According to The New York Times travel section, Spring Break is not just for college students anymore. Student travel agencies, such as STA Travel, StudentUniverse and StudentCity, may not openly target older travelers, but they do not discriminate when it comes to age. This has been a long-kept secret for years, but now certain agencies, such as STA Travel, have started actively promoting their “flights for everyone” campaign, featuring round-trip flights from New York to Sydney for as low as $798. In addition to low airfare, some of the best deals can be found in the form of package or group tours.

This is something only the budget traveler should keep in mind, as booking a package trip might place you right in the heart of the college Spring Break action. For cheaper airfare, however, it might be worth checking out.

– Courtney Centeno, account executive

Are you an adventure traveler? I saw a piece of news on the TV about a new adventure idea called skyaking. It’s jumping out of a plane in a kayak. While the visuals looked awesome on TV, I am not jumping out of my desk chair to try this one. So perhaps I am not an adventure traveler.

However, I believe adventure travel can be defined in many ways. Each month GT features an “Adventure Add-on” destination article, ranging from eco-tours to trekking the mountain peaks of the Andes. Personally, I think the pictures accompanying the article are stunning. But I’m quite happy reading about and looking at them from the pages of GT.

On the other hand, I am one to get on a plane and go anywhere off the beaten path. I believe it’s just as adventurous to go to a politically unstable environment as it is to jump out of a plane. One opportunity involving sport and travel that I would take advantage of, if it came my way, is heliskiing. Jumping out of a helicopter is a little more manageable for me than an airplane, especially since there are fresh tracks to be skied that have yet to be touched by another person.

What’s your idea of adventure travel? Don’t forget to take a look at GT’s auction to see what prize suits your adventure needs!

– Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher

Isn’t it great when you go to a restaurant and everything from beginning to end is great? Last Saturday we had just that experience.

We had been craving goat cheese pizza for a few weeks. I also desperately wanted a good bowl of soup. We knew that Graziano’s would satisfy both needs.

We called on our way there and were put on the wait list. About a minute after we arrived, our “wait” was up and we were seated. Our server was with us quickly, and our big bowls of mushroom soup soon followed. On a damp, cold Chicago evening, few things are as good as a bowl of soup with fresh rolls for dipping.

As we finished our soups, one big goat cheese pizza landed on our table. It also had roasted red peppers (an ingredient added, despite not being on the menu). The pizza was crispy and hot and tasty and just what I needed as a meal for that cold, damp night.

Our server was prompt, attentive and helpful. She was so good we felt compelled to compliment her and the entire experience to Steve Demet, co-owner. Demet was grateful for our words, but not surprised by his server or the meal.

Graziano’s has been one of my favorite places for years (I even reviewed it last year for eFlyer). Places like Graziano’s need to be applauded, especially during these tougher times. They do not scrimp on anything. No corners are cut. The service, the food, the atmosphere and even the prices are as good now as they have been throughout the years.

I believe there is a lot to be said about that idea. If more businesses followed that practice, things would be better. Too many businesses start to cut quality to save costs. This can become a never-ending cycle. Every business needs to watch its costs, but quality must not be taken for granted.

– John Wroblewski, distribution specialist

Well, I’ve finally gone and done it. I have entered the social networking scene by creating my own Facebook page. Truth be told, I didn’t actually create it on my own. No, daughter Jenny, who for years swore she would likely die if I ever did so, was the one who actually encouraged me to take the plunge and guided me through the process. She managed to convince me by pointing out that several of my siblings and in-laws, nieces and nephews and high school and college pals had their own online profiles, and I could more easily keep in touch with them and they with me if I joined in. Another benefit is that while she’s in Europe, I’ll be able to check her page for updates on her travels and view photos she posts (I do expect some personal emails as well, though!).

Just a few days before she left, we sat down at my computer and she explained to me about creating a profile, “friending” people, replying to comments on my wall and all the rest. The next thing I knew, my email inbox was flooded with notices telling me who’s friended me, posted a comment, or responded to a thread and . . . WHAT??!! Already, only a few days into this new venture, and I am swamped with all kinds of input (and I haven’t even got all the Christmas stuff put away — I have no time for this!!). Jenny tried to give me a few more pointers and threw in a little Facebook etiquette: “If someone asks to friend you, you should accept. I don’t think you should “poke” anybody, though.” (What does that mean? Is it obscene or rude or does she just think it isn’t “age appropriate”?) Then, off she goes back to Chicago en route to Europe for two months, leaving me to fear I’m going to deeply offend someone by either inadvertantly ignoring a friend request or committing some horrible Internet faux pas.

Do you sense panic setting in? You are very astute! Actually, I believe this is just a temporary reaction to my introduction to a particular corner of the Web I’ve happily managed to ignore up to now. I always resent the time it takes me to wrap my head around new technology (and my ignorance until I feel I’ve conquered it). I have already seen the benefits and enjoyed this additional link to friends and family, but I can also see where it could become a time-consuming monster if I let it.

Updating my own wall and viewing and commenting on others’ could gobble enormous amounts of time alone, but I’ve also gotten a glimpse at some of the “apps” or role-playing types of programs associated with Facebook that one can lose oneself in. Both of my girls have “farms” where they raise and harvest crops, and I’ve seen where others apparently run “restaurants.” Sorry, I’ve got a real garden, and that takes enough time as it is; and figuring out what’s for dinner tonight is as close to running an eatery as I want to get. Who has the time to do all this? College students with boring classes? Homebound invalids? Maybe, but apparently working people and busy young mothers, too. I seriously cannot fathom the appeal there at all. Perhaps it’s just a bit of escapism, but I’d rather read a book or see a movie for that!

I’m looking forward to reading an article in an upcoming issue of Global Traveler which will examine the social networking phenomenon. With my tech expert gallavanting around Europe, I’ll be in need of a little additional guidance to get me through this traumatic experience.

– Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader

With all the hype over James Cameron’s new sci-fi flick, Avatar, there is a renewed buzz over 3D and its plans to take over television in 2010. 3D never really tickled my fancy. The first movie I saw in 3D was Spy Kids and only because I took the kids I was babysitting to see the movie. The glasses were made of cardboard, and I recall the quality being so poor that I fell asleep in the theater.

3D has changed a lot since then. With all the money, time and manpower that went into producing Avatar, the experience is simply phenomenal. It feels as though you are poking your head into a shadow box of another world, where the textures and layers really pop. However, it is subtle enough to look and feel normal. Even the glasses have changed, from the red and blue cardboard to larger, more comfortable, tinted plastic shades.

The next step this year is 3D TV. With the wonders that HD has done to the world of television through specials such as Planet Earth and channels like ESPN, 3D may soon become the new way to watch the World Cup or Top Chef. In a recent New York Times article, ESPN led the 3D storm, claiming it would show at least 85 live events on a 3D channel beginning in June.

I support 3D television. Although I do think Superbowl parties and sports bars full of people in 3D glasses will take a little getting used to.

– Courtney Centeno, account executive