1) Why did you call your site NakedSky anyway?

Merriam-Webster defines "naked" as "lacking foliage or vegetation" which is certainly correct. But that only scratches the surface of the meaning behind our name. To really understand what we're saying, read one of our first entries: Naked World. It will explain the philosophical and deep intellectual epistemology of our name. Namely, that we want to see the world devoid of a mask, as it is meant to be experienced.

2) How did you guys meet?

Drew and John were both attending an MAA meeting (Miles Addict Anonymous) and struck up conversation. A few beers later, we were travel buddies.

3) Whatever... how did you guys REALLY meet?

Well, if MAA meetings existed we probably would have met there! But Drew, Abram and I lived on the same wing in college. Drew and John were business partners for a couple of years and gave each other advice -- arguably bad advice -- about women. We often take trips together to various parts of the world yet unexplored.

4) What equipment do you use when you travel?

Ah... good question. John swears by his Victorinox tote. It's designed with just enough pockets and compartments in all the right places. A very "thoughtful" piece of luggage. For short hops, he also packs along a canvas and leather Eddie Bauer duffel. Longer flights require a rollaboard, so he recently picked up a TravelPro Crew5 that was made for airline crews.

Drew uses a sleek combination set from Eddie Bauer. It consists of a laptop case that rests atop a similar size roll along. The roll along part is about a foot high, has wheels (duh) and a long telescoping handle. The laptop case slides over the handle to make a total package that is right around the same size as a normal carry-on bag. The biggest advantage is the fact that it breaks apart for easy stowage above the seat and yet packs enough for almost a weeks traveling.

5) Where do you find these airline deals? And how can you afford to fly so much?

Some people monitor stock quotes, we monitor airfare prices. (Well, John and Abram monitors the prices, Drew just takes advantage of them.) We regularly check websites like www.air-fare.com and use Travelocity.com's Flexible Dates feature. FlyerTalk.com is also a great source of information. (Like that one time we found first class tickets to Mexico for $60.) Another one to keep tabs on is TravelZoo. When you're ready to book, use ITA to find a mileage-maximizing itinerary and then try to duplicate on the airline website so you can get those 1,000 bonus booking miles!

Our travel budgets are actually quite small... trailing the amounts we spend on rent, charitable giving, girlfriends and dining out (not necessarily in that order). We try to maximize our budgets by strategizing "bumps." (Long explanation: Airlines sell more tickets than there are seats on many airplanes because they count on a certain number of people not showing up. Sometimes their algorithms are wrong and everyone shows up. Then they pay people like Drew, Abram and I oodles of cash to get "bumped" off the plane and let someone else fly.) My best year was in 2003, when I made over $2,000 in bump money.

6) What's the favorite place you ever went together?

Well, I was going to say Puerto Vallarta, but then Drew reminded me how much fun he had hugging the porcelain throne on the last night of our visit. So I retract that submission. Wherever we go, even if it is to Tampa for 4 hours, we learn a lot and get oodles of miles... and that's what's most important! Abram and I flew to Greece and Turkey for just over a week last year, taking our time on the return through Zurich. That was a trip of a lifetime.

7) Have you ever thrown up on a plane?

Yes. But that's a meal best left digested, so to speak.

8) How do you avoid getting tired and worn out after all those take-offs and landings, running through airports and dealing w

ith those cracker-jack security employees?

I don't want to sound like your grandmother, but she was right: stay hydrated. John enjoys sipping on LaCroix with lime, while Drew usually kicks back a cranberry juice or two. (United serves great apple-cranberry juice!) Also, wear noise-cancelling headsets. It's amazing the effect these have on your energy level and mood. The headsets cancel out the constant droning in the airplane cabin (either from the engines or the person next to you) so that it doesn't wear on you quickly. Make sure to eat plenty of anti-oxidants to combat the effects of UV-induced stress on your body. Finally, approach travel with the right attitude! It is fun and enjoyable to watch people interact and meet people with fascinating stories. Keeping a positive perspective on travel, no matter how many snafus, is critical to enjoying it.

9) What's the most miles you've earned on one trip?

Hmmm... probably upwards of 40,000 miles, including elite bonus miles and promos.

10) What are you going to do with all those miles anyway?

Usually the answer to this question invariably involves women. John plans to invest those hard-earned, butt-in-seat miles in a two-month long honeymoon. 800,000 miles will secure two first class Round-The-World tickets on the Star Alliance, stopping at various points around the globe. (Although Abram thinks John should spend more time looking for a woman.) As for Drew, well, he spends his miles on a wife.

11) How do you get to fly in business and first class all the time?

You mean besides our dashing good looks and witty humour? Mostly because we are all "elites" in the airline programs. Airlines reward their most frequent flyers (like us) with upgrade certificates and guarantees... in return, they get the majority of our business. In the end, it's a win-win.

12) My pet gerbil just died, can I have some of your miles to attend his funeral?

No.

13) How do I become addicted to miles just like you?

Start by visiting and becoming involved in FlyerTalk.com. I know of no better resource and community on the web to learn about flying. Also, bone up on mileage programs. Depending on where you live and how you like to fly, different programs might fit you better. For example, John lives in the U.K., so he flies international a lot, so a program like United's MileagePlus fits him perfectly. Drew stays stateside more often, so that's why he likes US Airways which doesn't provide much transoceanic service and therefore offers more generous domestic perks. Abram balances domestic and international travel, so United MileagePlus is also a great program for him.

14) What do you do when you're not flying?

Wait desparately for the next flight... wondering how long... how far... until we can get back into the sky! Meanwhile, Drew masquerades as a computer programmer for the government, Abram is hugging trees in a Ph.D. program on environmental biology, and John is a marketing manager for a Fortune 50 company.

15) Have you ever applied for CBS' Amazing Race?

John has. But apparently he didn't have what it took to be a star.

16) Why do you always fly on the same airlines? Don't you want to try other airlines out?

Ahha... that's a rookie question. You see, when you concentrate all your travel on one airline you earn "elite" status. One of the perks of elite status is bonus miles. At our levels, we earn a 100% mileage bonus on all our flights. So if we take a flight that is 1,024 miles, we earn a total of 2,048 miles. Pretty cool, huh? (Although, only actual flight miles count towards elite qualification.)

17) So how many miles do you have to fly to become an "elite" flyer?

Most airlines set the first-level threshold at 25,000 miles per calendar year. Mid-tier elite can be earned at 50,000 flown miles per year and top-tier elite is usually 75,000 or 100,000 depending on the airline. Each higher level brings with it more perks and bennies.

18) Have people really asked you all these questions?

To be honest, we should have called this the "Infrequently Asked Questions" page. But who knows what an IAQ is? How do you pronounce IAQ anyway?? eeeee-aack...

19) Is there something wrong with you?

While the Olympic Committee is still pending on its decision to name mileage running an Olympic sport, our friends still talk to us, our girlfriends still date us, and our parents haven't disowned us. (In fact, they're our most avid readers!) So, no, there is nothing wrong with us... technically speaking.

20) Why did you start a travelblog?

Our friends were always asking us about our trips and we got tired of explaining them over and over and over again. Plus, it becomes kind of a journal for us to "flip" back through and remember. We hope you enjoy reading it just as much as we enjoyed putting it together!