I too have been annoyed by children on airplanes. But I see where they are coming from. Flying is not pleasant for 9 out of 10 travelers (the 10^th is flying first class) and it is a stressful situation. So of course the child starts out anxious, tired and grumpy. Most of the times the child has missed a nap, snack time, or has not had enough time to run around and play. However- parents need to be held responsible to keep children from kicking the seats in front of them, talking too loud, or throwing things at other passengers.

I was once on an airplane (oh my blood boils just thinking of this) where a little boy probably four or five (well at the age where he knew better) was climbing over and under seats, yelling, throwing drinks, snacks, and in flight magazines and just being a plain menace. At one point the little dear climbed under the seat (while we were making our final approach nonetheless) and started riffling through my purse, scattering the contents. I exclaimed loudly enough for the flight attendant to hear, “Hey get out of my purse!” after which the FA came to my rescue and scolded the parents for letting their child out of their seat during landing.  The parents got annoyed at me and later when waiting for my bags, I actually overheard them making fun of me for what I said to their little “angel.” I’m sorry but that is unacceptable.

On the other hand, I must mention children and babies are people too and have every right to travel-so to the comment that was incorporated in the article: “Babies should be banned from planes, movie theatres, restaurants, and any other public place for that matter. The rest of the world doesn’t think your kid is as cute as you do.” Are you kidding me??? Children and babies have just as much right to fly and travel as you do. Speaking as a new mother who flies often it is ten times more stressful to be the parent of a crying baby then it is to be a passenger hearing them cry. And babies communicate through crying so if their ears hurt, are tired, or are hungry that is what they are going to do. If a parent is sitting there trying to do nothing while their child is crying- then be angry at them. But if a mother is traveling alone and her baby is crying and trying to do everything she can to comfort her infant- keep your snotty comments to yourself, they do not help. I would say 80% of the time we fly, we don’t have any issues with crying fits but I can also say that 80% of the time I hear a comment or get the evil eye for bringing my baby on a plane.

Now that I’ve voiced off, it’s your turn! I’m dying to hear your thoughts!!!

Ps. Oh and everyone DOES think my baby is the cutest in the world! ; )

Today’s feature happens to be the Litter Kwitter 3-Step Cat Toilet Training System. With this unique product and 8 weeks time, your feline friend will be using your home toilet instead of a litter box to do its business. Seriously? I thought this was just a joke that was over played in Meet the Parents. Apparently I am wrong and this is the real deal. If this is something you are interested in purchasing you can click here to do so.

If any of you guys have more info or success stories involving this product please share!

Justin over at Southern Explorations sent me their list of the 10 best reasons to visit South America in 2010. I thought it was extremely pertinent because I am sending my photographer to Argentina this week.  I am a little sad to not be going myself- but figure our brother-in-law would be a better companion because he speaks the language.

So here you go- as if you needed an excuse, the top 10 best reasons to visit South America in 2010:

1. It’s Still Affordable: It used to cost much more to fly to South America than to Europe but not anymore. Airfares from many US cities are comparable, and after you arrive, you’ll find hotel and meal prices mostly lower. Favorable exchange rates make 2010 the perfect time to go.

2. Safety: The last decade has seen a rising popularity of travel within the Western Hemisphere. Travelers to South America get to visit exotic lands but stay closer to home. Some of the continent’s top sights require a guide, adding an extra measure of safety as well as eliminating some of the hassles of international travel.

3. No Crazy Time Change: Traveling north and south instead of east and west means you’ll spend less of the vacation adjusting to new time zones and more time feeling like yourself. International travel without the jet lag makes South America a rejuvenating trip.

4. Shorter Flight Times: Travelers who think they’ll only visit South America once will be pleasantly surprised to learn how close some of the continent’s top sights are to one another. Because of short distances and flight times, you can combine Machu Picchu with the Amazon or the Galapagos Islands all in one vacation.

5. Cultural Immersion: Here visitors may travel back in time to observe indigenous populations practicing the same cultural traditions as centuries ago. Ancient ruins and the well-preserved architecture of colonial cities make South America a paradise for history buffs. For those who wish to experience the continent’s emblematic dance rhythms from Bahia to Buenos Aires, it’s a festival.

6. Culinary Travel: South American cuisine is all the rage. Foodies rave about Peru’s fusion style prepared by indigenous cooking methods, the European, African and Caribbean influences in Brazilian dishes, and the French and Italian slant to Argentine cooking, not to mention the world’s most perfectly grilled steak. Divine meals paired with some of the world’s top wines from Argentina and Chile make South America a unique gastronomic adventure.

7. Something for Everyone: So vast a continent offers destinations to suit almost every traveler. From tropical beaches and rainforests to glaciers and the magnificent Andes, you’ll find a bountiful array of ways to vacation in South America.

8. “Bucket List” Sights: South America is filled with bucket list opportunities—a journey down the Amazon, observing Galapagos wildlife at close range, traveling the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, walking among the penguins of Patagonia. South America offers many once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

9. Experiential Travel: The adventure travel options are plentiful. Ride the pampas like the gauchos, sea kayak with marine wildlife, hike scenic trails, drift-snorkel, whitewater raft and surf in warm waters. With seasons opposite those of North America, you can ski in July or sunbathe in December.

10. It’s Still Off The Beaten Path: Unlike the much-traveled destinations of Western Europe, most of South America remains relatively undiscovered by tourists, making it easy to go “off the beaten path.”

Southern Explorations offers dozens of different ways to explore the mountains, islands, jungles and beaches of South America.

*image and content courtesy of Southern Explorations. I was not compensated for this post. I just thought the content was useful and interesting as well as timely since we will be featuring South America next week.

People really need to stop blogging about food from their travels (I’m totally guilty of this). Ok fine- you can blog about it but please oh please don’t add pictures! Anil from Fox Nomad talked about all the delicious looking danishes he encountered in Denmark and Copenhagen.  I’ve already set my travel radar this year and unfortunately it does not include Denmark- so please if anyone is going to be in Copenhagen anytime soon please overnight me some of these tasties.

It’s no secret in my family that I’m NOT a fan of road trips. I’ll do anything to avoid them. In fact we don’t even drive the four hours to visit family in Southern Utah because that’s how much I hate them. But the lost girls this week posted a great article about Five Ways For Surviving a Family Road Trip. I know it’s the more economical choice for traveling for most- so this is a great roundup of trips. My favorite? Don’t bicker! Haha So True!

Last weekend we all packed up and headed to Central California (Fresno area) to visit our college friends. They hadn’t met BabyTravels yet and it had been since July 4^th weekend the year before since we had seen them.

There is something to be said about friends who you haven’t seen in a very long time but once you see them it’s like you have never been apart. Granted things were a little different this time- as Babytravels was not a part of our adventures the times before.

These are the friends that in college when we would have nothing better to do we would turn off all the lights and play hide and go seek (did I mention we went to college in the middle of nowhere?). These are the friends we shared camping trips, bonfires, and finals stresses. They are definitely friends for life.

This is one of the main reasons we travel. Yes it helps to get out of the doldrums, get out of the ordinary, and to expand our horizons. But sometimes if nothing else it’s fun to sit around, talk about old times, create new memories with people who mean a lot in your life. This trip was not about sight seeing, or feature writing, or culture exploring. It was about friendship and the love that embodies it.

Babytravels is the newest member of the DTM crew (and the most important member) and it occurred to me the other day that no one knows anything about her. She was born in October of last year in Salt Lake City.  Traveling is in her blood. And she does it quite well. Here are some quick facts about the cutest dottingthemaper.

Stats: Weighs almost 12 pounds and is five months old. As of last weekend she has been on 17 flights (will be 19 this weekend). Has been to Hawaii, California (three times), Minnesota (twice), North Dakota, Las Vegas, Utah, and Arizona (twice).  Is good-natured and smiles often.

Likes: Blowing raspberries, funny sounds, pink teddy bears, pacifiers, baths, guitars, Grandmas (doesn’t even necessarily need to be her own), and  anything that makes a noise when she shakes it.

Dislikes: long road trips, diaper rashes, shots, being hungry and missing naps.

Traveling with a baby is different. I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily hard (although sometimes it can be) it’s just a whole different ball game. Right now since she is so little airplane rides are pretty easy. She will either sleep or look around. I know that once she starts crawling it will get difficult- but for now she is content. We have never had a problem with her ears but we have had a few fussy moments but nothing to make us give up. To parents who are afraid to fly with little babies- I say this is the time to do it! So get out there and explore the world!

Over at Here and There you will find a travel wish list. This struck me because the DTM crew did that just last week. We held a household meeting where we hashed out where we wanted to go this year, who got to go where with who, who would stay home with the baby, when the baby would come, when we would leave the baby…etc.etc. Exhilarating yet exhausting all at the same time. Favorites from our list included Japan, Alaska, and Orlando.

Over at Hole in the Donut Travels Barbara posted a very informative video that must be seen by everyone! How safe are you in your hotel room? Ummm…  on second thought should we be shedding light on this? This could get in the wrong hands. Everyone who is not a psychopath check out this video to protect yourselves!

And best travel photo of the week goes to Around the World on a Toilet (they also win the best travel blog name of the week as well).  I was told by a certain DTMer that I had to remove the Philippines from my travel wish list in fears that this cutie would wind up in my suitcase and I would be detained by customs.

Feel free to share what you enjoyed this week from the travel blogosphere!

When Hilarye left town a few weeks ago for a her scrapbooking retreat, I took advantage and planned a little outing my own. A quick day trip to San Francisco sounded nice to me. What could be better than a balmy 65 degrees and lunch at the wharf?
San Francisco is a really great city for a quick trip, it has access to BART right from the airport and its super easy to hop on a cable car or MUNI once you’re downtown. Because I went with a friend that hadn’t seen much of the city after we hitched a ride on BART to Powell St. we hoofed it around town. It was a long day of walking but it included sites like Chinatown, the Bay Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, Lombard St. and city hall.
The highlight of a trip to San Fran for me is always the wharf. I love the crowds the smell of the sea, all of the touristy shops and the distant views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge really top it off. Plus before I forget to mention it, the awesome sourdough bread bowl of clam chowder for lunch at the Boudin Bakery.

DTM: How long have you been a pilot?

Dave: There are many ways that someone can become a pilot.  The three most common are flying for the military, attending a flight school, or earning your licenses at your local airport.  All three ways are perfectly acceptable and each has its own strengths.  I attended the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences at the University of North Dakota, located in Grand Forks.  UND is a large state University with a topnotch aviation program. I took my first flight lesson during college and earned my Private Pilot’s license when I was 19.  I continued to earn more licenses and upon graduation became a flight instructor for the University.  I eventually became a check airman and was qualified to issue the Private, Instrument, Commercial and Multi-engine licenses.

After gaining many hours and experiences, I was hired as a first officer with my current airline when I was 25 years old, and upgraded to Captain three years later when I was 28.  My company is named Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporation.  When hired, we operated as United Express and Air Tran Express and we now exclusively operate as US Airways Express.  I fly the Canadair Regional Jet primarily around the Midwest, east coast and Canada.

DTM: Why did you decide to become a pilot?

Dave: Early in life, I either wanted to be a pilot, train engineer, or ship captain.  I guess I’ve always been fascinated by the transportation industry.  My uncle was a hurricane hunter and flew large planes into the eyes of hurricanes for the United States Air Force.  He was definitely there to encourage me to chase my dream of becoming a pilot.

As I grew older, I began building model airplanes, reading technical books, magazines and decided that being a professional pilot is what I was going to do as a career.  Whenever my family flew or I’d fly during high school, I’d always stop by the flight deck and visit with the pilots.  A close hometown friend growing up and myself used to attend several air shows and fly to various destinations during high school.  One trip took us down to Orlando for a few hours to visit a fellow friend and on another trip, we flew to Chicago’s O’Hare International for 12hrs just to watch planes and visit with people! This good friend also became an airline pilot and he now works for the FAA as an Air Traffic Controller.

When I graduated from high school, flying for the military was not an option since I wore glasses/contacts.  With today’s technologies and advancements in the procedures, certain types of vision-correction surgeries do allow you to become a military aviator.

Dr. Bruce Smith (who is Dean of the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences at the University of North Dakota) once said, “The love for aviation is like a contagious disease.  You can never loose it, but you certainly share your love with others”.  Why am I a pilot? I do it for the thrill of piloting a pressurized aluminum tube seven miles up at 550mph over the ground, landing at 167mph and for the experiences of visiting many places most people will never get to see.

DTM: What is the hardest part of your job?

Dave: Being an airline pilot has many great benefits but there can be a few headaches at times.  Dealing with the uncertainty of the industry and dealing with delays can be quite stressful. Being away from my family for six days at a time can be tough on somefamilies.  However, it is nice when I’m at home, I do not have to worry about work at all.  I talk with my wife and kids several times a day and thanks to our web cams, I get to see them too!  Even if it is only on my computer.

A clever saying about the aviation industry is, “The only constant in aviation is that things change”.  Throughout my six years with the airline, I have been based in several cities.  Like I mentioned earlier, we used to fly as United Express and Air Tran Express.  This changed and we now operate exclusively as US Airways Express.  With this, several other changes happened as well.  When I was hired, our crewbases were at Chicago O’Hare, Denver, Appleton, WI, Washington Dulles and Atlanta.  Our company closed every single crewbase and now our crewbases are in Philadelphia, Washington Regan, New York LaGuardia, Norfolk, VA and Raleigh-Durham, NC. Many pilots and their families had to make the difficult decision whether to relocate to the new cities with the hopes that these bases might stay open, choose to commute to work, or quit the company.  (As I write this, there are rumors that two of our bases may indeed soon be closing)  I live in the southern midwest and choose to commute to work.  There are no direct flight so I fly to one airport, hop on a second plane and fly to my base.  All in all, from the time I leavehome to when I get to work, around seven hours have passed.  I do this twice a week and many times on my day off.

DTM: What is your favorite part of your job?

Dave: My job is to reunite people with family and friends, helping them get to their vacations, help them travel for their business or job interviews and going back and forth to school. Flying for an airline is a challenge that is always changing and rewarding.  As pilots, we are constantly aware and are responsible for every aspect of the flight.  We are very familiar with weather and are constantly monitoring the weather at our departure, enroute and destinations.  By ensuring that the aircraft is loaded correctly, having all of the required paperwork and documentation, knowing about any needs our passengers may require and always being ready for the unexpected emergency are a few ways to maintain the most important part of being a pilot –SAFETY!

I enjoy working with everyone involved with getting an airliner off the ground.  My team includes my first officer, my flight attendant, the dispatcher back at our company headquarters in Appleton, WI, the ground crew, the many maintenance crews, air traffic controllers, even the person who empties the lavatory is part of the team.  As Captain, I am responsible to ensure that all of these individuals come together and complete their jobs efficiently and safely to get the aircraft ready for flight.

DTM: What is a common misconception people have about commercial airline pilots?

Dave: A classic aviation joke goes, “How do you make small fortune in aviation?  You need to start with a large one”!  When I speak with strangers and they discover that I am an airline pilot, they immediately think that I have a small fortune.  In fact I do…only it’s very, very small. Many folks are surprised that pilots are paid by the hour.  This clock only runs whenever passengers are in the plane and the doors are shut. Waiting for the hotel shuttles, the rides to and from the hotel, going through airport security, all the preflight preparations, waiting at the gate for a late aircraft to arrive, the boarding process, waiting around an airport for several hours between flights…these are all times when we essentially “Donate” our time since we are off the clock.

Back in the “Glory Days” of aviation, being an airline pilot was a great profession and one could make a very good income.  Prior to September 11, 2001 and the many pay cuts that followed, many senior pilots at the major airlines were able to bring home $300,000 per year.  Many of those same pilots today bring home only $190,000.  That is almost half of what they were making.  An employee in any industry who has worked loyally for 35 years is able to build up a great pension.  Now, the US Government decided that airlines could cancel the pilot’s well-earned pensions all together.  Today, airlines are making a great deal of money and top management continues to give themselves huge bonuses.  This all happens while the many pilots, flight attendants, and mechanics are still giving up lots of income with pay cuts.

In the regional industry at some companies, the new-hire first officer piloting your flight today can be making as little as $16 per hour. At the end of the year, they will be brining home only $13,500 –Gross before taxes.  It’s sad that most professional pilots have a 4-year college degree, years of specialized training and experience, work very hard (up to 16hrs per day) and still easily qualify for food stamps and are considered to be living in poverty.  They could quit and work at a fast-food chain and are able to make more money.

Airline Management can always find other pilots or companies to do your same job for cheaper, and they do.  With many regionals, you can still have a great life making decent money, having good schedules and providing for your family.

DTM: What question do you always get asked?

Dave: If the engines quit, will the airplane fall out of the sky? Nope!  Modern aircraft are designed to be very aerodynamic.  In fact, during the descent from high altitudes when we bring the engines back to idle, they produce very little thrust.  With my aircraft, we have a 2.5 X 1,000 glide ratio.  This means that for every 1,000 feet we descend, we move forward around 2.5 miles.  If we are at the planes maximum altitude of 41,000’ and we loose both of our engines, we could glide around 102 miles before we would be back on the ground.  There are many suitable airports within that distance for landing.  But don’t worry; there are many different ways we train for to restart an engine if one fails.

DTM: What is the weirdest thing you have ever seen as a pilot?

Dave: I remember flying one night somewhere in Oklahoma over a line of strong thunderstorms.  While watching the light show the storm was providing, we began to see lightning shooting up into the sky from the top of the thunderstorm.  It was a neat thing that I have only seen a few times since then.

My favorite thing I’ve seen happened just over a year ago, departing from New York LaGuardia on New Year’s Eve.  Our departure’s flight path allowed us to turn right over Times Square at a relatively low level.  Seeing the ball and the ten’s of thousands of people was quite amazing.  Then a few short hours later that night, I smiled as I watched the ball drop on television and thinking, “Hey, I was just there”!

DTM: What insider tip can you give people to make their lives easier when flying?

Dave: If flying on an airline… Fly in the mornings- more open seats, fewer delays and usually less weather. Give yourself at least an hour for connections- since airlines usually begin boarding 30 minutes prior to departure and close the jet bridge door 10 minutes prior to departure, it pays to get to the gate on time.

Become educated on the layout of airports- this way if you are running late, you aren’t overwhelmed when trying to find your way around.  You can always ask a pilot or flight attendant if you need help!

Finally- remember that your flight crew does not like delays either. The later we are, the shorter our overnight time becomes at the hotel! Even though at times we may be a little busy with paperwork and checklists, we are usually more than happy to have visitors visit our front office and say hello!  Who knows, someday I may be your Captain?

We stayed at the Dakota Getaway, which is a little out of the middle of nowhere but an amazing place nonetheless. The house had 6 bedrooms, a huge scrapbooking room, a gym, a huge pile of girlie movies- just the perfect venue for a weekend of fun away from husbands and chores. I can imagine it would be a scrapbookers paradise with all the fancy gadgets and gizmos they had available. Actually I know for a fact that it was because about half of our group stayed up all day and all night slaving over their books and scrapping their hearts out. The rest of us oohed and awed, worked on our own projects or simply chatted till our jaws were sore.

I think we may have started a new yearly tradition.  Our recipe for a fantastic girls weekend:

1. 13 women (and a baby) who all desperately needed a break from our everyday lives
2. A back room stocked full of treats, goodies, junk food, soda, and other yummy things to eat
3. A karaoke machine and five women who had not had enough sleep
4. Friends and family who had not seen each other in a long time
5. A house that was in the middle of nowhere- the perfect setting for getting away from it all
6. Laughs, laughs and more laughs

If you are looking for a great location for your next girls retreat- the Dakota Getaway is a perfect option. It was perfect for those avid scrapbookers to keep them busy but the rest of us had plenty to keep occupied as well. The only thing is you need to book EARLY because it fills up fast!

*Dakota Getaway house picture courtesy of DakotaGetaway.com