This Week in Travel – Travel News Podcast. Regular hosts Gary Arndt and Jen Leo.   CO-HOST EMERITUS:   Chris is the host of the Amateur Traveler which is an award-winning online travel show that focuses primarily on travel destinations. It includes a weekly audio podcast, a video podcast, and a blog. In 2014, Chris won a Lowell Thomas Award for Travel Journalism from the Society of American Travel Writers and was called the "Best Independent Travel Journalist" by Travel & Leisure Magazine in their annual SMITTY Awards.    He has worked for years in technology startups in Silicon Valley. He was formerly the Director of Engineering for TripAdvisor's New Initiatives group and was the EVP Engineering at LiveWorld where his team built and ran online communities and events for companies including eBay, HBO, TV Guide, Expedia, Marriott, A&E, History Channel, the NBA, NBC, ABC, Disney, Microsoft, WebTV, and American Express.    Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Become a Fan on Facebook | Download   This Week’s News:   U.S. Optimism About COVID-19 Situation Reaches New High https://news.gallup.com/poll/331832/optimism-covid-situation-reaches-new-high.aspx   California says Disneyland and other amusement parks can reopen April 1 https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/disneyland-amusement-parks-california-reopening/index.html   Royal Caribbean will offer a 'fully vaccinated' cruise with sailings starting in Israel https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2021/03/01/royal-caribbean-offer-fully-vaccinated-sailing-new-cruise-ship/6871142002/?fbclid=IwAR2L4YzYRtW-RBytlMz7bgpzVaJZhfdJBr_J-JmrOGpA9d_CLIDFz46GxKs     Picks of the week:   Gary – Mac Book Air M1 https://www.apple.com/macbook-air/ Jen – Universal Yums https://www.universalyums.com/?uy=vuj8wpumb7 Chris – California - all of it, back up your computer! Find Gary: Everything-everywhere.com  Chris: AmateurTraveler.com Jen: @jenleo, @bitucriousmom