Wondrous Wanders: Santorini, Greece

Today we feature the fourth post in our guest blog travel series.  This series highlights the favorite travel destinations that inspired wonder in each guest blogger as they wandered there.  Today's post is from Dan Gellert on his wondrous wanderings in Santorini, Greece.  Dan is the CEO and Co-Founder of GateGuru, the leading in-airport mobile application for travelers.  In addition to his love of traveling and technology (hence GateGuru!), Dan enjoys outdoor activities, playing music and family. 

A little over a year ago, I visited Santorini with my wife as part of our honeymoon.  While this wasn’t my first time in Greece, this was my first time to the island of Santorini.  However, that trip will not be my last trip to Santorini.   In short, the island is the most perfect place I have ever been, and through that experience it has been elevated to my favorite travel destination.  Given that I have been to 6 continents and all 50 US states this is a big claim – so what specifically made Santorini my favorite travel destination?  In my mind, what made Santorini such a special place is the following:

Kirini Hotel

• Our hotel was right out of a dream.  Within Santorini, we stayed in the town of Oia, which is probably the most beautiful of the towns in Santorini (it is on the northwest coast of the island).  For those that don’t know anything about Santorini, the island was formed as a result of a volcanic explosion.  Many of the hotels, are basically carved right into the island, and as a result, they look like they are sitting on the edge of a cliff, creating amazing panoramic views of nothing but rock and blue seas.  Within Oia, we stayed at the Kirini Hotel.  We had the type of room where the doors opened up to a view of nothing but the deep blue Agean Sea – not a bad way to open your eyes in the morning!  Apart from the room, the hotel (along with many hotels in Oia) made sure our every desire was met and on our final night we had “The Experience Dinner”.  This aptly named dinner involves a 5-course meal where the diners are sitting on a jutted out part of the main balcony, creating a paradigm where it feels like you are the only two people in the world.  Simply amazing. 
• Lots of fun outdoor activities.  While I enjoy some beach time, I am not the type of person who can spend a week on a beach.  Luckily, on the island of Santorini there are so many fun and exciting activities.  One day we rented an ATV and went beach hoping to explore the island.  Another day we took a hike from Oia to Fira (the main town in Santorini) and another day we did a wine tour (there are lots of great Greek wines!).  Finally, we had one day to do nothing but sit by the infinity pool by the hotel (have I mentioned how much we liked the hotel J).  Overall, Santorini was a great mix of relaxation and activities, something that I would consider a requirement for my favorite travel destination.



Infinity Pool

• Worlds Best Sunset.  The sunset on Santorini is simply unlike anything I have ever seen before.  In short, it is the world’s best sunset.  Every night the people on Santorini go to the northern most tip of the island and everyone watches the sunset together.  The beauty of the Santorini sunset was one of those amazing moments that I will never forget in my lifetime.  

World's Best Sunse

The 4 days and 3 nights we spent on the island of Santorini were some of the most memorable of my life.  Despite my preference to constantly travel to new places, Santorini is one place that I will return to  in the coming years and I hope you have the chance to visit the island as well!

Have you been to Greece, specifically Santorini?   What have been your favorite aspects of traveling to this exotic destination? 

Guest Blog: 7 tips for making healthier food choices when you travel

Today guest blogger Barbara Searles, CMT, NCTMB, HHC, AADP, a Holistic Health Coach and Nationally Certified Massage Therapist shares healthy eating tips for road warriors! Her practice, Bodyworks Integrative Health, LLC is just outside Lancaster, PA.  Find her on Facebook or Twitter too!

She enjoys travel by car and by air, and spends about three weeks out of every year on some kind of trip. Her most adventurous travel so far involved serving as team massage therapist for a 4-person team competing in the ultra-distance, cross-country bicycling adventure called Race Across America.

Lots of us use routine and discipline as key elements in our effort to stay healthy. But when we start a trip, all of our usual routines can go out the window. Discipline is easy when you have control of your environment, but travel generally puts us out of control and into unknown territory.
What can you do to stay as healthy as possible given these factors? Here are seven simple tips to incorporate into your trips:

1.     Try not to use the trip as one giant “treat meal.”
I remember when a weekend trip was my opportunity to “cheat” for 2-3 days. I also remember when it was easy to recover from that trip … it’s not so easy now.  There’s a lot to be said for keeping a degree of discipline while you travel. How much discipline is up to you, but it can make you feel more “at home” in unfamiliar places.

2.     In airports, find a quiet(er) place to eat.
Make the experience as much like a regular meal as airports are so full of busyness and constant noise and movement. Eating in this type of environment can often make us eat extremely quickly, which results in overeating or digestive issues. Since neither of those things are comfortable during a trip, try to find a quiet (or at least quieter) spot for your meal. Get your food to go, and walk all the way to the end of the concourse. You’ll get some space plus a few extra steps of exercise. Find the least busy restaurant (which sometimes is the one with healthier choices!) and eat there. Sit at a table as far away from the edge of foot traffic as possible. Remember to breathe and to chew your food.

3.     Make water your main beverage for air/car/train travel.
Plain bottled water has so many benefits for our bodies. No calories, no sodium and just pure hydration. It supports healthy digestion and fills us up so we snack less. Stick to water during your travel days instead of soda, alcohol or juice.

4.     Look for fruit & vegetables
A lot of fast food stops are offering fruits and vegetables as a part of their menu selection. Pick up a banana or an apple in the airport terminal to replace the snacks on the plane. Or choose a salad with limited cheese, fried toppings, and dressing – focus on the vegetables in the salad instead.

5.     Think about and plan ahead for the entire day’s meals.
Whether you’re traveling or have reached your destination, make your meal and snack choices mindfully. If breakfast is the only meal where you’ll be able to choose the source, then choose the healthier options for breakfast. If every meal choice is up to you, then enjoy some new and healthy options in your travel location. (see tip number 6)

6.     Use available online and smart phone apps to get review & suggestions that lead you to healthier choices.
When I was a kid, we always took a guidebook from AAA on our vacations. We used the book to find things to do, but also restaurant choices. It’s pretty wonderful when you imagine how far we’ve come from that static information! There are so many fantastic resources to find healthy quality food choices on the road. In airports, I like GateGuru. In a new city, I use Yelp almost exclusively when choosing restaurants. The reviews from real people are an incredibly helpful resource.

7.     Pack one small bar of decadent delicious dark chocolate and use it as you sweet treats – for the entire trip!
For me, sweets are the ongoing temptation. Now before I travel, I pack a bar of fantastic dark chocolate in my bag. After choosing to skip all the overly indulgent sweets during the day, I will often treat myself to just one square of that dark chocolate at the end of the day. I find it helps me when I aim for “healthier” instead of “perfect” while traveling.

Do you practice good eating while traveling?  What lengths do you go to, to make sure your diet is consistent when you're on the road, in the air, or on the rails?

GateGuru: The Story Behind the App

Being in an airport can often be a stressful experience. Having a helping hand while navigating the airport’s security, finding a good meal without breaking the bank, or knowing where to buy a magazine or newspaper for an in-flight read are just a few pieces of advice that can be hard to come by for a first-timer in a new airport. Dan Gellert, CEO of the GateGuru app, saw the flaws in airport travel and decided it was time to tap the wealth of information at travelers’ finger tips. MDT had the chance to discuss the app with the GateGuru himself and find out a little more about its evolution.

MDT: What was the impetus for creating the app? What series of events inspired your thoughts for the app’s creation?

Gellert: What led to me creating the app were my own frustrations with airports. I was amazed at the lack of technology and community available to help travelers make the simplest decisions - "should I eat before or after security?", "is this restaurant in front of me any good?", "is there a newsstand by my gate or should I buy my magazines at the beginning of the concourse", "is this club where I am about to spend $50 nice inside?" I was traveling a lot for work, and constantly asking myself these questions and oftentimes guessing the wrong answer. Eventually I talked to enough business travelers who had the same experiences and decided to do something about it myself. That something was GateGuru.

MDT: What demographic was the app intended for? And, has the app been met with the reception that you’d hoped with that demographic?

Gellert: GateGuru's core demographic is the business traveler. The overwhelming number of users is business travelers. That being said, we wanted to make it family friendly as well, so we have aggregated amenities such as Children's Play Areas or Nursing Stations. Amongst the core demo, the app has been well received - so much so that we significantly added to our feature set with the launch of GateGuru 2.0. With 2.0, travelers can view and upload security wait times, view their itineraries directly within the app, and add reviews and tips for airports and terminals. So with the launch of 2.0, all of a sudden you see GateGuru go from a fantastic tool when you are in an airport you are not as familiar with, to now becoming the most immersive travel application out there for that "day of" travel.

MDT: How do you see Gate Guru app growing and scaling to meet the ever changing needs of air travelers?

Gellert: The initial version of GateGuru, around connecting travelers to airport retail, was a huge success. We have also had a fantastic response from our users to version 2.0. This however, is just the beginning for us. Over the coming year we will build new features into the application, as well as create Android and web-based versions of GateGuru. We also plan to start working much more closely with airports. Overall, we believe that the mobile platform is going to have a far greater impact on the travel space than many people realize and we are excited for GateGuru to be one of the leading travel brands from a mobile perspective.

What all can you do with the app? Here's a quick snapshot of the app's features

• Most comprehensive and accurate listing of airport amenities (sortable by Food, Shops and Services).
• Easy-to-use and eye-friendly user interface.
• Access to real-time ratings, reviews and photos – Avoid unappealing airport lounges, shady-looking restaurants or poor service – you deserve better! Quickly and easily locate the highest rated restaurant, shop or service by your fellow travelers.
• Simple search engine – Know your pre or post-security options; what is near your gate; gift stores or ATMs close by; the nearest coffee shop and much more.
• Bookmark function – Easily retrieve tagged information on the restaurants, shops and services you have enjoyed in the past.
• Check-in at your location with the app and shout-out to your friends and family via Twitter, Foursquare and Facebook to let them know you've arrived.
  
• Post security checkpoint wait times via the app.
• Share you own photos, reviews and tips for the airports you're at via the app's easy-to-use interface.
• Participate in the leaderboard – Earn points as you utilize GateGuru and improve your ranking among other travelers. Get honored as the “Captain” of your airport locally or nationally. Monitor your ranking versus your Facebook friends.
• Become a Guru – In addition to GateGuru’s interactive online community, update your Twitter and Facebook status with updates, tips and/or reviews as you travel.:

Just like MDT’s promise of money, distance and time saved Gellert’s GateGuru can do the same for you. The app is not only free to download through the Apple App store, but can offer you deal like a free pretzel at Auntie Anne’s or shorten the length of time you stand barefoot on the security line.

GateGuru app is active on Twitter and Facebook, stay connected for the latest info and about about the app, travel, and more!

Now that you know a bit more about it are you going to download this app for your iPhone? Are you already a user of GateGuru? What do you find most beneficial about the app?