Gadling

Discussing how Americans are viewed abroad is a popular travel topic. But what about how Americans are viewed by their fellow compatriots? This map gives us the Californian view regarding the rest of the US. Reminds me of the Absolut Vodka map controversy...

Living in the Northwest, I am going to have to agree with the "coffee" statement. But some might find the map offensive because of the clear stereotypes; then again generalizing does provide for a fair amount of humor.

Know of any other humorous maps like the one above?

Partying while traveling certainly has its perks; for starters you get to meet new people and test out the local drink of choice. Often drunken escapades turn into great stories -- "this one time at a bar in [insert country] I..." -- but sometimes things get a little too out of hand. That's what happened to a 78 year old man who was preparing to board a ferry at Helsingør, Denmark to cross the straight back home to Swede. When the man opened his wallet he realized that he had spent all of his money at the bar, and could therefore not pay for the ferry ride.

Wanting to get home, the man stole a rowboat and headed in the direction of Sweden. Tired and slightly inebriated, the man passed out in the hopes that the currents would get him across the 4 kilometer straight. Eventually he was found by the Danish Coastguard. When he sobered up he was put on the next ferry home; no news on how he paid for the ticket.

Travel moral of the story: always keep some extra emergency cash stashed away in an inner wallet pocket so that you don't find yourself in this kind of a situation.

In many countries, travelers mean money, and to cash in on the tourism industry you have to know how to attract customers. This is particularly true in Beijing, where as the Olympics draw closer, more and more travelers flock to the city. Apparently this shop owner knows exactly what it takes with their humorous sign out front, as captured by Marni Rachel. I definitely want to go inside.

Do you have a great travel shot? Want it featured on Photo of the Day? Submit it to the Gadling flickr pool and it just might be selected.

As a child I was always a fan of the window seat when flying. Then I grew taller and became a fan of the aisle seats where I could comfortably stretch out my legs as long as it wasn't beverage service time. Even better would be if I lucked out with an aisle emergency exit seat. But it looks like those of us who prefer the aisle seat have yet another reason to do so: safety.

In a study commissioned by United Kingdom's Civil Aviation Authority, where 105 plane accidents and 2000 personal accounts were analyzed, emergency exit seats and the rows in front and behind them were found to be the safest. For the best chance of escaping from a burning aircrafts, the report said that passengers should choose aisle seats near the front of the aircraft and within five rows of the emergency exit.

What are the most dangerous seats? Anything six rows or more from the emergency exit. Here are the survival rates for escaping from a burning aircraft:

• Front of the aircraft, 65%
• Rear of the aircraft, 53%
• Aisle seat, 64%
• Non-aisle seat, 58%

Need help on just how to score an emergency exit seat? Read this.

Flight delays, baggage complications and tight seating; flying isn't really on anyone''s list of favorites anymore. But because the state of airline and airport affairs is so mediocre, whenever you have a good experience there is a sense of elation; "My plane landed on time?!?!? Great!" That feeling is a whole lot better than knowing that you'll be flying into one of the world's most delayed airports.

If you want to plan your flying schedules around the airports that are known for getting their jets in and out in a timely fashion -- so you can actually stick to your travel schedule -- where should you go? MSNBC posted an article today with America's top 15 most on-time airports. Here are the top five with their percentage of on time flights:

1. Honolulu International, 84.3%
2. Kahului, 84.2%
3. Portland International, 81.8%
4. Salt Lake City International, 81.1%
5. Albuquerque International, 81%
   

Check out the other ten here and then book accordingly.



Thanks Emma!

When flying, a common complaint is having your elbows hit by the airline trolley that carries the in-flight beverage service. Even worse, what about when you get up to go to the bathroom and beverage service has started -- just how do you get around the trolley and get back to your seat?

But apparently not everyone has the same negative attachments to airline trolley carts that I do. If you have a soft spot for the carts, or want to make your home seem more like an airplane, you need to check out German design company Bordbar. Using original aluminum trolleys from various airlines, the designers have decked them out in flashy colors and motifs to turn them into a functional and trendy shelving systems. The trolleys are custom designed, so using the "trolley configurator" on Bordbar's website you can pick out the exact color, motif and if you want drawers, boxes or shelf boards inside.

Unfortunately, the customized airline trolleys aren't available for purchase just yet. But until they officially come out in October, you can rent them. Sounds like just the thing for when you want to make your staycation seem more like an actual trip.

The French bise (salutatory kiss on the cheek) is always slightly awkward for those of us who haven't grown up using it. Do you kiss once, twice, three times, or even four? Fortunately this map, made by a Frenchman named Gilles Debunne, gives a geographical explanation for just how many cheek kisses you should administer. The map was made after a poll that Debunne did with over 18,000 people, asking just how many bises they were used to doing upon meeting a fellow compatriot.

Unfortunately, a map can only do so much, and even within some départements there is still confusion on just how many bises to do. But here are some basic rules for French cheek-kissing that will help to make your introduction to a French person a little less awkward:

• You don't need to kiss the cheek of a superior (a boss, the President, etc.).
  

• Offer your right cheek; just like when you stretch out your arm for a handshake.

• Men can get away with not kissing each other hello; this is often reserved for very close friends or males with a familial connection.

• If you don't feel comfortable kissing people on the cheek, play the foreigner card and at least go for a handshake. Definitely make eye contact with everyone in the room; not making an effort to give an official hello is a major faux pas.

If your French is up to speed you might find this video amusing, otherwise check out the interactive version of the map here.

Wow. I don't think I need to write that much about this shot by Hector G Lincz; it's pretty much all around amazing. I especially love the contrast of the gray sky and the strong colors in the rainbow.

Think you have a shot that will wow us? Submit it to the Gadling flickr pool to be considered for Photo of the Day.

In a country where it's dark for about nine months out of twelve, can you really blame the Swedes for making summer solstice one of the most important party days of the year? Midsummer marks the longest day of the year; in many places in Sweden, particularly the north, the sun doesn't even seem to set. This makes for an ideal party scene, but enjoying it can take some learning. Here is your quick guide to understanding Swedish midsummer and how best to enjoy it.

What it is:
Midsummer festivities are held on the Friday between June 19th and 25th. Basically you are giving a Swedish skål (cheers) to the sun which on official summer solstice makes its longest appearance of the year.

What people do:
For the Swedes, Midsummer is one of the year's most important celebrations, comparable to New Years and Christmas. Communities will hold traditional Midsummer events which include dancing around a maypole and singing Swedish songs, one of which is called Små Grodorna (Little Frogs) and entails everyone to dance around like a frog while singing the following loosely translated lyrics: "Little frogs are funny to look at/ They don't have ears or tails." Who ever said the Swedes didn't have a sense of humor? Because you're celebrating the sun, the Swedish countryside is the place to enjoy Midsummer. Most Swedes will choose a country-side location and join their friends in a long night of eating, drinking and merriment.

So about that eating... typical food:
The standard Midsummer dinner table takes the form of a smorgasbord and includes boiled potatoes, all kinds of sill (pickled herring), crispbread, cheeses and usually some other form of fish like salmon. This is all accompanied by a lot of schnapps or brännvin, traditional distilled liquors. If you didn't like dancing and singing around the maypole, then get ready for the dinner table because each shot of brännvin usually comes with an accompanying chant or rhyme. For dessert you can plan on a lot of fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

What the wear:
For some larger community celebrations, people dress up in traditional Swedish costume. This can be seen in full effect at Stockholm's open air museum, Skansen. Regular party-goers take the time to make flower garlands to wear in their hair, usually made from daisies and clover.

Most importantly...
If celebrating Swedish midsummer, be prepared to not go to bed. When the sun doesn't go down, neither do you!

Glad Midsommar!

With high gas prices and a low dollar the idea of "staycations" is all over the place. Go over to Urban Dictionary and there's even an official definition of the term that has come to define Americans' 2008 summer travel season: "A vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environs have to offer." But as Jeremy pointed out, the whole thing feels rather lame. He came up with some good tips on how to cut down on travel costs so that getting away from home can still be possible, but what if you really only can afford a staycation? What then?

If summer 2008 is going to be the summer of staying close to home then it's high time to do something productive with your time off, and just because you can't travel to exotic lands doesn't mean you can't brush up on your foreign language skills. Adding to your foreign language repertoire is a great staycation activity for two main reasons:

• Thanks to the internet you can do it from the comfort of your own home

• You might be staying home, but you are still increasing your knowledge of other cultures

Here's the quick and dirty guide to incorporating learning a foreign language into this summer's staycation: