Weird or Wonderful

Category Archives for Weird or Wonderful.

Etihad Inoculates 100% of Staff

Etihad (لِلطَّيْرَان) of the United Arab Emirates and Singapore Airlines have been working to get all staff inoculated against COVID-19. Singapore had 90% of its staff registered for a vaccine dose by the end of January, 2021 but Etihad appears to have beaten them to it with its claim that all of its pilots and cabin crew member have been innoculated with a vaccine. To do so, the Etihad Airways Medical Centre became an accredited Covid-19 vaccination clinic in December 2020 and Tony Douglas, Group CEO took the vaccine on 4th January, 2021 and staff…

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We Need a Holiday. WizzAir Flashmob Dance

Wizzair staff took advantage of downtime and an empty Budapest airport to remind us “we need a holiday“. Wizz Dance from WATER FILM GROUP on Vimeo. Budapest seems to be running less than half a dozen daily flights currently hence the very empty looking airport. Wizz are flyinga very small number of flights. All passengers must wear a face mask and cabin crew (as demonstrated) will wear masks and gloves throughout the entire flight. As for the song?  In the book The Complete Guide to Her Music Madonna, Rikky Rooksby states that “”Holiday’ is as…

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Russian Begpackers sent home from Indonesia

I have written previously about the phenomenon of “begpackers” where travelers find ways of earning money in their developing country destination through begging and/or busking. A Russian couple were videoed busking illegally at a market on Lombok island (Indonesia) two weeks ago. They reportedly told officials that they were street musicians who regularly travel around the world, and claimed that they were running out of money. A 29 year old man (MB), a 28-year-old woman (E), and their 2-year-old daughter (S), were taken into custody, as   “The activities of the three foreigners disrupted public…

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American Airlines Feel Good Video: You Are Why We fly

AA has a video to tug the heart strings pointing out that the most disruptive event n their 94 year history is upon them:  American Airlines:  You Are Why We Fly No mention that the only reason they are surviving this storm is because of a massive  $5.8 billion government fund injection.  Four billion is in the form of grants and the remaining $1.7 billion as a low-interest loan. The airline also plans to apply for a further $4.8 billion loan from The US Treasury Department. American is one of my least favourite airlines in …

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Pilot draws “Thanks” in Sky for Medical Workers

Using a Magnus Fusion 212, a Hungarian pilot traced a big thank you to medical staff tackling COVID19. Taking off from Pécs, a city in southwest Hungary, the design took a fair amount of patient flight maneuvering. You can follow the flight path here. It is quite mesmerising. The Magnus Fusion 212 is 22 feet long and has a wingspan of eight metres and can carry two people.  Its cruising speed is around  217km/h (135 mph). Its range is around 800km. I visited Pécs, seven years ago. Settled 2000 years ago, it is  Hungary’s fifth…

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Teddy Bears Make Lockdowns Bearable

two stuffed animals next to each other

Parents across the world are relishing the moments when the family are allowed to go outside their homes for exercise. To cheer kids up in this grim and unsettling time  people across the world have been putting their teddy bears in windows for kids to spot. Bears have also appeared on porches and in trees. The concept comes from the children’s book “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. The motto of the book s “We’re not scared” – which is relevant for so many right now.…

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Travel just got interesting- Impacts & Info for a Pandemic.

The WHO has finally called the COVID19 virus situation a pandemic.  Before now, the UN’s health agency described it as an epidemic. Calling it a pandemic, states that it has officially spread around the world and reflects WHO’s concern at what it calls the “alarming levels of the coronavirus spread, severity and inaction”. The reaction has been swift. India invoked section 2 of its Epidemic Diseases Act to deal with #Coronavirus crisis by sealing its borders from Friday 13 March until 15 April. All visas (except for official ones) are suspended. President  Donald Trump said…

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Premier Inn less helpful than North Korea in emergency situations

A UK couple were forced to cancel their North Korea trip after that isolated nation closed its borders to the virus. One would assume that getting the money back from the North Korean tour company,  the Chinese airlines and hotels would be a nightmare. The Time of London reports that every penny of the £2,860 (approx $US3,700)  they had given to the companies in China and North Korea was refunded -within days.  They were reportedly delighted. Less delightful was their experienced with UK hotel operator Premier Inns. They had booked a non refundable night for…

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