#TNI: The Morning After
This is a guest post from our Travelers' Night In Recapper Lauren, AKA WanderLoz. What's #TNI? It's a gathering of travelers on Twitter- click here to learn more or look below to read our favorite tweets from last night's discussion. -Grahame
"Trip Planning"
As if #TNI doesn't already fuel our wanderlust every week! Last night's party was complete with tray-passed travel "apps". All we needed to know about how to get going was presented on silver platters. Talk about temptation!
The Pre-Party: The More the Merrier
Every week #TNI's attendance grows with new enthusiastic and engaging travelers. Like the Tripping Community, #TNI is stronger in numbers. Thanks to all the newbies who joined the party this week! Please welcome them warmly so they will return. Reply a hello, kindly retweet, follow and/or list them. You obviously have something in common: LiveShareTravel, browngirlsfly, egyptholidays, GapYearEscape, angelwings1723, maimoore, sesandiego, FSSeattle, YORKHOUSELISBOA. And I think CNDLWOODCanine may be the first animal appearance at #TNI. We're dog friendly.
The Party: Discussion
My my my, times are a-changing. Smartphones? Travel apps? Computerized concierges? It's no secret that all this technology has changed the way we travel. However, it is clear that even you #TNI-ers/travel experts rely on much more than an iPhone to make the most of your journeys.
Videos, Podcasts, Blogs... oh my!
TravelPlusWine: My favorite travel videos come from travel bloggers like @Vagabond3Live who have been there, done that.
VagabondDave: @YouTube and International Departures trance podcast by @MyonandShane54 gets me pumped.
GoApril: #TNI community has some of the best travel bloggers out there - just ask us...
clareappleyard: Travel podcast? Never thought about it, whoops! Call me iPod challenged why don't you.
Location Location Location
littlebrumble: I'm shocked by how many of my up&coming travel choices are made by reading cookbooks. Is that weird?
_ink_mama: We plan trips around craft beer - beercations!
global_gourmet: I planned a two week trip to Spain in 2008 based solely around a dinner reservation.
downsanddirty: For my rtw trip, I googled "world's cheapest countries."
Personal Touch
CindyRichards: I ask the locals. Always. The concierge sends you to the expensive places. Locals send you to the best ones.
atlasobscura: Beyond the hotel, we also seek out the green haired kid at the local music shop. Almost always good/non-tourist perspective.
atxsarah: Person-to-person hospitality is too ingrained in some cultures for tech to take over everywhere.
earthxplorer: Technology cannot smile and shake your hand............ yet.
Tips and Tidbits
whereisyvette: Check out studentuniverse.com or STA Travel if you're under 26 for student discounts- flew to Asia on $500!
skovi: Another way to score great deals is follow all the travel experts on #TNI.
WeekendInParis: Sometimes I contact the hotel & let them know the price of their rival hotel & ask them to match or beat! They usually do!
FSSeattle: Don't forget to check Twitter to see if the hotel/hostel you are staying at is on Twitter. They can help before you get there.
The After-Party: Celebrations, Connections, & Cheers
Like all good parties, the doors of #TNI stay open long after the scheduled end time. This week's after-party was filled with fantasy trip planning and worldly praise for #TNI and the fun it hosts week after week. Here's a little taste of what happened after Q10:
SEASunDodger: The biggest problem with #TNI? How much it makes me want to GO! Hitting up @SeattleGoodwill for travel guides tonight! :)
ClrEisenberg: Yesterday's #TNI motivated me to start my travel planning. Has anyone ever used workaway.net? Any advice?
VagabondDave: I'm looking forward to the next 17 #TNI Thursdays before I leave on my #rtw trip! #rtwsoon
HotelPRGuy: Thursday is the new Friday. Feeling like I need to go out now, first night-in in 2 weeks. Post #TNI high.
Here's to the Hosts!
If anyone knows the invaluable importance of a good host, it's a Tripper. Like a successful trip, behind any successful event is a fabulous host, or in #TNI's case, fabulous hostesses! This party would not be possible without the ladies from Zip Set Go. Thank you ZipSetRachel, ZipSetAndrea, GoApril, and GoSaraBeth! And cheers to this week's co-hosts: WorldConcierge, Gadling, LandLopers, global_gourmet
Next Week's #TNI: "Great Britain"
Join us for #TNI on Twitter next week at 3:30 PM EST on Thursday, October 7th. Hope to see you there!
-Lauren