How To Build A Campervan Part 4: To Seat, Or Not Two Seats

Are you torn between heading to Alaska or Hawaii for your next big trip?

With everything Seattle has to offer, it can be hard to imagine wanting to get out of the city for even just an hour or two.

Technically, you don’t need to build a bed in a campervan conversion. You don’t even need a bed, really. You could get a collapsible cot, an inflatable mattress, or if you’re made from hardier stuff than I, you could just sleep on the floor of the van. I wanted something a little more comfortable. After all, I was building this van as a tent replacement. If I wanted to sleep on the hard ground using an air mattress, I could have done that in my Miata (and I have).

In the US, embarking on a train trip means taking the track less travelled. Once the symbol of technological advancement and westward expansion, the country’s railroads have had a hard time moving into the modern era. But when you ride the rails in the US, you’re afforded the opportunity to peel back the layers of this land and experience it on a human scale. 

France’s Notre Dame Cathedral is expected to reopen for visitors and Catholic masses at the end of 2024.

Turkish Airlines flies to 345 destinations in more different nations than any other carrier in the world, with one of the newest and most acclaimed airports as its hub. It also consistently ranks among the very best airlines and just won–again–Best Airline in Europe in the 2023 Skytrax World Airline Awards, the industry’s most influential, beating out the likes of Air France, Swiss, Lufthansa, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. It also took home four other Number Ones in the awards, including Best Economy Class Seat in Europe and Best Business Class Cuisine worldwide. (I recently wrote in detail here at Forbes about another award-winning carrier, Qatar Airways, which has won World’s Best Airline and World’s Best Business Class among other titles).

A few weeks ago I talked about all the things you need to add solar power and batteries to a campervan. It’s now finally time to connect it all up. I’d say most people could do it themselves, as long as they know which is the important end of a screwdriver.

Tonight marks a momentous occasion for the global travel industry as the Grand Final of the World Travel Awards (WTA) unfolds in the vibrant city of Dubai. After months of excitement and anticipation, industry leaders, professionals, and enthusiasts from around the world are gearing up for an unforgettable night that will unveil the crème de la crème of the travel and hospitality sector.

The construction firm behind the MGM Cotai casino resort in Macau has been awarded the contract to build “The Island” in Dubai. First reported by MEED, the $1.2 billion contract is the most valuable construction deal in Dubai in the past six years.

Dolly Parton has been in the news for releasing a new record and a new book. We’re focused on the launch of the new hotel she co-owns, Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort.

The top U.S. airlines and airports improved upon their Thanksgiving on-time performance this year compared to 2022.According to the latest analysis from leading global travel data provider OAG, the on-time performance of major U.S. airlines improved by one percentage point over last year's holiday, reaching 85.7 percent.OAG examined the on-time performance of all airports and airlines on Thanksgiving Eve (November 22), which is one of the busiest travel days of the year. In 2023, airlines and airports overcame not only crowds but weather disruptions to improve upon last year.According to OAG, nearly 18,400 flights arrived on time—within 15 minutes of the scheduled time—among the major U.S. carriers on November 22. Two airlines—Delta Air Lines (91.5 percent) and United Airlines (90.5 percent)—even achieved over 90 percent on-time performance across their domestic networks.Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines also saw improvements over last year, with on-time performance rates of 89.4 percent and 89.3 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, fifth-ranked Southwest Airlines reported a dip from 88.5 percent in 2022 to 86.9 percent in 2023.American Airlines (84.4 percent), Allegiant Air (84.2 percent), Frontier Airlines (76.2 percent) and Breeze Airways (62.3 percent) all improved upon last year while Sun Country Airlines (84.8 percent), JetBlue (64.8 percent), Spirit Airlines (61.7 percent) and Cape Air (33 percent) all lost ground compared to Thanksgiving Eve 2022.

I've been visiting Dollywood regularly for over 10 years.