As I am writing this, it is 7 am on Thursday morning, and after 2 full days of traveling, I finally arrived at the Palau Royal Resort last night with my press group and received a complete, full night’s sleep in a real bed! On Monday, I flew from Newark Airport to LAX and had a very pleasant stay at the Sheraton Gateway Monday night. Since I had some time to relax before my 15-hour journey to Palau on Tuesday morning, I tried to stay up to alter my time clock, so I wouldn’t be so “off” when arriving in Palau. One thing I should have remembered from my journey to the Philippines is that it doesn’t matter how much you prepare or even sleep on the plane; after a 20-hour trip you will be EXHAUSTED no matter what!

Although arriving in Palau at night kept us from seeing the beautiful islands when we landed and the scenery while driving to our resort, I was happy to have nothing on my itinerary but SLEEP when I got to my hotel room. In the morning, I was greeted by the warm, humid tropical air and the sun rising just behind the palm trees. I could wake up like this every morning. The Palau Resort is beautiful and very accommodating, just as I had expected. I was very pleased with the amenities, as everything was provided so that one wouldn’t even need to bring toiletries, except deodorant. On top of that, there was two of everything! Toothpaste, toothbrush, razor, shaving cream, dental floss, toothpicks, lotion, shampoo, conditioner and hair comb.

While traveling, I will be reviewing everything from hotels, flights, restaurants, scuba diving, snorkeling and various tours. Our itineraries are jam-packed. Today is our dolphin tour! I am very happy to be here and review everything you global travelers will need to know about Palau! Who needs fall, winter or spring? Let summer prevail!!

-Courtney Centeno, account executive

Inspired by Alex’s blog on Tuesday, I was hoping to get your thoughts on a situation I encountered quite a few times recently, one caused by airport delays.

When I was on my back-to-back trips to Los Angeles and the British Virgin Islands, I flew in and out of Philadelphia International Airport eight different times in like nine days. Four of the flights were on Delta in first class and four of them were on American Airlines in economy. I think all 8 flights were delayed in some way, either boarding or waiting on the runway. I do not think the following situations are unique to these airlines in any way, and they are more general practices that I began to question.

When boarding was late, I noticed announcements being made that they were going to be eliminating certain services, mostly for first-class passengers, in order to board quickly and take off as close to our scheduled time as possible. They were not going to do the welcome beverage service for first-class passengers or other welcome perks that first-class passengers are technically paying for in the price of their ticket. And I am not complaining because I was in first class; to be honest, I don’t remember which carrier this was on, which leg of the trip it was or where I was sitting (it all kind of blended together!). It just seems to me that by delaying boarding and take off, you have inconvenienced passengers. I completely agree that this is out of the airline’s control, but beverage service is within the airline’s control. Eliminating services, in my mind, would only serve to inconvenience and anger the passenger even more, right? And, let’s face it, those tickets aren’t cheap! There must be a way to incorporate the service and still board the plane in a timely manner.

On another one of those flights, the airline wanted to reduce weight and was having problems with the water system, so they eliminated all hot water, including coffee and tea, and the water couldn’t be used in the bathrooms. This was an early-morning flight. Understandable that they were experiencing problems, but that is a bit disappointing to learn when you are already loaded and on the runway. Plus, can’t bottled water be boiled for coffee and tea? Or supplied in the bathrooms so passengers can wash their hands? With so many changes occurring in the airline industry and so many more charges being incurred by passengers, sometimes you wonder why the airlines don’t go the extra mile to accommodate passengers when things go wrong. I understand they are hurting, but making passengers happy when problems occur will build loyalty and keep people flying certain airlines when times are tough.

And, on a completely unrelated note, celebrities have now apparently jumped on the oil bandwagon. This week, Diddy, formerly Puff Daddy, P. Diddy and Sean Combs, music mogul, fashion designer, etc., complained to oil companies that prices were too high and were forcing him to fly commercially rather than on his private jet. I am sure everyone reading this blog feels very bad for him. I bet when Diddy is on board, the carriers don’t eliminate his beverage service or hot water!

-Kimberly Krol, circulation and PR executive

Next week I will be traveling to Palau, Micronesia, for a week on a press trip. As an island lover and scuba diver, I am very excited! I will be staying at the Palau Royal Resort and also the Palau Pacific Resort. Put together by the Palau Visitor’s Authority, I will see dolphins, waterfalls, scuba dive, snorkel, kayak and even receive spa treatments! The first and last time I visited the Pacific Islands was three years ago when I traveled to the Philippines for three months. I am very excited to return to a place that hosts my favorite outdoor activities, has beautiful, white sandy beaches and tropical weather. I will keep you posted!

-Courtney Centeno, account executive

If you read Fran’s blog yesterday, you could gather my trips to world headquarters (WHQ) over the past years have never been dull. It’s always great to hang out with the team. I’m just glad that Courtney, on her new adventures to TRE, does not have to encounter the “Candyman”! During the strategy portion of this past trip to WHQ, Fran and I planned a last-minute business trip to South Florida to visit some clients Monday. I planned to arrive Sunday evening to get a fresh start for Monday, but my trip was not so smooth.

I was on a 7:20 pm Delta flight out of JFK. I think the Delta terminal at JFK almost makes LAX look good! Regardless, the flight was delayed, so we did not board until 9:30. I believe the initial delay was weather, but once on board, we pulled back from the gate and waited for another 2 hours until we took off. This delay was due purely to congestion on the tarmac as JFK is, I believe, the busiest hub to Europe in the evening. I watched all the international aircraft take off - Lufthansa, Virgin, AerLingus, Eurofly, etc. - normally an enjoyable experience for me, but not so knowing I wouldn’t be landing in Miami until 1:30 am.

Anyway, as much as the delay was frustrating, what I found disappointing was the talk I heard from other passengers. I overheard the group in front of me, after the pilot announced another delay due to all the congestion at the airport, announce that this was another reason why they wouldn’t fly Delta again. Delta apologized profusely and the crew was accommodating and provided a comfortable flight once airborne. I just feel it is very unfortunate when the airlines, in enough trouble already, get an even worse rep for problems out of their control. I’m sure the solution is much more complicated than I want to even imagine, but next time you’re on board and the flight is delayed, remember the pilot probably wants to get where you’re going even more than you do! Delta did a good job at handling a difficult situation and, bottom line, I made it to Miami safe and sound and in time for business!

-Alexandra Young, vice president and associate publisher

I have been all over the place the last two weeks - first in LA with the rest of the GT team and then in the British Virgin Islands on a media tour with the Zimmerman Agency. While I was away I had the pleasure of seeing how the other half fly and I must admit, it makes commercial planes and other modes of transportation look a bit unappealing.

While in Los Angeles, I had the pleasure of visiting the first Aloft Hotel. Located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, Starwood chartered us to the hotel via helicopter. The view of Los Angeles from the helicopter was fantastic and the trip was quick, convenient and fun! Why fly any other way?

The newest Starwood brand, Aloft, has a lot to offer travelers. The funky decor is minimal, yet comfortable and each hotel will offer a fitness area, a community area with fireplace, a bar, meeting space and a Grab and Go food area. I think the Grab and Go area will be especially popular among hotel guests as it allows them to grab delicious salads, sandwiches and drinks and enjoy them at their leisure, wherever they want and when they want. While providing great accommodations for the guests, Aloft will also serve the community, welcoming residents to hang out and play pool, board games and enjoy great cocktails. The chain, springing up all over the world in 2009, will truly offer a hip and affordable alternative to travelers on the go.

My second experience at high class travel was aboard a private plane in the BVI. We flew from Anegada, a remote, peaceful island, to Virgin Gorda and got a great aerial tour of the British Virgin Islands. Once again I found myself thinking “Why travel any other way?” The helicopter and private plane were fast, comfortable and personal. I should travel everywhere that way - oh wait, the expense! That was a quick snap back to reality!

I also thought about how lucky I am to have the job I have, which allows me to experience trips and other things (like helicopter and private plane trips) that I wouldn’t otherwise experience. Trust me, my eyes were wide with awe the whole time I was up in the air.

The private plane tour of the islands was a true delight. As we flew over Necker Island, Richard Branson’s personal island, it felt oddly appropriate to be in a personal charter. While in the BVI, I was treated to a lot of great experiences and really shown what the islands have to offer. Stay tuned for more on my trip in the magazine and future blogs!

-Kimberly Krol, circulation and PR executive