Swedish Elk Can't Handle Their Alcohol

Sometimes we get some great updates from our correspondents out there. Like this one, from Sweden:

Drunken elks can be a serious road hazard in late fall. The animals feed on fallen apples and other fruits that have fermented, and a bull elk can pack quite a punch. Some "alco-elks" have been known to terrorize whole neighborhoods.

My first thought was, "This can't be THAT big of an issue, can it?" Then, I find this little nugget:

A drunken elk paid dearly after attacking a toddler playing in a sand pit at her home in Kungälv in western Sweden ... The dangerous beast had been spotted nearby on several occasions prior to the attack and returned to the area later that day in an apparent search for more apples. This time, however, local residents took no chances and a group of hunters shot the inebriated elk, putting an end to any further neighbourhood terror.

The lesson, as always? Always look out for drunk elk in Sweden. Obviously.

The Grass is Greener on the Danish Side

I'm sure you've heard the old cliche, "the grass is always greener on the other side. " Well, apparently there are some places where it's actually true. Despite the dreary weather, betrayal, adultery, ghosts and murder that are usually associated with Denmark (if you haven't read Hamlet, never mind), it actually might be the happiest place on earth. 

According to a survey conducted by Leicester University in England, Denmark boasts the happiest people on Earth, and in these gloomy economic times, tourism officials are betting that visitors could use a little of that cheer.

One reason for the pervasive contentment, which the Danes call hygge, is the quality of local restaurants, hotels and shopping.

We've said in earlier posts that if you can afford it, now is a great time to be traveling. Besides the excellent dining and shopping, there's also beautiful art and architecture. After all, Copenhagen is nicknamed the "City of Beautiful Spires." So hop on a plane and head for the old world, apparently happiness is just a seven-hour plane ride away.

Will Obama Election Change Travel Habits?

According to the folks at Travel Weekly, the recent presidential election may have positive implications for the travel industry beyond just Chicago, Washington and Hawaii. The article suggests the jubilant international reaction to Obama's election may be reason enough for American's to start pond-hopping once again. It's no secret that Europeans have, by and large, held a negative perception of the current administration. The article posits that the thought of a warmer Old World welcome might send previously skeptical Americans winging their way towards Europe.

Analysts are already predicting that inbound international tourism, especially to Obama-specific destinations such as Chicago, Washington and Hawaii, could see an increase.

But judging from the reaction overseas on election night, the reverse may also be true, as strained relations with European "frenemies" begin to thaw.

U.S. travelers, perhaps reluctant to travel to France, the U.K. or Germany during the last few years for fear they wouldn't be warmly welcomed, may now be eager to cross the pond and bask in our new international popularity.

Unfortunately for tourism boards and airlines, the economy isn't too vacation-friendly for most people right now. For the thirteen or fourteen of us that still do have jobs (does this really count as a job?), falling gas prices will also mean cheaper airfare. So get out that piggy-bank and start counting your pennies... fancy cheese, beer steins and really old buildings are just a plane ticket away.