I must admit I am very jealous of my colleagues Fran Gallagher, Dick Evans and Mary Hunt as all of them were recently in London. I spent three and a half months living in London during my junior year in college and I have not been back since. That was three years ago. The city holds a special place in my heart for a variety of reasons and I really want to make a return visit. The itch has been getting worse lately so when I found out all three of them were there I got a bit green with envy!

Spending a semester abroad is something I would recommend without hesitation to any college student, especially if your school offers the opportunity like mine did. And London would be the first place I would suggest. The adjustment is not as hard to make because there is no language barrier and the city is so full of history, easy to navigate and fun.  Plus it is just a hop and skip across the pond from mainland Europe, and that affords visitors the opportunity to explore other parts of the continent on the weekends. I visited seven other cities while I was there. The drawback, of course, is the exchange rate. But, as Courtney talked about in her blog yesterday, I saw Europe and London through a college student’s backpacking budget.

What do I miss about the city? I miss riding the tube and minding the gap, I miss the cereal and scones at Marks and Spencer, I miss exploring the city, I miss the way the cabs look, I miss the TV shows, I miss living in a townhouse with nine other people, I miss everything about the city, including the smells!  That is definitely the short list because I could go on and on and on. But, London means so much more to me - it represents independence. Besides Canada and Mexico, this was my first time leaving the country. I was far away from home and in a foreign country. We found our own housing and made our own way there. I was afraid that I would be homesick, but the city quickly became home. I joined the gym, I had an Oyster card - aside from the accent, I felt like I belonged and that was a huge step for me. Besides my best friend, I had no other comforts from home and I learned then that I can make it on my own, anywhere. That is a very eye-opening realization. My friends and I navigated our way around cities we knew nothing about where we could not even speak the language! The whole experience made me grow as a person and start to feel like an adult. That is why London has so much meaning to me and why 20 St. Michael’s Street off of Edgware Road will always feel like home.

I am sure everyone has a city that stands out to them. London is mine and I can’t wait to go back. When we were over there in 2005, London was in the middle of their campaign for the 2012 Olympics. Each of us made it a point to “Back the Bid.” We promised to return to the city if London did indeed win the bid. I certainly hope I don’t have to wait till then to return to my favorite city!

-Kimberly Krol, circulation and public relations executive

My passion for travel began in college. As my budget solely depended on travel scholarships and financial aid, I always stuck to backpacking. Entering the luxury travel business now, I find myself at times awestruck at the world of spas, resorts and luxury hotels a college graduate like myself once only dreamed of!

My first experience at a resort wasn’t really at a resort at all. It was from the window of my room in a small motel for scuba divers on Mactan Island, Philippines, just off the coast of Cebu Island. The Hilton Cebu Resort and Spa could have been the tallest structure on Mactan Island. It stood as a tall, pink frosted building on the tip of the island, just basking there in the sun. While I was appreciating anything my $10-$20 a night budget could provide, I couldn’t help but stare at this isolated pink world with its own private beach every day. Their sand was whiter. Their water was clearer. Their palm trees were more lush and green. At night, I couldn’t ignore the long pier, illuminated with lanterns leading to a restaurant sitting on the water with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Luxury! The idea of it haunted me every night as I lay in my creaky cot, gazing out the window. My cousins, who traveled and dove with me in the Philippines, were also low-budget travelers who appreciated the local life of the islands and enjoyed supporting the smaller, locally run businesses. On this particular night, however, we could not resist. In the “finest” backpacking attire we could find, we strolled through the breathtaking fantasy of a lobby, calling each other by names we felt better resembled a luxury traveler than our own and taking pictures of ourselves posing in ways we felt looked “natural” in this setting. We didn’t fool anyone.

My view from the motel window did not lie to me. The sand was better. The water was clearer. Even the palm trees seemed happier. Fortunately, our budgets did allow one night of splurging at the restaurant on the pier. We sat on the balcony of the top floor of the restaurant, which mimicked the sensation of standing on the bow of a large ship. We could see our motel from the pier and we waved. To me, this was luxury: indulging in whatever we could afford, enjoying life and knowing exactly where we came from!

-Courtney Centeno, account executive

I met Steve Renko last week. Who is Steve Renko and why should I care, you ask?

The first question (who?) is easy, mostly thanks to Baseball-Reference.com. Renko is a former major league baseball pitcher. Pitching for seven teams during his 15-year career, he lost more games than he won. Some would call him a journeyman.

The second question (why?) is a bit harder to explain. Renko is among a growing number of ex-athletes (and minor celebrities) who have developed a second career and a second income on the celebrity ‘meet and greet’ circuit. My friends cannot believe people actually pay these celebs for autographs, and how much they pay.

A few years back, a friend and I went to an old-timers wrestling convention. (Okay, yes, old-time wrestling was a guilty pleasure of mine.) Laurie was stunned by the size and passion of the crowd, as well as the amount they were paying for signatures and pictures with their wrestling heroes. During a four-hour session, wrestlers would accommodate a line of 300 fans, paying $20+ for each item signed, and most bought several items. She was continually amazed at the lines (lines which she somehow managed to circumvent for me, but that is another story).

Laurie and I also went to a Hollywood Collectibles Convention, featuring Robert Englund. She knew what to expect, but it is still odd seeing the huge lines. Englund had the biggest line, but he played Freddy Krueger, a movie icon. How do you explain long lines for P.J. Soles and David Naughton? Yet, the lines were there, a continual stream of giddy fans, wads of cash in hand, waiting for their time with the celeb(s) of their choice.

I am not criticizing these people. I already admitted I attend these conventions (however, due to some working relationships with the promoters, I have been spared the usual expenses at times). I even have a wall of photos taken with stars.

I just think it is a fascinating concept. An obscure player like Renko can conceivably earn more money in a year now than he did pitching. Actors like Adam West (television’s Batman) and Butch Patrick (tv’s Eddie Munster), who would otherwise be forgotten, command top dollar. Even basic one-hit wonders like Larry Thomas (the Soup Nazi) and Tiffany (’80s pop sensation) have jumped on the gravy train.

I don’t begrudge the celebs either. I just wonder what the going rate is for the co-owner of the 3rd largest publication distribution company in the Midwest.

-John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

I was home over the weekend and actually remembered the Oscars were on. I had some people over and as the show began, I realized I had not seen one nominated movie! Or so I thought. As the night progressed, I realized I had seen a few - Ratatouille and Michael Clayton. Where had I seen these movies without having gone to a movie theater in over six months? On airplanes, of course! I watched Michael Clayton onboard Continental’s flight 69 from Stockholm to Newark, but was not able to see the end as we were approaching Newark. I saw Ratatouille onboard Asiana going from NY to Seoul nonstop. With 14 hours of no Internet, I had time to sit back and watch a film - Oscar-worthy no less!

I think most business travelers would agree that it is in the air when they have the most time to catch up on their films. On that Continental flight, I would not have even watched Michael Clayton if it hadn’t been for the pilot that sat next to me. He said he had been meaning to rent it, but why not kill two birds with one stone and watch it onboard. I’m glad he suggested it as it helped me pass the time and now I find the need to go and rent it myself to see the end!

It just goes to show that the attention to details on planes these days really does make a difference. From flight attendants, color scheme of the interior of the aircraft, food and wine and, of course, to the onboard entertainment system!

-Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

I just took off from Saipan Airport for my next visit, Guam. It was a wonderful opportunity to see Saipan, which I had always heard so much about throughout history. It does concern me that many Americans lack the knowledge of what happened in the Pacific during WWII. As the tail end of the generation whose parents lived through this period, I find that sunsequent generations have lost much of this knowledge.

Most of the islands under the protection of the United States were acquired as a result of the Spanish and American War. Ferdinand Magellan, circumventing the earth, landed in Guam and Saipan and claimed this for Spain. Guam became a stopping point of Spain commerce and trade between the Philippines (Manila) and Mexico (Acapulco).

Saipan was a hotbed of fighting during WWII. Over 29,000 Japanese soldiers occupied the islands, and when the Battle of Saipan took place, the US forces attacking this island numbered well over 79,000. Casualities amongst Japanese soldiers were incredibly high, 90 percent. Many committed suicide rather than be captured. Three thousand Japanese soldiers jumped off “Banzai Cliff” into the ocean below. The waters under this cliff are so turbulent that a person is immediately pulled under and drowned. Another cliff, Suicide Cliff, is at one of this highest points in Saipan. This is where many civilians jumped to their death with their entire families for fear of the propaganda from the Japanese that they would be tortured and killed by the U.S. GI.

Now Guam is at the cusp of an economic revolution. Eight thousand to nine thousand  U.S. Marines, formerly stationed at Okinawa, will be relocated to Guam. Eventually, Guam’s military personnel numbers will grow to 20,000 more. Add families and support organizations/groups and Guam will be expecting an additional 40,000 persons.

This buildup will bring a new focus on the region and more travelers from the U.S. mainland, which now represents a small percentage of the visitors to the islands.

-Fran  Gallagher, publisher and CEO