Scenery on the path to Dominica's Emerald Pool

I celebrated my birthday yesterday – a year after blogging about my great present. It was a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4K,digital camera with a wide angle lens. Now it’s available for under $175.

I’ve put it through quite a workout the past year, hauling it from Chile to California, but I almost lost it last week. I was hiking through the incredible Caribbean island of Dominica, climbing through rainforests and crossing a field where volcanic-heated water bubbles to the surface.  It was the Boiling Lake hike, one of the highlights of the island.

I was crossing a river, picking a path across slippery rocks, when my boots slipped from under me. Next thing I knew I was in the (nicely heated) water and my camera, which was tucked in a pocket, was soaking wet.

I jumped up and pulled it out, but it seemed too late. The camera wouldn’t turn on and the lens was permanently extended. I finished the hike with a heavy heart. But I had a plan. When I had a water mishap with my cell phone, my son told me to put it in a bowl of dry rice. I thought he was nuts, but the rice absorbed the moisture and a few days later the phone was fixed.

Would it work for a camera?

Remember back when pirates evoked images of Johnny Depp and Peter Pan, not Navy Seal snipers and hostages?

The Museum of Mobile Bay does.

Its timely pirates exhibit explores the myths and mystique of the bad boys (and girls) of the sea, like Jean Laffite and Edward Teach, aka Black Beard.

The exhibit examines the historical and economic forces that fueled piracy from the 17th to the early 19th centuries. "Florida's East Coast Pirates" is on loan from the Museum of Arts and Sciences, Daytona Beach. It traces the history of piracy on the East and Gulf coasts. Artifacts include pirate weapons and treasure recovered from shipwrecks. One dagger even has the requisite skull and crossbones. The exhibit remains until July 4.

Photo by earcos via Flickr

Travel guides are like carpenters’ tools, or chefs’ knives.  Each has its purpose, and part of the trick in using one is knowing which to pick.

For example, if you’re heading off the grid, Lonely Planet is your go-to guide, while Frommer's and Fodor’s are perfect for a general overview of a place.

I’m also a big fan of Moon guides, which offer a nice hybrid of the two extremes.

Used to be that if you dressed nicely and asked politely, you can get an airline upgrade to first-class. Those days are largely gone.

But it’s still possible to work your way into a better hotel room.

Andrew Harper, the pseudonym of a writer who produces a great luxury hotel newsletter, offers these tips to getting a hotel upgrade.

1. Contact management before you arrive: Let them know if you’ll be celebrating a special occasion.

2. Book a mid-price room: You’re more likely to be upgraded if you’re not in the cheapest hotel room.

3. Timing counts.  Large city hotels tend to be busier during the workweek. For a smaller hideaway in the country, try midweek.

4. Arrive during mid-afternoon.

5. Dress up a bit. If you look first class, you might get to stay first class.

Too bad you can’t burn calories by packing running shoes on a trip. I don’t know how many times my workout clothes have taken a trip and made it back home without ever leaving the suitcase.

But serious runners make sure they get out of their hotel and into their destination. Some say it’s the best way to get to know a city. They're the folks that will love the Map My Run website, which offers hundreds of running routes all over the world. They’re submitted and road-tested by runners, so you know you’re getting a reasonable route.

In the U.S., you’ll find runs from Savannah to Seattle, and many spots in-between. It includes total mileage for each run, and printable maps. Other features let you log your workouts and track miles.

Now if it could only get you out of bed early enough to hit the pavement…

Photo via Flickr mikebaird

For residents, ferries are routine public transportation.

For visitors they offer unparalled views at low prices.

The Society of American Travel Writers just released its list of the world's top ferry rides. I've only been on a couple, but would say they hit the highlights.

1. Star Ferry in Hong Kong, shown here.

2. Ferries from Sausalito to San Francisco, California    

3. Staten Island Ferry, New York harbor 

4. Washington State Ferries, Puget Sound to the San Juan Islands    

5. British Columbia Ferry System, including Vancouver to Victoria

6.  Ferry from Sydney to Manly, Australia

7.  The Ferry System of the Greek Isles

8.  The "Blue Canoes" of the Alaska State Ferry System

9.  "Norway in a Nutshell" Tour and ferry ride

10. Ferry from Mallaig to Isle of Skye, Scotland

I would add a few more.

The Sea Bus from Vancouver to North Vancouver, British Columbia; the ferries linking Istanbul's two halves cross the Bosphorus Strait and link two continents; and the Port Bolivar ferry from Galveston, Texas.

In fact, I thought I never met a ferry ride I didn't like until I saw this video of an October crossing from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland. Yikes! If you ever take the trip, remember to pack plenty of Dramamine.

Did we overlook your favorite ferry? Let us know in the comments below.