Roundup: Virtual travel with Google's Lively; Southwest to Canada? Pollution in Beijing

Good morning travelers! We’re half way through the work week, where do you want to go next?

Travel Tech | If you can’t scrape up the cash for a proper vacation, why not take a virtual one on Lively? Google launched its version of Second Life and there are several “rooms” a traveler might want to check out. There’s the Traveler Cafe, Margaritaville: Home of Hedonism, and country-specific rooms such as Spain, Israel, Greek Island and France. Even National Geographic Channel is coming to Lively. Caveat: Sorry Mac users, you can download and play only if you have Windows Vista or XP with Internet Explorer or Firefox. Since I am one of those Mac users, let us know if you had a good virtual holiday.

Airlines news | Southwest Airlines is taking steps toward a code-sharing agreement and partnership with Canada’s WestJet. If it happens, this would be Southwest’s first stab at international service. Read: Southwest Airlines to offer flights to Canada

Olympics | There’s less than a month to go before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Unfortunately pollution levels have soared in the city as the games get closer. Check out the photo gallery: Pollution lingers as Olympic Games near

— Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel Deal blogger

[Photo: Visitors take photos from the Drum Tower as heavy smog shrouds the Houhai Lake area in Beijing, Mark Ralston AFP/Getty Images]

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 8:19 am by Jen Leo and is filed under Good Morning, News, Tips & Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.