I gazed at the line at a hotel buffet in Perth, Australia and observed that almost every person in the line was overweight. Some were clearly just a little bit over their weight and others were in a concerning level. We know that being overweight increases the risk of many health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. I know that frequent travel increases the chance that weight will build up. Much time being sedentary, poor food choices at many airports and the temptation to enjoy exotic foods all contribute to weight gain risks. My…
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for March 2016.
My Easter Prayer
Today is Easter in my tradition. It seems like a day to reflect on our world and think through what we can do to bring light.
After 299 times, I still don’t like the B737!
There are many reasons to like the Boeing 737. It is reliable. It is prolific (over 8,500 built). It has been around for almost 50 years. It has a fantastic safety record. It is fuel efficient. It is not an unattractive plane to look at. I have never liked it. This week I reached a milestone with my 299th flight on a 73. There is no other plane I have been on as many times. The 737 has taken me 340,000km (212,000) to 91 airports on five continents. I have disembarked as far south as Queenstown,…
Spicejet’s Non -Airborne Happy Holi Celebrations
I love Festivals and cultural events around the world. Today is Purim in the Jewish calendar, Maundy Thursday in the Christian one and for Hindus, it is Holi. Holi is known as the festival of colours or the festival of love and believed to signify the victory of good over evil. Those who celebrate do so by throwing brightly coloured, perfumed powders, and coloured waters at everyone! The Festival has given birth to The Colour Run which is billed as “the Happiest 5k on the Planet”,with 300+ events in 50+ countries. Last year, Spicejet organised a…
#JeSuisBruxelles #JeSuisToutLeMonde
I have been to Brussels, the capital of the small European country of Belgium three times. It is my 14th favourite city out of the 185 cities I have visited across the globe with a population of 100,000+ I have flown out of Zaventem the city’s airport. I have ridden the Brussels metro, enjoyed Belgian food, drink, art and culture. And I am a massive Tintin fan. On Tuesday, at 8am two coordinated bombings at that airport and one at Maelbeek Metro (subway) station at 911am killed 34 people (including the bombers). One airport bomb reportedly exploded near the…
Je Suis Istanbul
I love Istanbul. After two fantastic visits there, I feel at home in its hillsides, streets, quaint shops, ferry boats and cafes. My Turkish is slight but the hospitality I have experienced from the warm locals has made up for that. I guarantee that I have eaten from one end of the city to the other! I also love Turkish Airlines which I have used to connect through Istanbul. Istanbul comes in at Number 30 on my Top 200 cities over 100,000 people! On both occasions, I stayed not far from Istanbul’s’ most famous shopping street: İstiklal…
Je Suis Ankara (#2)
Last Sunday, on, 13 March 2016, at 635pm local time a 1995 BMW laden with explosives was exploded in a street location where there are many bus stops. 37 people were killed, 125 injured, with 19 severely injured, a bus was completely burnt up, along with many cars. The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), claimed responsibility for the attack. They had also been responsible for the 17 February Ankara bombing. They insisted that they were aiming for a Police station nearby and did not intend to harm citizens. This is either a monstrous lie or the group…
FlyDubai Crash -Questions start
A big plane crash is rare these days so every time there is one, we are all riveted. Despite plane travel being one of the safest forms of transport on the planet, people still have an uneasy fear when it comes to planes. The loss of FkyDubai’s Flight 981 today at Rostov-on-Don Airport , Russia, in the early morning hours of 19 March 2016, is shocking. The crash occurred during the 737’s second attempted landing and resulted in the death of all 55 passengers and seven crew. The poor weather that was engulfing the airport meant the…
Je Suis Ivory Coast
Sigh. Another attack on a beach resort. This time in Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire). I have wanted to visit this vibrant country for two decades but not got there yet. I came close when I lived in Nigeria, 1000km (600 miles) away. 13th March was reportedly, a beautiful day in the Ivory Coast, when six cowards dressed in black with balaclavas opened fire with Kalashnikov msachine guns on the beach at Grand Bassam. They were eventually shot by Ivory Coast security forces. The BBC reported “They killed a child, despite him kneeling down and begging”.…
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