Monday Travel Update – New Year’s Eve Edition

My time here in Wisconsin is coming to a close. I’ve spent the last month working on projects and upgraded a lot of my gear. It has probably been the single biggest gear upgrade I’ve done since I’ve started traveling in 2007.

I’ve purchased a new laptop, new backup hard drives, new iPhone, new ereader, new headphones and a new bag. Even though no one other than myself will really notice, it will be a whole different travel set up for me. The new gear, especially the laptop, should make me far more productive, especially when it comes to editing photos. If nothing else, at least Netflix will look much better.

If you haven’t read any of my end of the year posts, here is a summary:

• My Most Memorable Hotels of 2012
• 2012: A Year in Photography
• 2012: A Year of Travel by the Numbers

As an added bonus, I sat down and figured out all the different airports I flew through in 2012. It was a much longer list than I thought. They are in no particular order and I haven’t repeated any.

ATW GRB MKE ORD DEN LAX EWR FRA CDG LHR LGW GSE MEL SYD HKG BKK YVR YYZ YZP YTH YHZ VLC BCN HEL SIN NRT MAD CPH CLT DFW EZE AEP USH JFK LGA LAS SFO CHS BZE CAN ASE DTW ATL MIA IAH BNE MSP

That is far more than I realized!

On Friday I’ll be making my first trip of 2013 when I fly to Las Vegas for the New Media Expo. I’ll be speaking on Monday January 7 from 2:45pm – 3:45pm in room Rio #3. If you are going to be in attendance or happen to be in Las Vegas, stop by and say hi.

On Wednesday, January 9, I’ll be flying from Las Vegas to San Jose, Costa Rica. As of right now, I have nothing other than my plane ticket. I have no hotel and nothing planed for my stay. If you have been to Costa Rica and have any suggestions, I am open to your suggestions.

I hope everyone had a great 2012 and has travel in their plans for 2013!

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Links

• FAA rules about using electronics on flights are dumb NYT
• Englishman wakes up speaking Welsh after stroke The Independent
• Bangkok Airport tops Instagram’s list of most photographed places in 2012 TNW
• Hadrian’s Auditorium discovered in Rome Huffington Post
• Rise of the nomadic worker CNN
• Good news for travelers. You now only need 1 visa for Thailand and Cambodia Bangkok Post
• Will Saudi Arabia Ever Change? New York Review of Books
• The story behind California’s otter-exclusion zone Outside
• Brendan is driving a scooter from Mali to Cape Town Brendan’s Adventures
• Stateless man stuck in American Samoa CNN