After one of the busiest and and stressful years of my life, I’m taking off on a true bucket-list journey that will see me crossing four continents: Asia, Europe, the Americas, and (my home base in Australia), completing the set! This trip will take me back to some familiar favourites — Malaysia, Thailand, Finland, Switzerland, Turkey, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil — while also adding two exciting new countries: South Africa and Botswana. I am working in a couple of spots and then vacationing but what I am most excited about are the “pinch myself” moments ahead: As always, I’d love to…
My Musings (Sundays)
Category Archives for My Musings (Sundays).
I have now flown into Airport #293: Outback Town -Which Airport will be 300th?
I just flew into and out of my 293rd airport: ISA which serves the remote Australian outback town of Mt Isa. I travelled from Brisbane about two hours on Qantas) and back with Virgin Australia. The landing and take off gave excellent views of the town! There are also hops from Mt Isa to Cairns, Cloncurry, Doomadgee, and Longreach—some flights so short that by the time you fasten your seatbelt, you’re already preparing to land (16 minutes to Cloncurry). Classic outback flying! When Qantas, the Australian flag carrier flew its first passenger, it was from Longreach…
Surviving the Gunfire: How Tragedy Changed My Bangkok Life
Today’s post contains images and descriptions about extreme violence. Reader caution is advised Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, home to around 14 million people is known for its canals, food, parties, temples, culture, and massage. I know the city well. I have spent five years here over the last 12 years. I have many favourite spots. One of them is a fruit and produce market called OrTorkor, voted by CNN as one of the ten best markets in the world. The market is opposite our condo in Bangkok. It’s gate is a short walk from…
A Very Modern Map of Britain’s Ancient Roman Roads – Atlas Obscura
Let’s take the VII from Londinium to Letocetum. Source: A Very Modern Map of Britain’s Ancient Roman Roads – Atlas Obscura
Crossing a Border Few Dare to Walk—What Happened Next
“Bpai nai krub?” The immigration officer asked robotically as I handed over my passport. (Where are you going?) “Klap bahn krub,” I replied. “Bpai tee Krung Thep.” (I am going home, sir. To Bangkok.) My accent, coupled with my Australian passport, caught his attention. He looked up at me, momentarily surprised. Clearly, I was an anomaly—utterly different from the usual processing of Thai and Malaysian passports or border passes. I was the only non-Thai or non-Malay in the immigration hall. “Klap bahn, bpai tee Krung Thep?” he repeated, flipping through my passport.“Yes,” I confirmed in…
New Month, New Travels, New Challenges— One Unforgettable Border Crossing
My busy travel schedule kicks off this month! This year, I will visit Brazil, China, Colombia, Finland, Japan, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, South Africa (first time!), Switzerland and the USA amongst a few other places. January has included air and rail journeys through Malaysia and Thailand… January included a stingray attack amidst a relaxing time in Krabi, my first flight with Batik Air, and completing all the rail routes in Malaysia and Thailand—every station, every line. Posts are coming this week. I also crossed by foot from Malaysia into Thailand’s Deep South which was anything but…
From Tiny Slips to Big Stories: Boarding Passes Remind Me of 2024 Adventures
While sorting through my 2024 travel souvenirs today, I gathered these boarding passes from most of my flights from last year. These are tiny and powerful reminders of my incredible adventures built around the 99 flights with 29 airlines I took last year to 28 countries. Some people collect postcards, others fridge magnets—I seem to collect boarding passes! I probably have a thousand of them now! Sign of a true nerd? Most likely. These small slips of paper are mementos of my journeys, reminding me of smooth and chaotic flights. They trigger memories, for example,…
Dreaming Differently- Czech Airlines in a Parallel World
In the 2000s, I loved seeing the OK tails of CSA Czech Airlines at airports around the world. I never actually flew them, but I wish I had. On Friday, I wrote about the airlines we lost in 2024. One of the most prominent was Czech Airlines’. As the fifth-oldest airline in the world and the third to fly a jet aeroplane, Czech Airlines (CSA) held a special place in European aviation. With its closure, I feel we’ve lost a part of aviation history. Reflecting on CSA , I was reminded of the famous Czech…
BA’s Safety video -dramatic and funny, but does it work?
British Airways new safety film starts with a man on horseback, reminiscent of a Bridgerton character, exclaiming, “I see smoke on the horizon,” only for a member of the BA cabin crew to hastily interrupt because of the airline’s no-smoking policy. Another scene features a Mr Darcy-esque figure emerging from a lake and being gushed over by local women. He dons the life jacket under their admiring gaze. But there is a twist at the end… The evolution of in-flight safety videos has seen a shift from straightforward productions to humorous takes, dramatic videos, highly…
Ten Busiest International Air Routes out of Europe in 2024
In 2024, around 23 million people will fly on the top ten busiest international air routes out of Europe. These passenger numbers reflect the rebound in strong demand for travel to major destinations around the world from key European cities. As an avid traveller, I was very curious to see how many of these routes I’ve experienced on my journeys. 1. London Heathrow (LHR) to New York JFK (JFK) 2. Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to New York JFK (JFK) 3. Frankfurt (FRA) to Dubai (DXB) 4. London Heathrow (LHR) to Dubai (DXB) 5. Amsterdam…
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