What do you think of when you hear the words flight attendant safety demo? Perhaps viral YouTube videos come to mind, such as the Air New Zealand crew members covered in body paint as they talk airplane safety. Or maybe you recall the Southwest Airlines flight attendant rapping, the Cebu Pacific Airlines flight attendants dancing to Lady Gaga, or Deltalina wagging her finger as she says smoking isn’t allowed. These are certainly fun ways to put a new spin on old information.

Disappointingly, unless we sing, dance or joke our way through the safety demo many people respond with an eye-roll when we flight attendants stand in front of the cabin to point out the aircraft’s safety features. It’s important to remember we do this for a reason – not just because the FAA says we have to.

Cabin crew members have many duties and responsibilities but the most important of all is passenger safety, even if it is accompanied by some entertainment…

1. Your safety information card is found in your seat pocket, it works nicely as a fan during hot summer days. Every aircraft make and model is different. Doors and exits vary as do how they open. Does the window exit automatically open when you pull the handle or do you have to throw the exit out on to the wing? Your safety information card will tell you. Trust me, if you want to know how to get out of an aircraft quickly – or at all – in an emergency you want to know how the exits work.

2. To fasten your seat belt slide the flat end into the buckle, to release lift up. If you don’t know how to operate a seat belt, you probably shouldn’t be out in public unsupervised. Passengers have asked me a zillion times why we bother with the seat belt demo when everyone is – or should be – already buckled in by the time we’re taxing and performing our safety briefing.

You’d be surprised how many people don’t know how to fasten an airplane seat belt. I’ve helped dozens of people of all ages fasten their seat belts, but fastening isn’t the biggest concern, it’s unfastening. You see, airplane belts don’t have buttons like car seat belts, so people frequently struggle with unlatching their belts. This is especially true for the occasional or first-time flier. If you’re sitting in the dark and panicking when seconds matter, knowing how to get out of your seat belt quickly can save your life. Practice opening your belt with your eyes closed the next time you fly. Tip: Airplane seat belts open easier if the belt is fastened snugly around your hips.

3. There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only six ways out of this aircraft. Did you know it’s human nature to exit through the door you entered. Therefore, look behind you and see where the closest exit is. There is a good chance you may have a few choices. What’s even better is knowing how many rows are behind you to the exit. In a dark or smoke-filled cabin you will not be able to rely on your sight.

4. If the oxygen masks drop while in-flight. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you’re traveling with a child or someone acting like one secure your mask first then assist the other person. This one is pretty obvious, but here’s a question: What happens if you’re standing in the aisle waiting to use the restroom or walking around stretching your legs and the oxygen masks drop?

Every seat row has an extra oxygen mask. If there is a row of three seats, there will be four oxygen masks. If the flight isn’t full take the closest unoccupied seat and use that row’s oxygen mask. If the flight is full (likely these days), grab the closest available mask and breath. While holding on to the seats, let go of the mask and move to the next row and grab another mask and breath. Do this until you return to your seat. If you’re in the lavatory most aircraft have two masks (for a parent and child) but some aircraft do not have any. If you hear an announcement to secure oxygen masks and no masks have fallen, exit the lavatory and get to the closest mask and proceed as explained above.

5. Your seat cushions have been designed to work as a flotation device. In the event of an emergency water landing, please take them with you when you exit the aircraft, paddle to shore and feel free to keep yours as a souvenir. In addition to floatable seat cushions, flights traveling 50 miles off shore will provide emergency life vests. As the Hudson ditching proved, it’s likely some passengers will forget about their seat cushions and their life vests. What’s worse though is inflating a life vest while still inside an aircraft. If your vest is inflated and the aircraft becomes submerged you won’t be able to dive under the water to exit through a door or window. Sadly, this scenario has happened. Remember: inflate your vest only after exiting the aircraft.

As you can see, no matter how the safety information is offered, entertaining or not, it’s said and shown for a reason. The next time you fly, look over your safety information card, know where your exits are, practice unfastening your seat belt and pay attention to the flight attendant safety demo. It may save your life!

Learning a Romance language on a romantic vacation can broaden your appreciation of your travel destination. France, Italy, Spain, Brazil and the rest of Latin America – just the thought of these places makes me sigh in recollection of good times and endearing and friendly people. It’s quite appropriate that this collection of French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese (as well as a few other languages) that branched off from Latin, are called the Romance languages. The destination of those countries can be very much romantic when you are with the right people and in the right places. But what really makes a difference is when you speak that local language while traveling there. And at this time of the year, no doubt many of you have made a New Year’s Resolution to try to learn at least one of them. Well, after learning to speak all of the Romance languages fluently, I’d like to help you learn a Romance language for your next romantic vacation, too.

The great news: There is no starting from scratch
If you think you are starting from zero on this quest to speak one of these languages, it’s time for me to wake you up to the truth! You have a huge headstart, especially compared to what you would have to do to take on languages in Asia, when your starting point is English. You see, in 1066 the Normans conquered England and for many generations (all the way up to the Tudor family) the royalty and noblemen of the country would speak Anglo-Norman, which is a precursor to French. In the mean time, the poorer commonfolk would continue with ye olde English, which would have actually been mutually intelligible with German and almost indistinguishable from Dutch.

With time, the two strata of societies and their languages started to merge, and even though French-Norman rule was removed, a permanent mark was left on our language. The influences from French stem into expressions, vocabulary and grammar and make learning this and other romance languages so much easier.

For example, if someone were to knock on your door, you could say “come in”, which is actually the Germanic term – in German itself it isn’t far off, with einkommen. But if you wanted to be more formal (or more pompous), you could say enter! In French entrer; in Spanish, entrar and in Italian entrare all convey this meaning of “coming in.” Rather than give someone a piece of your mind, you could try to be more formal and share your opinion – a word which is the same or only a tiny bit different in the Romance languages. You can also give them your point of view, which isn’t far from French’s point de vue.

It turns out, you are actually starting to learn romance languages with tens of thousands of words before you ever even open a coursebook! The changes in pronunciation are very consistent, so after getting used to it as quickly as you can, you can actually say way more than you think you could. Then you have the -ation words, which are almost always the same: action, nation, precipitation, solution, frustration, tradition, communication, extinction and many others (written the same in French, and as -ción in Spanish, -zione in Italian and -ção in Portuguese). You have -tude words (gratitude, magnitude) -sion (explosion, expression), -ment (encouragement, segment), -age (garage, camouflage) and so many more! About.com has a great sampling of 1,700 words that are actually written exactly the same in French (cognates), but that’s only when every single letter is precisely the same. I’m sure you have no trouble understanding very slight variations from precise cognates, such as exemple, hélicoptere, porto, capitano, astronomía, Saturno – and these are the close cognates that bring you into the tens of thousands of words you already know. Generally speaking, if that word would be used in a more formal setting in English (almost never slang words) then there is a good chance that your romance language has it too. Give it a try!

Putting it All to Good Use

OK, so you have all these words to start with – now what I like to do is simply grab a phrasebook (I’m a big fan of those printed by Lonely Planet – inexpensive and small enough to fit in your purse or pocket), and sing out a few phrases to burn them into my memory. Yes, sing! For example, to remember that Dove si trova, il gabinetto? is Italian for “Where is the bathroom?” Rather than basic rote learning of repeating it over and over, I took the Big Ben chime and sung with it. Do-ve si-trova…. il gabi..netto! (Can you hear it?) If not, take any song you happen to like the tune of and sing along – it really helps burn those phrases into your memory for quicker access. And don’t forget some basic image association. To remember the word playa means “beach” in Spanish, I pictured a cheesy “player” (i.e. Pick-up artist) strolling along a beach in Valencia, Spain, trying to flirt with girls and getting a few slaps in the face for his efforts. It’s a powerful image, and means I never forgot the word. Try to use stories or colorful and funny associations like this – it takes a minute or so at first, but before you know it, your childhood imagination comes back to you and you can remember a new word for life in an instant.

The Most Important Ingredient

The best part about romance languages and the cultures associated with them, is the peoples’ friendliness. So put those grammar books aside, and get out and meet locals at your travel destination. My “secret” to learning a language quickly is simply to have as much natural exposure as possible to natives, which forces me out of a relaxed study mindset into genuinely needing to improve as quickly as possible. A language is a means of communication between human beings, not a boring list of grammar rules and vocabulary lists in a dusty old book. Get out and meet people, and the social context will help your progress flow.

If you aren’t in the country and would like to practice before you go, worry not! A few resources I like to use include:
meetup.com – major cities in English-speaking countries have regular meetings for particular languages
Couchsurfing.org – while this site is great for budget traveling, it’s also amazing for simply meeting people! Do a search for your home city AND the target language, and you’ll see many people a coffee-invitation away from helping you practice. I also like to host people when I’m fixed, and have maintained and practiced many languages this way, no matter where I am. The fact that you are providing free accommodation means they are all the more enthusiastic to help you.

If you are a little more remote, as long as you have an Internet connection, you’ll be good to go! Just find a conversational exchange partner through many online means. Livemocha has a very large community of people from all around the world, ready to exchange Skype details (although I recommend you avoid the courses offered on their site; the learning approach is based on  Rosetta Stone, which I reviewed and was not impressed with). Also, just as effective is a forum on my site with thousands of active language learners.  Here is the section for proposing an exchange.

Just find someone, no matter how or where, and start speaking. There is no good excuse not to get into it immediately. Speaking from day one is the key.  You are not too old, and natural talent has nothing to do with it. Any other excuse you may come up with is just that – an excuse. Work around it and you’ll find a way . Enjoy speaking your romance language!

PolyglotGuy Benny Lewis is an Irish blogger who only spoke English when he was 21. In the last decade he has learned over a dozen languages, many of them to fluency. He blogs over at fluentin3months.com and has written a  Language Hacking Guide and Speak from day 1 video course to help those curious about how he does it.

Don’t let the name of this brilliant booking site fool you! It might be an irreverent term for “crazy white person,” but the folks behind this Riviera Maya vacation reservation website are anything but nuts – LocoGringo.com agents are friendly, patient and oh-so knowledgeable about the Riviera Maya, which stretches from Puerto Morelos (just south of Cancun) all the way down to Tulum on Mexico’s eastern coast. It’s a favorite vacation destination for my family (we’ve been at least a half dozen time since my daughter was born in 2000), and now that I’ve discovered LocoGringo.com, I likely won’t ever book a trip there without consulting the site first.

My most recent (and first!) experience booking with LocoGringo.com was a complicated one — but reservationist Natalia handled all of the back-and-forth emails and my incessant questions with ease. You see, my extended family – husband’s siblings, their spouses and their children plus my mother in law – are all heading to Playa del Carmen this summer for two weeks to attend Spanish language class. That’s 13 of us, and we wanted three separate condos within walking distance to the school, located in downtown Playa.

My sister-in-law Kerry actually filled out the reservations inquiry online to begin the process. She had booked with LocoGringo.com before; I took over once we received an email back from Natalia with rates for some condos that Kerry had found close to the school by perusing  the LocoGringo.com accommodations options in Playa). From there, I think Natalia and I emailed back and forth more than a dozen times over the course of a couple weeks. I had a bunch of questions about the cancellation policy (it’s generous), the bed configurations in the condominiums, exactly where the condo units were located in the complex, how could we transfer to the condos from the airport, whether this was the best place for us given our budget… with every question I asked, Natalia responded quickly and with such grace! I felt like the most bothersome client, but she never made it seem like I was annoying her at all — which I very much appreciated!

The crystal-clear Caribbean Sea is just one reason why I love visiting the Riviera Maya.

Needless to say, because Natalia was so patient, and because she could quickly get me the factual information I needed, I felt completely at ease booking many thousand dollars worth of condo reservations through LocoGringo.com. I was confident we were getting the best deal out there — indeed I did some comparison shopping on other websites, and nothing could come close to what LocoGringo.com could offer.

Another plus for booking with LocoGringo.com — the operation is based in Akumal, on the Riviera Maya. LocoGringo.com CEO Kay Walten makes her home in the Riviera Maya, and all of the reservationists have either lived there at one time, live there now or visit the area regularly. Truly, these people know the Riviera Maya intimately. Just check out the site and all of the vacation information on the multiple pages of things to do and see. It’s an excellent travel guide for visitors to the beautiful Mexican coast.

For still more firsthand advice of where to stay, eat and play in the Riviera Maya, check out the LocoGringo.com forums, which have been going strong for 15 years. Holy cow, these are some hopping bulletin boards! It’s an awesome place to ask specific questions about where you might book your lodging (i.e. “Is the beach in front of XYZ hotel good for snorkeling?”); chances are someone on the forum has been there recently, and can answer with firsthand information. What a nifty community made up of people who truly love the Riviera Maya!

Every day at airports across the world, airline cabin crews have to deal with the lack of overhead bin space. We flight attendants do have wings, but unfortunately we do not have magic wands that allow us to fit every passenger’s bag aboard every flight. Airplane overhead bins are not designed to hold large amounts of suitcases, duffel bags, or musical instruments. That’s what the cargo space in the belly of the plane is for.

Luckily, not everyone brings on two bags and, if they do, they’re not all the same size which means we flight attendants usually have something to work with. You see, during boarding one of my jobs as a flight attendant is to help with luggage. This ends up being more like solving an over-sized puzzle.

It usually goes like this: “If I move this bag here and place that suitcase there, then turn this shopping bag sideways and you put your laptop case under your seat, then you can squeeze your roller bag in the overhead bin instead of having to check it.”

Time permitting, that’s what I do on every flight, whether it’s oversold or not. But sometimes it just doesn’t work. Perhaps you’re in the last boarding group and the bins are already full, which means I’ve already helped a dozen people stow their bags. Or, maybe your bag is too thick and physically won’t fit.

But there are also some things to take into consideration when you’re traveling with carry-on luggage, as well as some actions every passenger can take to ensure the best possible outcome for your carry-on bags as well as your fellow passengers. Keep these facts in mind for your next flight:

1. Not all bins are created equal. Every time I work on the Embraer 170 or 175 passengers comment on the smaller bin space and say, “It fit on the last plane.” Mainline and international flights usually have much larger equipment than regional aircraft, which means the bins are probably bigger, too.  If you’re on a super small regional aircraft, it’s likely you will have to gate check all of your carry-on luggage. As for the larger aircraft, take an Airbus 320 for example, the 22-inch roller bag I use for work will fit perfectly if I slide the top handle inward with the wheels out. If I turn it around and have the handle facing out, the bin won’t close. On some Boeing 737s, I have to turn it sideways for the bin door to close. It simply comes down to the shape of the overhead bin.

2. There isn’t space for every passenger to bring on a roller bag. Even though everyone who boards has a confirmed seat, not everyone has confirmed stowage space. The closest you get to that is under the seat in front of you, assuming you’re not in row one. Otherwise, the overhead bin space is first-come, first-served. If your bag does have to be checked because of this you won’t have to pay – at least on the carrier I work for.

3. Crowded bins have always been a problem. Despite the fact that the airlines are charging a nice chunk of change for checked bags, the truth is, passengers have always brought on too many bags. Long before airlines started charging luggage fees, in the late ’90s, I spent many boardings standing in the back galley surrounded by piles of luggage that needed to be checked because the bin space was full.

4. Yes, luggage fees have exacerbated the bin space problem. When airlines announced that they would start charging for checked bags I knew what that meant. Luggage was going to be overstuffed and even more bags would be brought on. That’s exactly what happened.

5. Some people suffer from luggage separation anxiety. This isn’t a joke. Passengers have various reasons for wanting to keep their luggage with them. For some it’s time, such as they don’t want to wait at baggage claim, and for others it’s a fear of their bags getting lost or damaged.

6. People don’t follow the rules. Even though passengers are supposed to limit their carry on bags to two per person, they don’t. Look around the next time you fly and you’ll see.

7. One bag up and one bag down. I’ve seen one person fill up an entire bin. It’s not fair to your fellow passengers. Unless you’re sitting at a bulkhead or first row, please place only one bag in the bin and the other under the seat in front of you.

8. Coats and jackets on top. Filling an overhead bin with coats and jackets is a waste of space not to mention you risk someone ruining your items when they throw their roller bag on top of your stuff. I’ve seen jackets smudged with grease from this happening. Simply wait until all of the people are on and the bins are full then place your outerwear on top of the luggage.

9. Please don’t break the bin. Please don’t ever force a bag in a bin. Bins can crack as well as the bin door – and guess what: if a bin is broken the plane can’t fly. And that’s a whole other debacle…

10. Prepare for the worst (checking your bag) and hope for the best (finding space in the overhead bins). And while you’re at it, be sure to read my post Top 10 Luggage Tips For Flying on the Top 10 Blog.

Let’s get one thing straight: in my world the best candy store is the one I’m standing in, preferably with chocolate in hand. Looking through my thousands of photos I recently realized that I have been through a lot of candy stores over the years and every place has been a delight.

Interestingly, many The Vacation Gals posts have a candy theme as well. For example, ColoradoGal has been to Chutters in Littleton, NH, where you will find the longest candy counter. Last winter my family toured the Jelly Belly Visitor Center in Kenosha, WI and we went to the opening of  the temporary Minnesota History Center’s Chocolate: The Exhibition which included chocolate tastings from local shops. And then there was our ultimate candy adventure last fall: Hershey Park in Hershey, PA which also includes some pretty fabulous candy stores. But there have been more candy stores to add to my list…

In October my crew (I work for an airline) got stranded in Kansas City due to power outage at the airport. So what did we do for five hours? We sweet-talked the hotel van driver to take us to a local shopping center where we stumbled upon this chocolate store called the Chocolaterie Stam. This is the most elegantly decorated chocolate shop I have even seen – think gorgeous ceiling tiles, royalty-inspired furniture and sparkling chandeliers and, naturally, truffles for every palate.

During my family’s two-week long road trip to the East Coast last fall we stumbled into the Candy Man found on the main street of Lake Placid, NY. The massive assortment of chocolates and truffles made it a challenge to choose just one so we left with an overflowing bag.

Jim’s Apple Farm in Jordan, MN (aka the big yellow barn), boasts it’s the Largest Candy Store in Minnesota and indeed, it is.

Shelves and tables are neatly piled with every type of candy imaginable, including favorite classics like Dots and licorice, as well as tubs of local homemade treats. I believe I even saw some candy cigarettes (controversy anyone?). In other words, if you love it they most likely have it.

I look forward to finding more candy shops during my travels. Do you have a memorable candy store? Please share, we’re always looking for great places to satisfy our sweet tooth.

Disneyland Paris is arguably Disney’s most beautiful theme park, combining the classic layout of the original Disneyland with stunning European-style architecture. It holds a special place in my heart, as it was the first of the company’s parks that I was able to visit, after my then girlfriend (now my wife) took me there on a pilgrimage when I was 21. Having nurtured a growing obsession with theme parks from a young age after my grandmother brought me back a map of the California version, it lived up to every expectation I’d built up over that time. And Disneyland Paris at Christmas, I thought, would be an incredible experience.

Since making that first visit, we’d often discussed how great it would be to see the Disneyland Resort Paris at Christmas. In 2010, we decided that it was finally time to raid our bank account and make that dream a reality. Boy, was it worth it! In an incredible stroke of luck, the entire resort (and Paris as a whole) was blanketed in several inches of snow for two entire days. Despite the obvious logistical problems this caused, the resort kept right on running – giving us the opportunity to enjoy rides such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in a truly unique setting.

While it was an amazing experience, we did pick up several tips from our trip to the Enchanted Christmas events. We’re planning on heading back again this year, and there are a few essential strategies that we’re going to follow this time around. Some of these tips are specific to the Disneyland Resort Paris, but many will be applicable for visits to any Disney park over the upcoming holiday period.

Don’t miss the hidden gems – on the surface, Disneyland Paris is just another clone of the original Disneyland. Look beyond the familiar attractions, though, and you’ll find a range of often-overlooked elements that make the park truly special. Many guests never realize that a dragon lives under Sleeping Beauty Castle or that you can actually walk through the Nautilus submarine in Discoveryland – don’t be one of them!

Learn the lingo – one thing that makes the Disneyland Resort Paris seem so exotic next to its cosmetically similar US counterparts is that everywhere you go, you’ll be accompanied by the sound of the beautiful French language. Of course, every Cast Member at Disneyland Paris speaks English, and speaks it well. That doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate overseas guests making an effort to address them in French. You’ll often receive a great response – one waitress pointed out some free drinks vouchers that we’d probably never have uncovered otherwise.

Park hop to make the most of the Christmas events – it’s easy to “hop” between Walt Disney Studios and Disneyland Park. Many of the most popular (and low capacity) rides, such as Crush’s Coaster, are located at the Studios. Get these under your belt early in the morning, and you’ll be able to focus on the array of special Christmas shows at Disneyland Park in the afternoon and evening.

Break up the trip with a visit to Paris itself – you’ll need at least two days at the parks to experience everything they have to offer. However, you’re likely to be exhausted if you stay late one night, and return early the next morning. With Paris only a short train ride away, why not slot in a slower-paced day wandering around some of its more traditional attractions? The Champs-Élysées looks stunning during the festive period.

Stay near the magic – if you have the money, staying on-site at the Disneyland Resort Paris is a great experience. The Disneyland Hotel, overlooking the original park, offers views that are worth paying a premium for. If, like us, you are on a budget that prevents this, then don’t worry: Paris is packed full of reasonably-priced hotels. We found Torcy a great place to stay – it’s not very picturesque in itself, but is super convenient for getting to the theme parks or into central Paris.

Relax and enjoy the atmosphere – this may seem at odds with getting up early to avoid the queues! But if you do that, it gives you the breathing space in the afternoon and evening to really absorb the special atmosphere of Christmas time at Disneyland Paris. You’re in the City of Lights. It’s the season of love and goodwill. Mickey’s in attendance. Have fun!

Of course, the cynical among us might dismiss theme parks’ Christmas celebrations as simply another way to wring more cash out of gullible visitors. They may be right – but this is one case in which I’m happy to be a sucker.

ThemeParkGuy Nick Sim is already counting down the days to his next Disneyland Paris visit. Together with his wife, Natalie, he combines his love of amusement parks and travel over on Theme Park Tourist.

Year after year when the holidays roll around the topic of traveling with gifts arises. You can always count on the media covering the latest airport security rules – remember the year snow globes were banned? In the meantime, blogs and other travel sites offer suggestions for transporting gifts to loved ones. As you probably know, it’s been many years since we were allowed to pass through airport security with wrapped gifts. While there’s no rules about wrapping gifts in the gate area, who wants to bring a roll of wrapping paper to wrap gifts on a dirty airport floor? There’s actually a better solution than carrying gifts aboard a plane – assuming the people you’re buying gifts for are over 21 and enjoy wine.

California Wine Club, yes the wine of the month club that inspires travel and even ships to your home away from home, allows you to gift their wine of the month club to the wine drinkers in your life.

I recently received another shipment from California Wine Club, I have to admit it’s quite fun having someone else pick out the wine, it sure takes the pressure off of me, and what’s even better is every month it’s a surprise – a delicious surprise that is. Castoro Cellars was the winery of the month and inside my box was Blind Faith Pino Noir. It was good, but I had to research hints on what to taste for, it ended being up black cherry and tea notes, toasty, smoky flavors (after the clue they were easy to recognize). The other wine, Gewürztraminer was fantastic, especially if you love light tropical inspired wine.

Bonus: As I was browsing CA Wine Club’s site, something else popped out at me – your gift recipient will also receive a $25 credit to reorder their favorite wines and a cute wine bottle-shaped notebook.

There’s another fun aspect to California Wine Club, and that’s the newsletter that accompanies each shipment. It’s called Uncorked and is a great read with interesting information, stories behind the wineries, games, interview and wine selections. Your wine-loving gift recipient will really enjoy reading the interesting articles such as: Dark Chocolate + Red Wine + Good Health? (Sounds good to me!).

If you’d like to make your travel plans simpler - and help your flight attendant out by not bringing too many carry-on bags (wink, wink) – consider gifting California Wine Club’s wine of the month. It’s easy for you and a delicious surprise for your friends, family and anyone else in your life who enjoys wine.