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Cheerio from London! I will tell you all about my incredible trip here including a sneak peak of Heathrow's new Terminal 5 (T5), next week. But for now, we're heading out to Arizona for a quick 24-hour visit. We're going to spend the night at the Camelback Inn and get the inside scoop from US Airways about what to expect from them and other American legacy carriers. If that doesn't get you excited, then why not join Lisa Tucker McElroy as she checks into the St. Julien Hotel & Spa in Boulder, Colorado? Or, take a spin on a WWII B-17 with Chuck Taylor. Whatever you choose, you're in for an adventure!

TAMPA TO LOS ANGELES
Last week, I left off from the Florida Gulf Islands. From nearby Tampa, I flew five hours back to Los Angeles before my big trip – and I mean BIG. I'm currently on the first leg of an around-the-world journey. I thought I had a few days at home to get my affairs in order before I was off like Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg (in less than 80 days, of course!) but I got a last minute invitation to Phoenix to meet with US Airways. I just couldn't turn down an inside scoop, no matter how pressed for time I was.

WHAT TO PACK
Within two hours, I was at LAX ... sounds like my trip to theSuper Bowl, huh? US Airways offered to fly me out early the following morning but with Arizona being one hour ahead, who wants to get up at 5am to make an 8:30am meeting? Not me. My one mistake was waiting too long to decide what to pack. By the time I looked at the clock, it was just an hour before flight time. Yikes! Fortunately, I only live 10 minutes from the airport so I scrambled to get everything together, including printing my boarding pass. What I learned from this oversight is that when you don't plan ahead, you end up lugging more than you need. Since I didn't have time to really think about what to pull out of my heavy, stocked computer bag (chargers, magazines, cameras, medicines ... ), I ended up taking the whole darned thing. Turns out, I was traveling with the same amount of baggage as I had on my around-the-world trip and I was just going to Arizona for a night. Not smart, I know, but at least it was still only carry-on.

PARKING AT LAX
I arrived at LAX at 3:30pm and parked my car at Park One. Park One is my favorite parking lot at LAX since it's the closest to the airport and is literally across the street from Terminal 1, which services US Airways and Southwest. This proximity saves even more time; there's no need to wait for a courtesy van – just make the 50-yard dash. It wasn't raining so I passed on valet parking ($21.75) and self-parked for $15. Tip 1: If you have an AAA or a Southwest card, be sure to flash them for the 10% and 15% discounts respectively. TIP 2: To guarantee a spot, book in advance online using ParknFlyNetwork.com. This site can also be used to book any airport parking lot across the U.S. For lots outside of the PNF network, log ontoAirportParkingReservations.com. This gives travelers peace of mind and saves both time and money.

LAX TO PHOENIX
The US Airways 737-300 series plane was not only old and ratty, but was packed with limited overhead space. If you're bringing bags on-board, be sure to board early to guarantee your spot. The good news is that this former America West plane (the logos were still on the seats) as well as the 737-400 will be removed from the US Airways fleet by 2011. That's right, they're retiring the 737! Most of the passengers on the flight were connecting from international flights from Asia or the South Pacific, so most everybody slept in a jetlag-induced coma. As for me, I just gave an evil stare at the fat hairy man encroaching upon my limited space. The flight attendants came around just once to serve drinks but nothing to munch on for the hour-long flight. I'm not complaining ... my Buddha belly didn't need any fattening snacks, anyways.

SKY HARBOR AIRPORT TO HOTEL
There's something about arriving in Arizona at sunset that gets me all worked up inside … in a good way. Seeing the warm desert light blanket the Camelback Mountains is special. When we landed on time, I made a beeline to the taxi stand. There was no line of passengers, just vacant taxis, most with African drivers waiting patiently. After the first five minutes, the meter read $10 and I quickly realized why there was no line. It would have been cheaper to rent a car but I really didn't want to deal with the PHX rental car return. That place is a nightmare. The Camelback Inn, a JW Marriott Resort in Scottsdale, was about a 20-minute, $35 (without tip) drive in a metered taxi. However, on the way back, the hotel hooked me up with Town Transportation. These guys provide a plush town car and charge $5 less! My driver's name was Gizachew Dessie (he was from Ethiopia) and he's available 24 hours at 602-754-2506. NOTE: He usually needs 45 minutes advance notice.

CAMELBACK INN
Sometimes I think I could be a spokesperson for the Marriott because I have stayed at so many of their hotels, all around the world. What can I say? They offer a great product and I'm accruing mad Marriott Rewards points. The Camelback Inn is unlike my last JW Marriott experience. The 17-story Ihilani resort in Honolulu was nice but lacked personality and could have been located anywhere in the world. But that's not the case with theCamelback Inn. This 453-room hotel isn't a high rise. It's just one- to two-floor Pueblo-style casitas spread throughout the resort's 125-acre desert landscape. The best part: The interiors are designed with traditional southwestern decor. I was only a couple hundred miles from Los Angeles but it felt like a world away.


CHECKING-IN
When I arrived, a friendly bellhop greeted me the moment I stepped out of the taxi. He took my bags and explained that once I checked in, he would take me to my room in a golf cart. They are building a new lobby so this one was just a makeshift one, but even though it was small, with just one desk clerk, it still took just two minutes to get my room key ... and there was an arriving guest ahead of me. In the end, I didn't really need to be whisked to my room in an electric golf cart as it was just 50 yards away but I suppose it's nice to be Miss Daisy once in a while, even if just for a moment.

THE ROOMS
I just love Southwestern-style rooms ... the curtains, the embroidered pillowcases and the handcrafted clay pots, which sat atop an oak armoire. (The armoire housed an old TV ... it's time for a flat screen!) The bathroom had the same feel, with brown tiled floors and multi-colored tile walls. Inside the shower were four glass blocks that weren't see-through, but they did allow natural light in, making the space bright. Although the room featured Marriott's signature Revive bedding, I didn't sleep very well. It was either because there were too many pillows or the fact that I forgot to turn on the A/C and the heavy duvet was just making me too hot. From the rave reviews on TripAdvisor, my experience was not the norm on this one. My sleeplessness could also have been due to having so much work to do. Instead of watching the hours slip away on the clock/iPod docking station, I got up and switched on the ol' laptop. The rooms don't have wireless but broadband Internet is available and it's not outrageously expensive at $12.95 for 24 hours. The oversized leather desk chair was one of the most comfortable around. The best part about the rooms are the fact that they are built solid; I didn't hear any construction, outdoor traffic or other guests. Other notable room amenities include a stocked mini bar but I should mention that a small package of M&Ms was $3 – Ouch! But if you shop wisely, there's a mini kitchenette with an empty refrigerator, microwave and sink.

HOPPIN' JACK'S
I had both my meals at the Camelback Inn's Hoppin' Jack's Restaurant, which was literally across the road from my room. I decided to opt for something semi-healthy: tortilla soup ($5) and chicken chopped salad ($12). Both hit the spot. I dined outside solo, in just a short sleeve shirt, while reading travel magazines and peaking up every few minutes at the Phoenix Sun's score on the restaurant's huge flat screen TV. In the morning, it was a little chillier but I still ate outside (bring a sweater this time of year) while feasting on their delicious, $21 breakfast buffet. I had planned to just have small tastes of everything but ended up devouring the huevos rancheros and French toast with real maple syrup and fresh berries. The attentive, friendly waitresses were mostly from Europe – the two serving me were from Bulgaria and Germany. The explained that a lot of foreigners were working there due to Marriott's amazing internship program.

NOT ENOUGH TIME
If I'd had more than 12 hours, I would definitely have checked out the hotel's 36 holes of championship golf, the spa, pools and hot tubs. Instead, the one thing I took home with me was the feeling of being in the southwest. With so many hotels these days, it's nice to have a major chain that not only provides all the comforts of home but also has a personality. My room and my walk around the property after dinner, admiring the light blue sky filled with bright stars and the silhouette of the Camelback Mountains, was memorable. Rack rates begin at $189 a night. Camelback Inn, A JW Marriott Resort, 5402 East Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale, AZ, Tel: 480-948-1700 or call toll-free 800-24-CAMEL.

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