I wanted something try something really different on my last vacation, so my wife and I went to Billings, Montana to see a re-enactment of Custer’s Last Stand. She thought I was crazy when I suggested it, but we wound up having such a good time. It was an adventure, that’s for sure.

We flew into Billings, and stayed at the C’Mon Inn. It was clean and comfortable, and very well run. Plus, the people out west are so nice and so accommodating, even though they drive down two-lane roads at 95 mph.

The next day we drove to Harding, where all of the festivities around the anniversary of the Last Stand were taking place. There were actually two re-enactments, one from the Calvary’s perspective and one from the American Indians’ perspective. We got to go to the battlefield, which is in a national park and so really hasn’t changed for more than a hundred years. It was really like going back in time—we went to a trading post, saw where the Indians had camped, and spent some time on the reservation. Sure, the 83rd Airborne division parachuted in at one point, so that was a little anachronistic, but otherwise is was a real taste of the Old West. We even went to a local museum, and saw an old farmhouse and a teepee.

The next day we drove to Yellowstone, and getting there was an adventure in itself. We were driving over the Beartooth Mountains, so the views were amazing, but the switchbacks and the curves really set your teeth on edge. I definitely developed a whole new appreciation for the early settlers. I can’t imagine doing something like that in a covered wagon—it was nerve-racking enough in an SUV!

We finally made it to the Yellowstone Lake Hotel, which was also very well maintained, but very old-fashioned. No television, no Internet access—we had to stargaze at night. You never see the stars in the city, but they’re still there.

I recommend taking a bus tour around the park. We saw deer, elk, buffalo, all the geysers and hot springs. The countryside was so incredibly beautiful…I’d never seen anything like it before. And, you know, the people out west are really different than New Yorkers. They really are more rugged and independent than we are.

After Yellowstone, we went to Cody, Wyoming, to the Buffalo Bill museum. You know, I used to have an office at 1 Union Square West, and in a picture of Buffalo Bill, I actually saw my old office building! It used to be a theater or performance hall, I guess, and Buffalo Bill performed there.

On the whole, Glenda and I had a really fantastic trip. We learned a lot, saw a lot of interesting things, and had a totally new experience. I think travel should always include really new experiences. Plus, with the economy the way it is right now, it was important to me to not only see some more of this amazing country, but to spend my money here as well.

I’m really glad we went. I feel like, through traveling in Europe, I’ve had the opportunity to see a lot of man’s beauty. Out west we had the chance to see some of God’s beauty.

I bought my airline ticket online, and had attempted to request a window seat when I made the reservation. I couldn’t figure out why the online booking system wouldn’t let me have a window seat, but it all became clear when I got to the check-in desk. I guess I’m behind the curve, but I hadn’t even realized that some airlines were charging a premium for window and aisle seats. I had bought the cheapest ticket I could find, figuring that all airlines were pretty much the same, and this was the first indication that that might not be true.

I didn’t want to pay the extra charge, but I knew it was going to be a long day. I was flying to LAX, heading directly to my daughter’s high school graduation, and then turning right around and coming back to New York. In short, I wanted my window seat.

So when I got to the gate, I tried again, explaining my situation to the woman at the gate desk. It turned out that they did have a window seat available—but, she warned me, it was in the very first row. Would I be okay with that?

I thought that would be great. Was I getting lucky, maybe a first-class upgrade?

Not so much. It turned out that there was no first class—I was in “Section 1” and crammed against the bulkhead, with literally no space. Seriously…it was so cramped that I had to put my purse—my only carry-on item—into the overhead compartment.

Plus, there were the usual plane issues. It was freezing, loud, bright, and we spent an hour waiting on the runway. Oh well. In just six hours or so I’d be in the California heat, watching my daughter accept her diploma.

One of the flight attendants handed me an in-flight shopping guide. Now, I don’t normally go in for plane products, but I had nothing else to read. So I leafed through, and was seduced by the “luxury nap kit.” Sure, it cost 12 bucks, but the fleecy blanket looked so soft…the cervical pillow so beguiling…the blindfold and earplugs divine.

I called the flight attendant over and shelled out my money. In return he handed me a flat, stiff plastic envelope.

The earplugs and blindfold were in fact earplugs and blindfold. However, the “big, fleecy blanket” was more like a thin, felt hand-towel. I could literally see through it, and it was about the same size as a large sheet of paper—maybe an 11×17 inch piece. As for the pillow…

“There’s no pillow in here,” I said to the flight attendant.

“Yes there is,” he said, lifting up a flat piece of plastic. “It’s inflatable. You have to blow it up.” I’m sure my eyes widened in surprise, because he continued. “Did you want me to do it? Because I’m not going to!” And with that he stomped away…presumably to make sure no one was stealing any $18 packets of peanuts.

Now, I’m not a frequent traveler—but it hasn’t been that long. Didn’t airlines used to give away things like pillows, sodas, and blankets? And couldn’t they give away a little courtesy without affecting the bottom line? Was I living in some crazy dream?

Apparently not, because my flight home—with a different airline—was completely painless. I not only got a pillow, I even got a blanket, and a smile—all at no extra charge. I really didn’t realize that there was such a difference between airlines, but next time I’ll be a lot more cautious. There wasn’t that much difference in ticket prices, and I guess I’m kind of picky. I like my blankets fleecy and my pillows pre-inflated.

One of the best journeys I ever took was a trip to Peru. A good friend was turning 40, and she said she wanted to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, the sacred Incan city. I said to myself, I just have to be a part of that, so we decided to go together. One of the smartest things we could have done was to let the experts plan the trip for us. We ended up traveling with a group of eight other avid hikers…and we had a blast.

We spent four days on the Inca trail, and then ended up in Machu Picchu. The entire trip was 17 days. We started our journey in Lima, the capital and largest city in Peru, and had some time to explore before heading to then we went to Cuzco. This city is considered one of the most important tourist destinations in Peru. It is a simply beautiful Peruvian village type of town, with churches, a town square, and very friendly people. We stayed there a couple of days to get used to the altitude before we began to hike the Inca Trail.

The Trail experience was basically climbing mountains in a jungle. It’s about 28 miles in total, and we took several days to reach our destination of Machu Picchu. This pace allowed us to enjoy the incredible sights along the way. For example, on one incredible day, we sailed to a beautiful island in the middle of a lake along the trail, which was actually the top of a mountain of a valley that had flooded long ago.

At the end of the trail was Macchu Pichu, the “lost” Incan city. It was everything we ever thought it would be, and so much more. We climbed to the top of the Temple of the Sun; I will remember the view – and the moment – for the rest of my life. As part of our tour, the ten of us were booked at the four-star Machu Picchu Hotel. Staying there allowed us to explore Machu Picchu before all the tour busses started to arrive.

This experience solidified for me the importance of booking vacations with the help of a travel expert. I would never have known about the hotel, and many people visiting the city came on buses, missing many of the things we had seen along the way, and having a relatively short time to take in the beauty of Machu Picchu before leaving again.

Interestingly, my Peruvian vacation didn’t completely end when I got back home! I am an avid artist, and I love to paint. Thinking I would want to capture the beauty of the area, I brought along my art supplies. That was ill advised, though. Thinking back on the itinerary, I realize we never stopped moving once! Needless to say, I didn’t do a single painting while in Peru.

I took a lot of photos, though, and when we got back, I painted the beautiful things I had seen from those pictures. I went to the Peruvian Consulate in Manhattan, and was granted a meeting with their Special Projects Director, who was interested in my work. The Director offered to sponsor an exhibit of my paintings, putting 60 of them on display at the Consulate. The opening of the exhibit was a mere six weeks after 9/11, and many people who came told me it was the first time they had gone out since the tragedy. It was a very special time, and an incredible way to commemorate one of the most special experiences of my life.