Three Travel Websites to Visit Today

Other posts by MountainMama

I’m a huge fan of Yapta, where you input the price you paid for an airline ticket, and the website will track the fare and email you if the price goes down. In mid-September, I booked a flight from Denver to San Diego for $470. At the beginning of October, Yapta let me know that the fare dropped to $389.

I called United, told them politely that I noticed the fare had decreased, and they sent me a voucher for $81 to use toward a future flight! I don’t think I can use the vouchers to book my next United flight online; I’ll have to actually buy the ticket from an airport ticket counter (30 minutes from my home). But, heck even with the cost of gas and the inconvenience of having to book a trip in person, I’ll use that voucher!

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I heard about Found Cameras and Orphan Pictures after reading Wandermom’s sad tale about getting her camera stolen in Venice. I have my own sob story about losing a camera on vacation: somehow, in between New England and Colorado this summer, my digital point-and-shoot went missing. Fortunately, my mom snapped a lot of pictures from our New Hampshire stay, but I’d been the only one to take pictures of my kids driving the amphibious vehicle into the Charles River on our Boston Duck Tour. Bummer.

Alas, I didn’t see my kids’ mugs on the Found Cameras website — you can search for images via the state in which your camera was found. Good Samaritans have sent in digital pictures from dozens of memory cards found throughout the world. If you miraculously see your photos, you can email Matt Prepost, founder of the site, to get connected with the camera’s founder.

I couldn’t believe some of the amazing images I saw while scrolling through the site — there are scenes from “welcoming a new baby to the family,” wedding celebrations (like the cuties above), and some incredible vacation photos. It breaks my heart that the photographers think their precious pictures are gone forever, when in fact, nice folks have their cameras! If only, more people knew about this great service!

So, please spread the word about Found Cameras. And if you ever come across a camera, please consider posting the photos at this great site. Thanks to Matt Prepost for starting it!

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I’m guessing MudslideMama’s tale about her daughter eating a penny (and, um, getting tipsy) on their “bad family vacation” in Puerto Rico is probably along the lines of the stories that the marketing folks at America’s Best Value Inn are looking for in their “Your Kids Did WHAT On Vacation?!” promotion happening now through January 30, 2009.

Play along by visiting America’s Best Value Inn website and enter your own “my kids are nuts” story or vote on some that are already posted, then enter the random sweepstakes to win luggage, Budget Travel magazine subscriptions or hotel gift certificates. Now, I don’t think I’ve ever stayed at a “Best Value Inn,” so I can’t vouch for them at all. Let’s hope these budget properties found throughout the U.S. are nothing like my nightmare stay at a cheap hotel in Puerto Vallarta!

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October 20, 2008 | Filed Under The Cookie Jar, Travel News 

Comments

6 Responses to “Three Travel Websites to Visit Today”

  1. Connie says:
    October 20, 2008 at

    Great tip about Found Cameras!

  2. Kara says:
    October 20, 2008 at

    Love the Found Camera tip! Great idea :)

  3. Mark Evans says:
    October 21, 2008 at

    Yapta looks like a great service. If anyone is interested in an online travel planning service, check out planeteye.com, which combines photos, mapping technology and extensive content.

    cheers, Mark

  4. Jenny says:
    October 21, 2008 at

    This is cool! Definitely love the Found Camera idea!

  5. » Getting another shot: reuniting with your lost camera :: Vagablogging :: Rolf Potts Vagabonding Blog says:
    October 21, 2008 at

    [...] they end up being found by someone. I now know where they go: Found Cameras and Orphan Pictures. Traveling Mamas tipped me off to the website that reunites recovered cameras and memory cards with their rightful [...]

  6. Guam-Hotel.Net » Blog Archive » Best Educational Activities in Boston for Kids says:
    February 23, 2009 at

    [...] Younger kids will just like blowing the quacking whistle (pay extra for this joy) and riding around in the WWII-style amphibious vehicle (all of the originals have been retired). But school-age kids who have some knowledge of our country’s history might appreciate all of the historic Boston landmarks you’ll see on this tour. I took the tour with my children (then ages six and eight) last year, and most of the history and the driver’s funny jokes went right over their heads. The highlight for my children was taking the wheel after the “Duck” plunged into the Charles River. Each kid got a turn, and made for some great photos (unfortunately, my camera went missing right after this trip). [...]

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