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The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), the world's largest alliance of animal welfare organizations, just launched a new component to its animal rights advocacy work, a new website called Compassionate Travel.
   
Compassionate Travel lists travel dos and don'ts and functions as a clearinghouse for international volunteer opportunities with an animal-welfare focus.

To make sure your next trip is animal-friendly, please heed some or all of the following:

• Visit nature reserves and national parks instead of petting zoos and roadside attractions.
  
  
• Skip the marine park and take a dolphin- or whale-watching cruise instead.
  
  
• Boycott bullfights and other festivals that use animals in potentially exploitive ways.
  
  
• Support the local humane society or shelter where you're traveling. Even donations of used towels and dog or cat food are helpful.
  
  
• Avoid animal rides or taxis.

Going to the World Series this year? Whether you're a Phillies or Yankees fans (I'm just upset my hometown Nationals forgot how to play ball this year), here are some tips on traveling in both cities.

Getting There
Call it the Amtrak Series, but the cheapest way to get from city to city is by bus. Budget buses Megabus and BoltBus both offer inexpensive fares between Philadelphia and New York.

Philadelphia

I Heart My City: Philadelphia
Albert Lee serves as concierge at the Independence Visitor Centerhttp://www.independencevisitorcenter.com/, and tells us what to do, see, and where to eat in the City of Brotherly Love.

Philadelphia On Foot
One of the best ways to explore the city is by foot. Print out our map of Philly's Northern Liberties neighborhood, and check out more tips on visiting the historic neighborhood from IT.

Family Vacation Planner: Pennsylvania
Get cool tips on all the places to take your kids in and around Philadelphia.

Philadelphia's Italian Market
Philadelphia is home to America's longest-operating outdoor market, and writer Jeff DiNunzio shares some insider tips on the best spots to visit.

Click below for tips on traveling in New York City.

Looking for a winter getaway that still leaves you with some cash for holiday shopping? Some hotels are offering special winter rates to encourage travel during the off-season. Most of these offers aren't available during holidays, but they offer a great option for a winter vacation. (None of the following rates include taxes)

Maswik Lodges, Grand Canyon National Park: from $82 per night

"If you think winter is a weird time to visit the Grand Canyon, think again. The snow-dusted scenery is stunning, the crowds thinner, the hiking can be great (absent a snowstorm) and some lodge prices are lower," writes Jane Engle in an article from the LA Times. Taking in the beauty of the Grand Canyon without fighting off throngs of tourists sounds like a pretty good deal to me. Xanterra Parks and Resorts has made it even sweeter by offering rooms in their Maswik South Lodge for $82 a night and in their Maswik North Lodge for $105 a night.

This deal isn't advertised on their website, but if you make an online reservation during the qualifying dates (November 29 through March 4, except for December 19 through January 2 and February 12 through 14) the discounted rates will automatically be applied.

Sonoma Hotel, Sonoma, CA: from $99 per night

The Sonoma Hotel, a 19th-century hotel located in the heart of the Sonoma Wine Country, is offering a $99 per night special for rooms booked Sunday through Thursday between now and March 2009.  These rooms normally run between $110-$170 a night.  A "Superior" room can also be reserved at the reduced price of $125 (normally $165-$190).  

The Hotel offers complimentary wine every evening, not that you'll need it after a day of tastings at the local wineries. This "bed and breakfast style inn" is located an hour north of San Francisco on the Sonoma Square near a variety of local artisan shops.

There's perhaps nothing as upsetting as losing your camera during a trip, particularly at the end, when all of your vacation photos go missing as well (a close second perhaps, is losing your notebook that you're using to report on a trip, cough, cough). Thankfully, the wonderful Web can often come in and act as a savior. Case in point: When Californian Nick Hare came across a camera while cycling in Maui, he picked it up and, after getting a digital card-reader, he found a photo of a young couple with their child. After posting the picture last week on a Facebook page he created to find the owners, a virtual six-degrees-of-separation pinballed its way through the social media sphere, and within a day, he tracked the couple down. He shared the news on the Facebook page:
 

The couple was found. I spoke with the husband today and will be mailing the camera tomorrow. They are from the Pacific Northwest and are currently visiting the East Coast. They received a text last night about me having their camera, about 24 hours after I posted the picture. Today they had people they haven't seen in years telling them that they lost their camera. Not quite knowing the power of the FB networking that was going on while they were on vacation, they didn't know how these people knew this. Which, I think is the best part of the story.

So what's the takeaway? First off, be sure to leave identification of some kind on your camera - be it your email or phone number on a sticker somewhere physically on the outside, or by taking a photo of your contact information and "locking" it on the camera's memory card. Too late? Try the site Ifoundyourcamera.blogspot.com, which reunites lost cameras with their owners, and was co-created by the guy behind the very cool Post Secret website.

Here's hoping that there are a lot more good Samaritans like Nick out there who are willing to follow his lead. And if anyone has seen a small black notebook in their travels, by all means, get in touch.

[Halogen Life]
[Jaunted]

The sixth season of Cesar Millan's Emmy-nominated show Dog Whisperer premieres this Friday, October 9th, at 9 p.m. on the National Geographic Channel. To mark the premiere and launch his latest book, How to Raise the Perfect Dog-- Through Puppyhood and Beyond, Cesar stopped by Nat Geo headquarters Monday (accompanied by miniature schnauzer Angel) for an advance screening of the first episode and to take questions from the audience. Traveler Senior Researcher Meg Weaver sat down with Cesar while he was here to find out how he got started in his career. And click through for a preview of the premiere episode in the season.

Known as El Perrero (The Dogman) when he was a teen in Mexico because of the packs of dogs that always seemed to follow him around, Cesar Millan aspired to be the best dog trainer in the world. But when he arrived in the U.S. and started working at a kennel in California, he realized American dogs didn't need training, their owners did. Dogs do best when they're balanced, Cesar says, and training doesn't necessarily equal balance. He espouses the training philosophy, well known to Dog Whisperer fans, of "exercise, discipline, and then affection." As we spoke, an adorable  schnauzer, Angel, sat snuggled at our feet. Cesar gestured to him and told me that Angel hadn't been trained to sit, fetch, or roll over. He'd been trained to be balanced and, sure enough, he was very well behaved for an adolescent dog.

Since Cesar himself is often on the move, I asked what suggestions he'd give travelers hoping to bring Fido on the road. He explained that we need to consider the travel experience from a dog's perspective: If the change of setting and scent (and altitude, if flying) are disorienting for us, imagine their effects on a dog. Dogs are used to traveling on four feet, experiencing every step of the way with their nose, ears, eyes, and body, so traveling in cars or planes can cause confusion and anxiety. Before heading off on a trip, Cesar recommends being sure your dog isn't full of physical energy. If you normally walk him a half-hour in the morning, extend the walk to an hour and a half so that his body tells his mind to relax. Bring things familiar to him: his bed, bone, Kong, etc. And, just as we benefit from being shown around a new place by someone familiar with it, try to hook your pup up with a local of the canine kind. 

National Geographic photographer Bob Krist is on assignment in Slovenia, and sends a us peek through his viewfinder. Visit his blog for more tips, or get them in person at our upcoming Traveler Photo Seminar in Denver, Colorado on September 27.

I'm only halfway through my assignment in Slovenia, and this little (New Jersey-sized) country already has me blown away at the astonishing variety of scenery there is to photograph; from Alpine lakes to quaint coastal fishing villages, to huge underground caverns.

My first stop is Lake Bled in the Julian Alps. This beautiful lake was the favorite vacation spot of Marshal Tito when Slovenia was part of his former Yugoslavia. The symbol, or iconic shot of Lake Bled is the Church of the Assumption on a tiny island in the middle of the Lake.

One reason I love to travel slowly is to get as many cracks at a photo subject as possible. I try to shoot it at different times of day, from different perspectives with different lenses. The shot above shows the Church with the beautiful Bled castle and the Julian Alps behind it. It's a medium telephoto view in the late afternoon. To see a few other perspectives, including a view of the lake from the island itself, continue reading.

To compile his new book, My Favorite Place on Earth, Jerry Camarillo Dunn Jr., interviewed dozens of famous people -- from Natalie Portman to the Dalai Lama -- about the places they loved most. He's been guest-blogging about his experiences here on Intelligent Travel. Click here for recent posts.

In choosing a travel companion, you might look for a curious mind, a sense of adventure, or a working knowledge of planes, trains, and donkey carts. But most important is a sense of humor. When the frustrations and absurdities of travel pop up, you both just laugh and carry on.

In My Favorite Place on Earth, I talked with 75 celebrated people about the places they love most in the world, and I made sure to talk with funny folks, from actor Will Ferrell to Matt Groening, who created The Simpsons.

Robin Williams spoke about his hometown, San Francisco. "One famous neighborhood is Haight-Ashbury," he said. "It's like a Civil War re-enactment done by Timothy Leary. The sidewalks are packed, and there are still shops from the Sixties."

Jerry Seinfeld reminisced about playing on a softball team with other up-and-coming comics in New York's Central Park. "We were doing this childlike thing in the middle of this most grown-up of places," he said. "On a Tuesday afternoon you'd be in jeans and sneakers, running around playing ball, and you'd see the skyscrapers with all the real people working for a living. You couldn't escape the fact that you had just dodged this huge bullet in life: 'I'm not up there working!'"

We're excited to announce the launch of National Geographic's EarthPulse: State of the Earth 2010. Beautifully produced by our NG Maps pals across the courtyard, this visual guide to global trends is available today for purchase online and at newsstands and bookstores.

Through images, diagrams, and maps the visual almanac tells the sobering story of how our actions affect others and the future of our planet. National Geographic CEO John Fahey says in its foreword that the almanac's message is akin to what your doctor says at your yearly physical: slow down and consume less.

I'm one of those lucky people who, at the gentle purr of a car engine or the hum of an airplane's jets, can fall asleep almost instantaneously. But most are not so fortunate, especially in the air, where there's no room to spread out, no padding on which to rest your head, no way to lean back more than 5 degrees, it's cold, stuffy... need I continue?

The folks at the Washington Post feel your pain, and spoke with an array of experts who offered tips on getting a little shut-eye in the sky. Here are some highlights:

Spread out: When checking in at the kiosk, click on the plane's seat diagram and see if there are any empty rows. Change your seat assignment, or, when you're on the plane, scope out the rows for any no-shows.

Find your center: Often, the seats in the center of the plane--away from the bathrooms, cockpit, etc.--are less noisy.

Let the flight attendant know: Leave your tray table up and locked. Not only does this give you more room, but it signals to the flight attendant that, if your eyes are closed, too, you don't need to be disturbed for your beverage. If you've got a blanket, fasten your seatbelt on the outside, so that they can see it without having to wake you up.

Drink up: Before your flight, drink some milk (known to have sleep-inducing enzyme tryptophan) or bring along some chamomile tea and ask for hot water. While booze makes you snooze, avoid it. Alcohol is very dehydrating.

Stay healthy: Do mini-exercises before you doze, like turning your head from side to side, squeeze your neck muscles, or stretch your toes. Muscles swell when they don't move, which can cause discomfort when trying to sleep.

And, some tried and true rules: Noise-canceling headsets, eye masks, and neck pillows always help aid the sandman.

My own advice? Chose a window seat. Sure, you have to climb over a couple people to use the loo, but at least you can rest your head against something, and not fear drooling on the person next to you.

Check out the Washington Post article for more expert tips on how to sleep on a plane.

What are your tips for sleeping on a plane?

Photo: Floralbrigades via Flickr

My father and I are heading out to Alaska's Aleutian Islands next week while I work on a story for the magazine; it's one of the more remote places in the country, and also happens to be where my grandfather was stationed during WWII. We wanted to take Grandpa with us, only there was one problem. He's dead.

Grandpa lived a long, full life and died three years ago now, but his ashes are still in an urn in my uncle's house. "Why not scatter some of them in Alaska while you're there?" my aunt suggested, and, while it seems like a fitting place to do so, I had one major concern. Would TSA let ashes through security, or would I have to FedEx Grandpa to Alaska? This was not a prospect I savored. Luckily, TSA responded quickly to my question.

Lauren Gaches in their press office got right back and said yes, Grandpa can come on the plane, as long as he's well-behaved. Which means the ashes must be in a container (preferably wood or plastic) that can go through the X-ray scanner. The screeners on hand are respectful of the deceased, she said, and don't need to open the containers, but it depends on your airline as to whether they allow ashes to carried on board in a checked bag or carry-on. So it's best to touch base with them beforehand about their preference. She also directed me to their website, where you can find TSA's policies for transporting the deceased. I just called my airline, and they confirmed TSA's guidlines, noting that their requirement specify that a death or cremation certificate is needed to verify the container's contents.

So that's one big huge check on my checklist taken care of, and a tremendous relief at the same time. Thanks to TSA and Delta for their help. 

Photo: √oхέƒx™ via the Intelligent Travel Flickr pool

A few lucky people had the chance to climb the 354 steps to the top of Lady Liberty's crown this Fourth of July for the first time since it was closed to the public after September 11, 2001. The coveted tickets went up for sale on June 13th, and tickets for the holiday weekend sold out within two hours, our own National Geographic News reports. So how can you get your hands on a pass to the top? Find out after the jump.

Crossing state lines this holiday weekend? If you're planning to set off a fireworks display of your own making, then be sure to check out the laws regulating firework usage in each state. The National Council on Fireworks Safety reported that 9,800 people were injured using fireworks in 2007, so please don't become a statistic. We all know that fireworks can be dangerous, so be smart and use the proper techniques to keep yourself safe. Have a fantastic fourth!

How do you feel about consumer fireworks?

Map: Sarah Aldrich

It's less than a week until senior editor Norie Quintos's trip to Kenya with her teen sons. In this posting, the third in a series of blogs on her trip, she covers vaccinations/medicines. Find the first and second posts here.

The glossy catalogs filled with pages of majestic elephants, lions in mid-roar, or huggable baby cheetahs rarely, if ever, mention the vaccinations or medications you'll need for an African safari. The catalogs' job is to romance and seduce, and not until you have fallen hard for Africa do you receive the get-down-to-business, no-more-cute-animal-photos information packet with "optional, recommended" travel health precautions against the scary tropical diseases you could catch.

The list of vaccinations is daunting, and includes Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Meningitis, Typhoid, Rabies, and Yellow Fever. The vaccines are also eye-poppingly expensive and not generally covered by insurance. The good news is you may not need every single one; it depends on your specific itinerary, your length of stay, your planned activities, and your health. To suss this out, you'll need the help of an experienced travel clinician. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website details recommended vaccines and links to an external clearinghouse of travel clinics.

Our colleague Lynn Ackerson recently flew through the Munich airport, where she encountered two odd, futuristic-looking cubes in Terminal 2. Intrigued but exhausted, she curled up across a few chairs in the waiting area during her layover and said she'd investigate after her nap. Too bad she didn't look first.

The gleaming white boxes are in fact Napcabs, and have been installed in the airport for about a year now. The winning design from the Technical University of Munich's 2007 Innovation competition, these two cubes let you have a private nook to yourself for awhile, where you can sleep, check email, and escape the stresses of the airport. They're outfitted with Wi-Fi (though some reports have said it can be spotty), a bed, electrical outlets, and ambient lighting. They cost about 15 Euros an hour and you can use your credit card to swipe yourself in and out.

Um, we want one?

It's been a while since I've had a Tina Fey travel moment ("I Want to Go to There") but the combination of danger, beauty, and the sheer isolation that Big Bend National Park offers has me dreaming of nights spent under an ocean of stars. The park stretches over 800,000 acres along the twist of the Rio Grande in southwest Texas, and offers amazing hiking, incredible vistas, and a significant adventure factor that has the potential to bring out the Bear Grylls in each of us. So much so that National Geographic writer Nick Patosi introduces what is perhaps the counterpoint to the "IWTGTT" impulse -- the "You Can Die" factor. He writes in the February 2007 issue:

The You Can Die possibilities are endless, which keeps some visitors--350,000 a year to Big Bend National Park--from coming back. Those who do return are left to ponder the remarkable grit of the hardy few who have managed to survive in this spare, unforgiving environment. Not to mention the roadrunners and kangaroo rats, so adapted to the arid climate they don't even need to drink.

Fortunately for all of us, the National Park System has prepared a short list of ways to counter the "You Can Die" factor, aptly called "How Not to Die in the Desert." Check them out after the jump.

The beloved postcard has gone digital. A few months ago, we wrote about Hazel Mail, which allows you to upload photos from your computer to be sent as postcards back home. Well, now it seems there's an app for that as well. Our friends over at Matador Travel introduced us to goPostal, an application for your iPhone or iPod Touch which lets you to snap a photo and send it as a paper postcard with a personalized message attached. The 4x6 postcard can be delivered to any U.S. address for just $1.29 per card, including postage. We can't help but think it's perfect for the tweaks on classic postcard images (holding up the tower in Pisa, for example). But I have to admit that it dispatches with one of my favorite aspects of postcard culture: foreign stamps. What's your take?

[Print Your Life]

Planning a big getaway? Don't forget that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection is changing passport policies, effective June 1, as part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Here's what you need to know:

You must have one of the following documentation for entry in to U.S. land and sea ports:

• U.S. or Canadian passport
• Trusted Traveler Card (FAST/EXPRES, NEXUS, or SENTRI)
• U.S. Passport Card
• State or province-issued Enhanced Driver's License

Getting the appropriate paperwork could take several weeks to process, so make sure you've got everything you need before you take that trip!

I'm on a bus to New York City right now, so I thought this might be the perfect time to pen a quick blog about the new site BusJunction.com, which serves as a Kayak.com for buses. It's one of those sites that you didn't realize how much you needed until it existed, and now that it exists I'm pretty sure I'm hooked. In essence, it works to aggregate all the available bus times from 13 different budget bus companies and it tells you which ones have wifi, power outlets, and the kicker, helps you find those $1 fares that are always so elusive. They're currently serving 31 cities in the East and Midwest; you just pick your ticket, and BusJunction will redirect you to the bus company's individual site.

Now if they could only help alleviate this traffic I'm currently sitting in along 95...

John Romantic is the director of customer relations and central baggage resolution at US Airways. But he'd prefer that you simply think of him as your advocate at the airline. For the last nine months, he's had the unenviable job of improving the carrier's checkered reputation for customer service. Contributing editor Christopher Elliott asked him how he's doing it.

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about some of the changes within US Airways, when it comes to handling customer service questions. And I've seen a marked decrease in reader complaints. What are you doing?

We are doing a lot, and we're glad there is a buzz starting. My goal when taking my position nine months ago was to transform customer relations from a complaint resolution center into a customer advocacy center. Better said, while we handle customer inquiries, we also need to globally understand customer sentiment and use all of that data to look at our product, policies, and processes. Our focus is to find ways to be easier to do business with.

How?

We code 100 percent of the customer responses we receive, and have created better reporting from this data. We have established an executive steering committee which meets regularly with the primary focus of understanding our customers' feedback, and finding ways to improve our customers' experience resulting in reduced complaints. The work of this team has lead to several recent changes - with some still in progress. We realize we have a little more ground to make up on customer complaint rankings, but our actions are starting to close the gap with our competitors.

How many requests does your department handle in an average week? Can you break it down by phone, fax, letter and e-mail, please?

The actual number of requests varies by time of the year, load factor, peak and off-peak times. But the current breakdown is 91 percent handled via e-mail, 5 percent via phone and 4 percent via fax or written correspondence.