Storybook Vacations

Due to the recent airline neglence (thanks autopilot), some of you may be wondering if air travel is safe.  And if not, how can one travel far distances without boarding a 757?  If it is, how often do these airline incidents occur?

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, airline fatalities worldwide fell 25% in 2008 as compared to 2007. In fact, last year was actually one of the safest years in airline travel history.  However, that’s still 539 fatalities or about 55 per month.  But worldwide, with over 6 billion people, it’s a relatively small number.

My feeling is this: every time you get behind the wheel of a car, ride a rollercoaster, or even cross the street, there’s a chance something could go terribly wrong.  But we keep on doing those things, because we don’t want to live sheltered, boring lives.

Is there an alternative? What’s the future of air travel?  According to MSNC.com, microjets could be the next innovation of the airline industry.  These air taxis would only be useful for short range travel (less than1,300 miles apart) and would most likely be costly.  But perhaps as time progresses, these microjets could become mainstream.

Overall, air travel is safe.  It’s also the most time efficient way to travel.  And much of the time it’s cost effective.  Besides, do you really want to drive every time you need to travel a long distance?

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Brian air travel, air travel safety, Travel, traveling safely, vacation

Have you been to Islamorada, the “Purple Island”, in the Florida Keys? It’s about 20 miles south of Key Largo around mile marker 80.

A quite, Keys village, Islamorada serves one, singular purpose: relaxation. That’s because besides a handful of restaurants, a movie theater, bowling alley, and fishing, there’s not a plethora of activities. But that’s quite alright because as I said people head to Islamorada to unwind, and that’s exactly the effect the Keys can have on you.

Don’t mistake Islamorada’s demeanor for that of Key West. Gays and booze don’t abound here. This is not a party town. Instead, it’s a laid back key with good hospitality.

I’ve probably visited Islamorada over one hundred times, but it never fails to provide a new experience each time.

Besides R&R, what’s there to do on this particular key? One activity that’s sure to please is dining out. There are not many restaurants, but the places available can be quite good. One such location is the Lorelei.

The Lorelei has great seafood and great view thanks to its bayside location. They have daily specials which will leave your taste buds asking for more.

Another great place to chow down is the Cheeca Lodge. Generally, hotel food is not great (not a restaurant in a hotel, but one run by a hotel), but this restaurant has a great poolside restaurant. Here’s a tip: when you drive up to the security gate, tell the guard your there for lunch. Then grab a table by the pool. Once you’ve finished eating you can slip right into the pool. Our secret.

Ok, so there are a few tasty plates at some random eateries, but what else can I do besides expand my waistline? Well, there’s fishing of course!

If you don’t own a boat which you can run down from Miami, the next best option is to charter a boat. Captains-for-hire are abundant in Islamorada and the Florida Keys, so locating one shouldn’t be a challenge.

A third great option while in the Keys is Holiday Isle. There you can have lunch, rent jet skies, and lay out on their beach.

Needless to say, there are many great activites in Islamorada. Stop by anytime.

Brian florida, florida keys, islamorada, keys, Travel, vacation