I wonder how many people lied on the survey. I bet way more people sleep with a stuffed animal. (I do. He’s a polar bear and his name is Charlie.)

Now, I’m not saying this because I was born there, but Tampa is pretty much the best city in Florida.

Miami? Psh. Lame!

Key West? A few days there is fine, but after you’ve toured Hemingway’s house and drank your body weight in margaritas, you’re ready to get back to the mainland.

Orlando? Gross! If Disney doesn’t scare you away, it’s like pretty much armpit of Florida.

That can only leave Tampa. It’s Cuban roots run deep through the city, especially in the former Cigar-making district, the lovely Ybor City. When in Ybor, you have to grab a cuban sandwich and some flan at the historic La Tropicana Cafe, and take a stroll down 7th ave. On 7th and on the surrounding streets and aves. you’ll find all sorts of old cigar factories and other architectural relics of Ybor’s glory days turned into antique shops, vintage stores, bars, restaurants, music venues, and lots more bars.

In addition to Ybor, you have the beautiful Gulf beaches 25 minutes away in St. Petersburg/Clearwater, PLUS awesome roller coasters at Busch Gardens. Oh yeah, and every January there’s Gasparilla. Gasparilla is a Mardi Gras-esque parade where giant ships of costumed pirates invade the bay and “take over the city”. What’s not to love?

If you have severe flying anxiety like I do, chances are your family members draw straws to see who has to sit next to you on a flight.  In addition to victims of flying anxiety, the list of sufferers do not end there.  Sitting next to someone who is tense for the entire duration of the flight, potentially losing the feeling in their arms when squeezed at any sign of air turbulence, and having drinks knocked onto their laps isn’t fun for anyone.

As a victim of severe flying anxiety, I’ve learned to keep a few things in mind before, during, and after a flight to put the trip at ease for myself and those around me.  Try some, if not all of the following steps the next time you hop on a plane:

Before boarding:

• Dress comfortably so you can fall asleep easily
• Avoid eating a full meal or drinking too many liquids; you don’t want increase your nausea or have to deal with going to the restroom during take-off
• Don’t immediately go to your gate’s seating area to sit and stew; walk around the shops and try to relax with your family and friends

During the flight:

• Remember that turbulence is normal
• If you begin think negative thoughts, remind yourself that the chances of getting struck by lightning are greater than any type of flight-related incidents
• Have you seen a plane from the outside?  You are in a strong, reliable and well-maintained aircraft
• 3 million people fly every day; flying is routine and extremely safe
• Have a glass of wine, it’s worth the $5

After the flight:

You’ve made it.  Now remind yourself how easy it was and that you can do it again and again and again.

Follow these helpful tips and stop cutting off your loved ones’ circulation.  Take care, relax, and happy flying!

A U.S. House subcommittee on aviation recently found that airlines have charged fees for services that consumers would normally expect to have included in the ticket price, including baggage fees, seat choice, and reservation changes or cancellations.

While airlines counter that they’re able to lower their fares by unbundling these fees, the government feels differently, and that the proliferation of new fees can be “confusing and in some cases misleading.”

One proposal was to extend the airline excise tax of 7.5% to the full total, unbundled fee—currently, the added fees for services like checking a single piece of baggage escape the tax. The airlines argued that additional taxes would harm growth of the economy.

What this could mean for travelers, and A Traveling Dog readers? It could mean that government moves forward with pushing the excise tax and airlines (almost inevitably) decide to pass the costs on to consumers. Or it means that customers get savvier about being sure about what to book (without cancellations or changes) and get increasingly bigger pieces of carry-on luggage in order to avoid checked baggage fees.

Do you have tons of travel stories your dying to share with the world, but are lacking a soapbox to shout your stories from check out TravelBlog.org. The site allows you to update your personal travel travel diary from any computer world wide. So the next time you’re sitting in that internet cafe, far, far away from home, log into your TravelBlog.org account and start documenting your trip. It’s a fantastic way to keep your friends and family in the loop, while having a coherent record of everything you saw and experienced.

So start a Travel Blog today and have a place to look back on your favorite traveling moments!

For the traveler who rolls their eyes at the idea of staying in a hotel, and even bunking up in a hostel elicits a yawn, CouchSurfing.com is the answer to their prayers. CouchSurfing.com is a worldwide network linking travelers with the communities they’re visiting. Since 2004, member have been using the site to find places to stay in over 230 different countries. The site prides itself on serving as a bridge between people who would otherwise never meet. Hosts have the opportunity to meet people from all over the world without leaving their home and travelers have the opportunity to meet people and stay in another country for free.

Check it out and see if it’s for you!

Untours was founded in 1975 by by Hal Taussig and his wife Norma with a mission of offering Americans a profound exposure to other cultures. The company donates nearly all of its profits to charities since the Untours Foundation was founded in 1992. These donations take the form of low-interest social investment loans that build low-income housing, support Fair Trade certified products, and jobs for workers in the developing world and disenfranchised populations. Loan recipients include the Landless Workers Movement in Brazil (assisting over one million formerly landless people to reclaim fallow land and achieve self-sufficiency) to Fresh Look Hair in Delaware (a family business that offers all natural products to straighten  hair without harsh chemicals).

Tours are available throughout Europe, as well as New York City, Buenos Aires, and Quebec City. Since these tours are about total immersion, they must last a minimum of seven days. Visit the Untours site and book your own unique and unforgettable trip at untours.com.

My favorite summer ever was spent picking green beans and watering olive trees on an organic farm on the island of Elba, off the coast of Tuscany, Italy.

It didn’t hurt that every day there was some swimming in the Mediterranean Sea involved. You know, on the pristine beach fifty meters from where I slept. I’d walk a sandy path past the vineyards in my bikini and straw hat, pull a plum from the plum tree, toss my towel down and enter the cool, turquoise water. Maybe grab an espresso at the café on the way back.

Okay, not maybe. Certo. This is Italy we’re talking about here, bella.

If you’re interested in organic farming and willing to work for your supper, WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) is an incredible way to experience a new part of the world without spending much money at all. There are participating farms all over the world, helping people share more sustainable ways of living. You meet great people, build muscles, and come home with memories to last a lifetime.

Babyland General Hospital (Cleveland, Georgia):

This  institution is sure to cater to the 8 year-old girl in all of us. It’s the magical place where Cabbage Patch Kids are stuffed and certified. Although the craze for Cabbage Patch Kids has died down since the 80s and 90s, they still have quiet a few visitors in the summer.

Precious Moments Chapel (Carthage, Missouri):

What’s creepier than those popular teary-eyed, angle-winged Precious Moments figurines? A whole chapel adorned with Precious Moments characters painted Sistine Chapel in a Missouri church. Still, this place rakes in the visitors every year.

Prehistoric Forest (Marblehead, Ohio):

Dinosaurs are cool! Dinosaur replicas are less cool. At Prehistoric Forest in Marblehead, you can gaze at dinosaur statues that are set up to look like a less threatening Jurassic Park. The coolest part is the tram ride in which visitors are handed fake M16’s and are told to “kill the monsters”.