Rapid Travel Chai

The Rapid Traveler started blogging because he was amazed by the enthusiasm and dedication to serve readers of the authors of legendary travel blogs like Frugal Travel Guy, One Mile at a Time and View from the Wing that presented at the Frequent Traveler University, and so the little Rapid Travel Chai was born, vastly underestimating the tremendous time commitment involved. The Rapid Traveler never would have guessed how accessible and generous of their time so many bloggers are. Most bloggers have day jobs and family tugging them, and a small amount of ad revenue for most in no way repays the time investment. This is a true labor of love and bloggers often spend hours a day in unseen email correspondence that never show up on the blogs. In learning about travel and blogging, The Rapid Traveler has been immeasurably helped by numerous bloggers and readers, coming to the following happy conclusions:

1. If you have a travel question, someone out there has the answer. Check the blogs and forums like FlyerTalk and MilePoint.
2. If the answer isn’t already out there, don’t be shy to ask (ignore the snarkiness of the incorrigible minority).
3. Contribute your own wisdom via blog comments and forum posts – just be civil. Working in groups really does improve the output (repeat: ignore the snarkiness of the incorrigible minority).

The above sentimentality was prompted by The Rapid Traveler’s path crossing with BoardingArea blogger Marshall Jackson of Marshall Jackson on Travel. Marshall is a former pilot with travel expertise from working  in aviation in both the private sector and public sector. Never having prior contact, Marshall anyway accepted The Rapid Traveler’s twitter cold call for drinks during his business trip. The Rapid Traveler listened and questioned for two hours about airlines, frequent flyer programs, and cruising, forgetting his intention to treat Marshall to dinner. After two hours, Marshall got up and had to return to his hotel for work on his day job (at 9 pm, no less), not having time to grab a bite. Check out his great blog.

The selflessness of so many travelers makes travel fun even when not the road. Get to know some fellow enthusiasts! And next time you have a chance to help out a fellow traveler, even something as simple as telling someone waiting in a snaking line at an airport rebooking counter during a storm to call the customer service number before seats run out, go ahead and do it. Travel is so stressful for many, that those of us that enjoy it have a duty to be Travel Samaritans.

Photo by kalleboo