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Howdy from New Mexico! Last week, we left off in Vancouver where I was taping some travel segments for a popular TV show (here's the link to that and past newsletters). From there, I traveled to Albuquerque (via Los Angeles) to hang out with some friends and attempt to conquer my fear of heights. Albuquerque is the hot air balloon capital of the world so where else would you go to achieve a lifelong dream? The highlight was floating gently across the sky, like a bird but the fun didn't stop there. I paid a visit to the new Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum, dined at excellent restaurants, including a fancy one in my hotel and a popular casual place in nearby Santa Fe. If you want to come along for the ride, then pack away your fears and bring your camera because we're going hot air ballooning over the Rio Grande Valley! If you don't have time to read the story, don't worry! We have a two-minute Johnny Jet video at the end. Also, be sure to check out part one of Juliet Pennington's three-part series on her travels in South America. This week, she visits Rio and Buzios, Brazil.

CUSTOMS IN CANADA
The day after I taped two travel segments on The Lab with Leo Laporte, I headed back to YVR (Vancouver's airport code). What's cool about Canada is that the U.S. has such a close relationship with our northern neighbors, that U.S. customs agents are stationed in many of the major Canadian airports. This means that you clear U.S. customs before crossing the border, which makes returning to the States so much easier – especially if you've got a tight connection (like moi).

LOS ANGELES TO ALBUQUERQUE
I arrived at LAX's Terminal 2 at 11:45am. I needed to get a move on as I had a 1pm flight out of Terminal 8. I could have taken the free airport courtesy shuttle but I figured that it would be quicker to walk directly across the airport. I'm not sure if it was (it took 10 minutes) but it was a beautiful day for the walk. After picking up a $9 BBQ chicken salad to go, I flew on one of United Express' CRJ200 planes (a small 50-passenger plane). Our flight time was a quick one hour and 20 minutes. I was in such a hurry that foolishly, I forgot to grab a fork for my chicken salad (why CPK Express doesn't automatically place them in the bags to begin with is beyond me!) I was starving and couldn't eat the messy thing with my hands so when the flight attendant (FA) came down the aisle with the drink cart, I asked her if she had an extra fork. I had a feeling she wouldn't; on these small planes they don't offer food and sure enough she didn't have one. The mother and daughter passengers sitting across the aisle from me gave me an evil smirk (that seemed to say something like, "you dumb ass!") and ate their CPK salads with such emotion. Anyhow, not wanting to look like the caveman they obviously thought I was, I asked the FA on her return trip down the aisle if she had a couple of cocktail straws. She looked at me like I was crazy, but when she saw that they worked like a (very) cheap pair of chopsticks she said, "Aren't you clever?" ... loud enough for everyone to hear. I smiled and stuck my tongue out at my nosey neighbors and went to work, chowing down.

AIRPORT TO HILTON
From ABQ (Albuquerque's airport code) I hopped in a taxi to get to my hotel (it's a $20 ride and the fare is by the meter). There was no taxi line and for a brief moment when I got into the taxi, I thought I had stepped into a time warp. My driver was decked out in ‘70s clothing and listening to a very static-y, two-way radio taped to the dashboard. It was annoying as all get out, but it was a short, 15-minute ride and it was entertaining to watch him play air drums on the dash board at red lights.

ALBUQUERQUE HILTON HOTEL
At the hotel, I met some of my travel writer friends who were in New Mexico for the main purpose of exploring Albuquerque and going hot air ballooning. The hot air balloon ride was going to be a first for all of us but I seriously thought that my fear of heights would prevent me from going. I figured that at the very least, I'd make an attempt and if worse came to worst and I chickened out, I could at least take some cool pictures. We slept at the Albuquerque Hilton Hotel. It wasn't until I walked through the front door and saw the familiar southwestern motif that I realized I had stayed at the hotel 10 years earlier. Other than the southwestern design, the hotel is nothing special but all 263 rooms have a balcony that overlook either the city, the mountains or the high desert. The best part about staying there besides the price being right (rates begin at $99 on the website but can be found for much cheaper using Hotwire or Priceline) is that you really do feel like you're in New Mexico. Also, the 14-acre property is in a good location. It's near the University/Midtown district, which is conveniently located close to shopping, art galleries and museums and is only three miles from the historic Old Town. However, nothing is within walking distance so you do need to rent a car. Although the rooms have new plasma TVs and free wireless Internet access, the hotel could use an upgrade. Certainly the lone elevator does because it's painfully slow. So slow, in fact, that I opted for the stairs from my 10th floor room, almost every time. Albuquerque Hilton, 1901 University Boulevard NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Tel.: 1-505-884-2500. Book your next Hilton stay at Hilton.com.

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