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This picture gives you a good indication of how the smoke from wildfires is affecting life in the Russian capital Moscow. This is the same Russian street. The picture on the left was taken on July 17, 2010. The one on the right was taken on August 7, 2010. In this episode of our Talking Travel podcast, Lonely Planet’s Robert Reid discusses the effects that the unusual summer heat, and the wildfires, are having on travel to Russia, and within Russia. Remember, Robert says, Russia’s a big place, and you shouldn’t think that all of the country’s tourist destinations are being affected by the fires.

Also in this episode, rage. Jet Blue flight attendant Steven Slater’s amazing exit from an airplane, and possibly his career serving drinks and doing safety announcements, in New York City really got us angry. Well, it got us thinking about why everyone’s so angry. So, we’ll take some time tp look at why flight attendants are upset, why airline passengers are upset, and why incidents like the “Steven Slater Affair” are the exception and not the norm, despite all of that ill-will in the skies. We hear from two flight attendants, Betty Thesky (Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase) and Sarah Keagle (The Flying Pinto).

Robert also points you toward his handy list of tips for not enraging your flight attendant. Read it, study it, live it.

And, we’ll take some time to salute some animals that seem keen to travel. We’ve recently had a whale try to jump aboard a yacht off the coast of South Africa, and we’ve had a bear break into a car and take it for a drive in Colorado. Is there anything that can be done to support apparent their urge to travel?

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(Photo: Акутагава)