Blog — Trip Styler
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Travel Trappings :: Lux Travel

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luxury travel gear[trip style = luxury]

Each of these luxury travel trappings is practical, and surprisingly, some are even affordable. Jet set in style with everything from a suitcase scooter to a monogramed iPad case...

Luxury Travel Gear Suitcase Scooter Some might argue this scooting suitcase is over the top, others may think it's the perfect remedy for walkingscooting through lengthy airport corridors after a 14-hour flight, either way, it's on the market (but having trouble keeping up with demand). You can thank Samsonite for this suitcase-come-scooter with integrated running board, handlebars and wheels.

Leather Travel Kit Although this toiletries case is a little Clint Eastwood-y, it's one of nicest rugged-meets-luxury cases I've ever seen. Adding to the whole Western appeal, it's hand-made in Wisconsin by Kenton Sorenson Leather.

Woodsy Headphones These noise-canceling headphones take it to the next level. You'll be the talk of the cabin in first class---forgive me, but I'm assuming that if you're rocking these almost $3,000 musical earmuffs, you're not sitting in economy. Don't worry, the price is worth it with Ethiopian sheepskin leather ear cup pads, bullet-proof cables and a bunch of other impressive features. 007 might be a bit jealous.

Fancy iPad Case No luxury travel gear post would be complete without mentioning something Louis Vuitton-related. Although I'd rather a vintage LV trunk, these high-end leather graphite canvas cases will ensure that even your iPad will be decked-out in LV's monograms.

See you in first class.

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Africa Month :: Glamping

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tent at fairmont masai mara[trip style = glamping + safari]

{Editor's Note :: Every Friday this month, I'm featuring a different element of my trip to the Masai Mara. Last week: Getting There. Next week: Safari Time!}

The Baboon That Couldn't My face-off with a baboon only made my stay in a villa-like canvas tent more authentic...

As I was hurriedly getting ready to leave for the afternoon safari drive, I left the front zipper of my tent open. This is not a huge deal seeing as the grounds were safe and mostly secure, but that particular day a baboon decided it wanted to live in the lap of luxury too. I don't blame him (at least I think it was a 'he'), glamping is an experience.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw him fast approaching the opening in the front of my tent, and in a feat gymnastic prowess I don't normally posses, I launched myself toward the zipper and lowered it in one fell swoop. With my heart pumping and knees bruised, the baboon and I stared each other down through the tent's heavy mesh windows.

I'm not sure what would have occurred if the baboon and I had shared the canvas quarters, but I'm glad the encounter was not intimate.

Glamping In The Masai Mara lodge fairmont masai mara {After cleaning our faces and hands with the cool towels and sipping fresh mango juice, we checked into our glamping experience by way of the lodge, pictured above.}

mara safari club lodge {Loved the lodge's rustic-meets-high-end African decor.}

mara safari lodge artwork {A close-up of the artwork lining the wall in the last picture.}

mara safari club pool {Walking past the lodge's pool to get to our tent.}

tent at fairmont masai mara tent at mara safari club {My kind of tenting!}

mara river {View to river below from our tent's deck.}

crocs in the mara river hippos in the mara river {Neighbors lurking below our tent. I wasn't aware that hippos are funny animals, but they are hilarious. They create a symphony of grunting, snorting and whistling noises to the point where you'd burst out laughing. At night the noise didn't stop. Ear plugs came in handy once you'd had enough comic relief...}

 

inside tent at fairmont masai mara {The sitting area inside.}

{Apparently I was really excited about glamping. The bathroom and dressing area are through the hanging beads on either side of the bed.}

fairmont masai mara tent bathroom vanity in a tent at fairmont masai mara {The tent's bathroom and dressing quarters.}

{About to go into dinner in the lodge.}

[images by @tripstyler & @nate_fri]

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Travel Trends :: Groupon-esque Travel

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groupon travel tripalertz[trip style = budget conscious]

Coupons are making a comeback. But in 2010 and via web 2.0, they look a little different. They are virtual (until you print them out), viral and group-buying focused, as in, if a deal gets shared enough and people buy it, everyone gets to indulge.

The Groupon Craze We all know Groupon is hot right now, businesses from cooking schools to Fairmont Hotels have been jumping on board to entice consumers with savings, which they hope will bring them regular customers. Playing off the coupon and social networking trend, there's a groupon-like travel website launching next week. My prediction, it's going to be BIG.

New Kid in Town TripAlertz is an online travel community where prices go down as bookings go up. Not a bad formula. This US-based website is free to use and takes seconds to join. Unlike Groupon, you don't have to unlock a deal, rather you can purchase it for a limited time. The more people purchase, the greater the savings. In the website's launch phase, most of the deals appear to be Florida-based, but as the site expands, they plan on expanding worldwide.

Travel Sharing = Travel Savings This social-buying travel site puts a whole new spin on group travel. Yes, it offers the same type of discounts as the Pricelines and Hotwires of the world, but it does so transparently, in a way that depends upon social sharing. Therefore, if you see a hotel deal you like, you can a) indulge on your own, or b) share it with your friends, likely get greater savings and plan a group trip!

Bon voyage!

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Sweet & Saucy Travel Videos

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betty white in tourism california video When we featured Air New Zealand's Sassy Flight Safety Videos with a streaking grandma and body-painted flight attendants, it was a hit. The entertainment doesn't stop there. Kim Kardashian reading quantum physics, dancing flight attendants and a handsy animal make up this week's travel videos, sure to make you laugh your way through 'hump' day.

[If you're viewing this via email and can't see the videos posted below, please click on the web version.]

The Truth About California As if I needed any prompting to visit California. My love of the Cali aside, anything featuring Betty White means I'm in! That's why I love Tourism California's newest ad campaign playing up people's misconceptions of the sunny Westcoast state. In Betty's words, they'll show you "how we roll" (in California).

Air New Zealand Spaceseats To introduce their new premium economy spaceseats (which I'd like to book sometime soon), Air New Zealand is once again tangoing with the inappropriate---albeit hilarious.

Touchscreens In the same vein as the last video, the semi-risque airline is also making another introduction. Using Rico, their furry spokesperson animal, the wonders of their upcoming on-demand consoles are explained.

Dancing Flight Attendants Cebu Airlines, the Philippines second-largest carrier decided to spice-up their safety demonstration with a little Lady Gaga-inspired moves. Mimicking a jr. high dance, the gals and guys dance separately and each have different routines. Although this was apparently only a stunt, it was so well-received they are thinking of rolling it out on all flights because people actually payed attention to safety.

The Gals

The Guys

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Travel Apps :: TripCase

tripcase iphone appDeveloped by travel industry distribution giant Sabre, TripCase is a travel itinerary management tool much like the TripIt app we featured---and religiously use---in early June. Providing tools to centralize, manage and share travel plans over multiple suppliers and trips, this travel app helps you stay organized and up-to-date while getting from A to B. One great feature is the app's ability to pull every component of your trip---meetings, activities, restaurants, hotels and attractions alongside your flight, rail, ferry, cruise or ground transportation events---into a single itinerary creating a digital one-stop-shop planning reference while out of town.

TripCase App Details

  • free
  • works with iPhone, iTouch, iPad; Blackberry and Android
  • upload your travel plans (via email, trip locator ID or manually) and create multiple trip itineraries
  • share trip plans with coworkers, friends and family via email or social networking sites
  • get real-time flight alerts and critical travel updates before and during your trip
  • export trips to your calendar

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Other Travel Apps we’ve Reviewed