U.S. airports with whole-body imagers at security checkpoints. The machines offer an alternative to pat-downs by officers.

No matter what airport you’re passing through, be prepared, White said

“If you’re ready for security with your boarding pass and your ID out, with your shoes and your coat off, and with your liquids out of the carry-on bag, your experience is going to be very good and very pleasant,” he said.
“For passengers who are not ready, they not only slow down themselves, they slow down the entire checkpoint line.”