The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has come up with a brand new interactive travel widget which provides a trip countdown timer and weather at the traveler’s destination and reminds the user to obtain appropriate travel documents, as required under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). You can download the widget here.

“We are using a wide range of media vehicles, in addition to television and magazine ads, to ensure that all segments of the population are familiar with the travel document requirements under WHTI,” said CBP Assistant Commissioner Thomas S. Winkowski in a press statement. “A digital strategy component allows CBP to reach audiences that are increasingly using the Internet as their source of news and information, especially related to travel. The widget, because it sits on the computer desktop, provides an ongoing and interactive reminder to travelers to get appropriate travel documents.”

Since we’re on the subject, if you wanna use a Triphow widget, you can get yours here. That way, you get the latest nifty travel trash-talk like scandalous developments in New York hotels and penguins going 2000 miles off-course and other neat stuff like that straight on your desktop without a single click.

Speaking of going off-course, betcha didn’t know where lost and unclaimed baggage from the airlines ends up. John Flinn from the San Francisco Chronicle has a neat article which tells you just that (along with other equally interesting stuff).

Each day airlines lose 10,000 pieces of luggage. Most of it is eventually reunited with its owner, but what about the rest?  It makes its way to a tiny Alabama town in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. That’s where you’ll find the Unclaimed Baggage Center, which fills an entire city block in the town of Scottsboro. Seven thousand new items - mostly clothes, but also cameras, jewelry and more - arrive there every day. You can’t buy it online, but the store’s Web site ( www.unclaimedbaggage.com) is a dangerously compelling place to linger while you’re supposed to be doing something more productive. Photo copyrights - OCS, Inc.

He’s right. Please don’t visit the site above if you’re a shopping addict. The site is fascinating. They say they keep finding weird stuff coming in, like a live rattlesnake, a guidance system for an F16 fighter jet and a barbie doll stuffed with dollar bills.

If you browse their store, you’ll end up spending hours just going thru the stuff they have, and its pretty amazing the kind of stuff that they have - flat screen televisions, cameras, CD’s and musical instruments, sporting goods and sports wear, eye glasses, turkish and oriental rugs, fragrances, collectibles, artwork, books, toys, children’s cloting, women’s and men’s wear sections, and of course - a suitcase section. Pity they don’t offer online shopping, or sell their stuff on eBay. Anyway, if you want to waste your Monday browsing their goods, you can start your tour here.

Posted on October 13th, 2008 by PLing
Filed under: Travel News