Rick Denton (00:00)
Hey there, CX Passport Travelers. Welcome back to the second week of the First Class Lounge Holiday Special. I hope all of you are having a wonderful holiday season and I hope you're starting to look ahead to a great 2026. I know I am. I see the guests that we have lined up and I am extremely excited about it. Here as we wrap up the holiday season, I hope you enjoy these First Class Lounge Specials from Doug of the US, Irina from Bulgaria, Michelle from Netherlands,

and Tori from the US. Happy holidays, y'all. Have a wonderful and happy new year, and I look forward to seeing all of you in 2026.

Rick Denton (00:47)
Doug, love that unique thing and truly I'm glad that this may come out on or around Final Four times. If anybody's heading to San Antonio, check out the cove, but don't check it out before I get a chance to since the lines don't get too long. One thing that the distance between where I live and where you live, it's only a five hour drive. So first class lounges aren't that big of a deal between maybe Buc-ee's would be the equivalent of the first class lounge there on I-35.

I still want to invite you to stop down here in the first class lounge of CX Passport. We'll move quickly here and have a little bit of fun. What is a dream travel location from your past?

Doug Rabold (01:25)
This past June, I actually was a keynote speaker at an event in Helsinki. And I saw that I could take an overnight ferry to Stockholm. Just did it on the spur of a moment. wound up in Stockholm. Coolest city I've been in quite a while. ⁓ Actually, my first stop was at the ABBA Museum. Yes, it's a guilty pleasure. So I stopped and had a drink at the ABBA Museum. ⁓ And then

There's a whole museum district right there and it's called the Your Garden District. And I wound up then at the Viking Museum. And in the Viking Museum, they had a mead tasting room. So I had to go and taste some meads. ⁓ And then wound up sitting, having drinks with some locals and just a really cool time. I was in Stockholm for like 12 hours maybe, but just had a phenomenal time.

Rick Denton (02:18)
I love it. love those stories. And yes, I'm I'm an ABA lover. My dad played those cassettes in the cars. Doug, what's a dream travel location you've not been to yet?

Doug Rabold (02:28)
So my dream travel that I've not been to yet, ironically as a German American who is a huge Bayern Munich fan and has traced our family lineage back to the 1500s in Bavaria, ⁓ I have yet to visit Bavaria. So my dream would be to one day ⁓ tour Bavaria and then wind up the trip with watching a home game at Allianz Arena and see Bayern Munich.

Just trounce. That's awesome. Dortmund.

Rick Denton (02:59)
So you already have the specific match in mind that you want to see every year you're looking at the schedule and okay I'm going then that's awesome. I love that. Doug you've mentioned some of the delights of travel and we've talked about food certainly what is a favorite thing of yours to eat?

Doug Rabold (03:16)
I also have a Midwest background. While I was born and raised in Philly, I spent a good part of my youth in Illinois. so Chicago style pizza is just phenomenal. Yeah, just give me a deep dish pizza. There's one that I used to order at Giordano's in the Chicago loop, and it was shrimp and garlic. my God, wonderful.

Rick Denton (03:43)
Not the typical go-to, that's, here's another tip folks. You're in Chicago, get the shrimp and garlic deep dish. Okay, I like that. Doug, the other direction, what's something growing up you were forced to eat, but you hate it as a kid?

Doug Rabold (03:55)
this is going to sound awful, but my mom was a terrible cook. ⁓ yeah. So, so pretty much anything my mom made was, was not, not, not the best. ⁓ I always loved when my dad cooked and I think she did it on purpose. ⁓ and, and the one in particular that stands out in my mind was she used to make Swiss steak and it was just, it was, it got rather, yeah.

Rick Denton (04:01)
You

not for you. Well, is funny how those memories flash back and I think I could even see it in your face that you're just feeling it at that point. So we will, I will let you leave the first class lounge here, but first, what is one thing in your travel kit, not including your phone, not including your passport that you will not leave home without.

Doug Rabold (04:40)
actually

have different bags pre-packed that depend on where I'm going. My wife is like, you're like a luggage hoarder. In each one, I've got specific things, but probably the one thing I would say that I won't leave without is each of them also has a tracker in it. So if somebody steals that piece of luggage, I can track down who was who lifted my bags.

Speaker 2 (05:15)
Marina, I like that story and I like it's interesting how you describe both that there's a very critical nature like an expectation set, but then also a very giving nature to the element of experience there in Bulgaria. I do hope someday to get there. And for me to get there involves a long flight to get over to Bulgaria. And I'm sure you've had as you travel the world some flights that you have.

wanted to or been able to stop down in the first class lounge. And so I invite you to do that with me today. We'll move quickly here and have a little bit of fun. What is a dream travel location from your past?

Speaker 1 (05:49)
Vietnam. I really really enjoyed Vietnam. Yeah. Five years ago.

Speaker 2 (05:54)
How long ago were you there?

Tell me so that memory sticks with you that vividly from five years ago. Tell me a little bit about why what was it about Vietnam that you loved so much?

Speaker 1 (06:04)
I think it's just the culture, the way that people are, it was something completely unexpected for me. went there for my mom's 60th birthday and people were so helpful and talking about customer experience is just no matter what your request is, people are just polite and welcoming.

Speaker 2 (06:28)
I was only there for a couple days. I'd like to end it was on a business trip. I'd like to go back. What you're describing though, I remember ⁓ feeling similarly and that kind of warmth and just the vibrancy of the culture for sure. What is a dream travel location you've not been to yet?

Speaker 1 (06:44)
New Zealand. I'll go there. ⁓

Speaker 2 (06:46)
yeah.

I haven't been there either. And you want to talk about a long flight for both you and for me, right? It's basically a long flight for anybody except for New Zealanders and Australians, probably. What is a favorite thing of yours to eat?

Speaker 1 (07:06)
Oh, you know what? That will be very weird, but I'm crazy about edamame. I mean, I love sushi, but when I go to a sushi restaurant, I'm full by the time that the sushi comes. can just continue eating edamame.

Speaker 2 (07:20)
That's awesome. Man. Yeah. Some good edamame. I haven't had that in a bit. I think I need to go out there and get me a little edamame. But let's go the other way, though. Growing up, what was something you were forced to eat but you hated as a kid?

Speaker 1 (07:33)
Something that I hated eating and now I completely love is netel. My husband who is Dutch also didn't know about it and that you can actually eat it. Of course it needs to be processed. So I brought him to a restaurant in Bulgaria and I told him, you know what, we're going to eat traditional Bulgarian netel. He was like, ⁓ you know, but I don't know, isn't it dangerous because if you fall into them, you're getting the rashes and it burn and it hurts.

Don't worry, it's gonna come here. The only thing that you need to do is swallow it very quickly otherwise your tongue is gonna start swelling. Here it goes.

Speaker 2 (08:13)
This sounds like a great food

Speaker 1 (08:16)
in

his face he was like, I don't want it anymore. No, it's perfectly safe. It's great. need to boil it and process it, but it's fine.

Speaker 2 (08:26)
Well, I can see why that was one you weren't a big fan of as a kid. I'm here 51 years old and I'm not sure I'm gonna be a fan of it, but I ⁓

Speaker 1 (08:34)
to Bulgaria tonight and we're fixing that mistake.

Speaker 2 (08:38)
Okay, well one of these days I'm going to have to have some nettles for sure. Well, sadly, Irina, it is time for us to exit the lounge. What is one travel item, not including your phone, not including your passport, that you will not leave home without?

Speaker 1 (08:53)
⁓ my ID. I'm never leaving my home without my ID.

Speaker 1 (09:06)
A lot of times we're on these long flights. We're on these long paths and we need to take a little break. And it is wonderful when you get to have access to the first class lounge. So I am going to give you access to the first class lounge today on CX Passport. We'll move quickly here and have a little bit of fun. What is a dream travel location from your past?

Speaker 2 (09:25)
⁓ that must be the northern of Sweden, ⁓ close to where Santa lives. That's in Finland, it was just that region, northern part of Sweden and Finland. That is magical. took it. My honeymoon was there and it was fantastic.

Speaker 1 (09:42)
Really? Yeah. You know, that's not a place that I hear a lot and it comes from, know, I'm not necessarily talking to folks that are from that region. Describe the northern parts. I think a lot of us have a familiarity with the cities, but not so much some of that natural area other than, of course, you know, the pathway to Santa and his North Pole experience.

Speaker 2 (10:02)
Well, you know, it's vast. In winter, it's very cold. But that's great for a honeymoon, right? Because then you have to cuddle up and, yeah, well, have fun. I saw the romance in that, that's for sure. No, but it's actually a magical place. And if you're lucky and you see the Northern Lights every single night that you're there, I mean, that is beyond anything you can ever describe.

Speaker 1 (10:14)
romance there.

Speaker 2 (10:31)
You have to see it to believe it.

Speaker 1 (10:33)
And that's what I hear about the Northern Lights. Something I haven't experienced yet is that it looks pretty in a picture, but it's not the same as having seen it right in front of your eyes going over your head. And that makes me curious for you. What is a dream travel location you've not been to yet?

Speaker 2 (10:49)
That's a really tough one because there are so many places that I would love to go. I think that I would really love to go to South America, thinking of Brazil, for instance, that would be a very nice place, or even Paraguay or Uruguay, something like that. Something that is a little bit off the beaten path as well. Yeah, that would be nice.

Speaker 1 (11:17)
Yeah, that would be I've done Brazil. I haven't done Paraguay and Uruguay yet. ⁓ I've heard wonderful things. So yes, get over there across the pond way across the pond way down there. definitely. One of the things that I remembered about Brazil was the food and it makes me think what is a favorite thing of yours to eat?

Speaker 2 (11:38)
I'm a very simple guy. love ⁓ pasta carbonara is my absolute favorite made in the very traditional Italian way. yeah, that is you have the straight choice to my heart with that dish for sure.

Speaker 1 (11:55)
Well everybody, you just got the secret of how to connect with Michelle. It is on pasta carbonara. What about the other way? What is something you were forced to eat growing up that you hated as a kid?

Speaker 2 (12:05)
Pineapples. I hate it. Yeah, I know I am a unique thing like that, I just can't eat pineapples. It is just not for me.

Speaker 1 (12:08)
Really?

Yeah, 200 plus episodes. I do not think I've heard pineapple before you win. It is. It's hard to get a unique answer then oh my gosh pineapple was always one of my favorite fruits growing up strawberries and pineapples and here you are. It's the one that you just resisted. love the variety that people provide in that answer. I and I promise I'll get you pasta carbonara and I won't give you pineapple next time.

Speaker 2 (12:41)
great.

You know, I was force fed some pineapple when I was child and still have traumas of that. And that's the reason why I'm in this eternal fight with pizza Hawaii, probably that yeah, if you eat that, then no, we're done.

Speaker 1 (12:58)
You and I are aligned there. me pineapple, but don't put it on my pizza. I am fine with that. You and I are in the same space. Sadly, we're going to have to leave the first class lounge. What is one travel item, not including your phone and not including your passport that you will not leave home without?

Speaker 2 (13:15)
My little notebook. I always have a little notebook that I have with me ⁓ with a black pen, by the way. I only write in black pen. Especially on those long flights, I try to limit screen time as much as I can because that is really a moment where you can really disconnect. My little notebook and my pen, that works like charm. I can do whatever I can do. can...

Right. ⁓ draw diagrams or just write whatever I'm thinking and yeah, never leave home without

Rick Denton (13:55)
Tori, I think you encapsulated in those last few minutes why travel is the birthing ground of empathy. Why I would almost joke that when people say, maybe you can't learn empathy, you're born with it, but I guarantee that shove anybody in a culture like you're describing and have them experience seven years starting without understanding the language. Travel and living abroad, that really develops empathy. You know, one thing that traveling also develops

is fatigue. And some of those flights and trips, I imagine you've had some significant fatigue and it has been nice to stop off in the lounge when you've had that opportunity. And I invite you to do that with me today. We're going to move quickly here and have a little fun here in the first-class lounge. What is a dream travel location from your past?

Tori Signorelli (14:42)
I took an amazing road trip with my husband while we were living in London, because Europe was so close. ⁓ we went to the Bosque area of Spain and San Sebastian and road tripped through Spain, through the North of Spain and into France. And that was incredible. It was just a food and wine vest. Like that's ⁓ it.

Rick Denton (14:54)
Yeah.

Tori Signorelli (15:08)
food and wine tour that went on for a couple of weeks. It was incredible.

Rick Denton (15:12)
We're done here. Episode over. Everybody get in your car and head out to Bosque for food. Well, I haven't been to that region yet. So what is a dream travel location you've not been to yet?

Tori Signorelli (15:17)
highly recommend it, yes.

Japan, it is the top of my list. It is a culture that I have been fascinated and interested in from a service point of view for a very long time. I am really fascinated by their service culture, their design ethos, and their food. Coming back to the food. So much about travel for me is about the food.

And they really have an incredible, incredible cuisine.

Rick Denton (15:57)
It is again, long time listeners, you know, you saw me if even if you're listening and you're not watching, you saw me smile because Japan continues to come up and there's a reason why Japan can continue to come up because it is such an amazing place to go. And you're right about the food. Well, Tori, since you brought it up, what is a favorite thing of yours to eat?

Tori Signorelli (16:17)
Always hard for me to pick one thing, but.

Rick Denton (16:20)
Of course.

Tori Signorelli (16:22)
Oysters are my favorite food. I've been saying for a long time. now that I live in the Pacific Northwest, it is, I am in like oyster heaven here. So yeah, I love oysters. I them cooked any possible way. I love them raw, cooked, everything baked, fried.

Rick Denton (16:45)
You chose a food that I think would be the answer to this question for many people and that is what is something growing up you were forced to eat but you hated as a kid?

Tori Signorelli (16:55)
So I don't remember being forced to eat anything and I don't remember really not liking very many things, but I do remember eating a lot of broccoli and

I used to, I didn't really want to eat the broccoli. I mean, as a kid, most kids don't. And so I would eat the butter off the top of the broccoli. I don't have any butter on my broccoli. then like, broccoli as much as possible.

Rick Denton (17:27)
I like that.

Oh,

that's spectacular. Butter is a Brock or broccoli as a butter delivery system. That's the way to handle it as a kid. I love it. Well, Tori, it's time for us to leave the first class lounge. What is one travel item, not including your phone, not including your passport that you will not leave home without?

Tori Signorelli (17:49)
I always travel with a journal and a pen.

Because I find, one, I like to journal no matter where I am. It's like for my mental health, it's a creative outlet. It's very important, but when I travel, I get really inspired and I wanna remember those stories. And I find, you know, there's more space, there's head space when you're in a new place and time on the plane. I get, that's when I get my most, like most of my inspiration. So I always have a journal