"Slither" apparently is what snakes do. The fancier term is serpentine locomotion, also called lateral undulation – a side-to-side movement created when the snake's body forms S-shaped loops. Yes, next week on January 29, Chinese all over the world will usher in the Year of the Wood Snake – and there are plenty of predictions out there as to what this reptile will bring us.

One almanac I came across says it "promises slow and steady development" and adds that "those who are patient, strategic and willing to embrace the Snake's wisdom will find they can thrive by adapting to a slower pace in all aspects of life". So even the Chinese "feng shui" masters are supporting the notion of slow travel or silent travel as some industry leaders had predicted in the Year in Review articles on our site.