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…
My Musings (Sundays)
Category Archives for My Musings (Sundays).
Epic Asia Adventure: Four Countries, 16,000 Miles in June
June was a month with a lower number of flights compared to other months! Just eight flights across Australia and Asia for a total of 26,000km (16,000 miles). I spent time in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney in Australia; Tokyo in Japan; and Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Here’s my month… Flights City Highlights Airline Experiences Five airlines took me around this month-fewer than the ten I flew with last month (May 2024) Chasing the neworld Dream: Two of my goals for 2024 are to Where did you find yourself in June, 2024? Related Posts
May Travels: A Whirlwind Adventure-crazy month
May was a crazy month, packed with adventures, new experiences, and 29 flights through 16 airports with visits to 11 cities! Almost every city had its unique charm, and every flight offered a different story. I went from the furthest northern point of Spokane, Washington, USA (approximately 47.6588° N) to the southern city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia (approximately 42.8821° S) via Portugal, Philippines, and Japan! I ran in my sixth Bloomsday Race in Spokane, visited friends in vibrant Seattle and bustling Dallas, got to know the charming city of Des Moines, explored the hidden gems…
Running the amazing Bloomsday, a favourite road race
“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” —John Bingham When I woke up on Sunday to the sound of rain, there was a moment of hesitation. Did I really want to run my eighth Lilac Bloomsday Run in Spokane, Washington in weather that looked as unforgiving as this?? It was 9°C /48°F, windy and pouring with rain. I struggled through the grey to walk down to join 30,000 at the starting lines. Spokane is a city in Eastern Washington that 231,133 people call home. The city…
Journey to a Kinder World through better Chocolate choices
Are you like me and LOVE Indulging in chocolate? I think it is a universal pleasure. Every human on the planet consumes an average of roughly one kilogram of food annually. I know I sample chocolate wherever I travel to! Good chocolate please. With a projected 5.6% increase in chocolate revenue, surpassing even the forecasted growth of the world economy, it’s evident that chocolate holds a significant place in our lives and markets. However, amidst this prosperity lies a stark reality: the plight of cocoa farmers, trapped in cycles of poverty and exploitation. Despite the…
To the Authorities: Five Steps to Better Travel, Please
I shared last week about my 2023 travel experiences. As we look forward to 2024, there are five things that “those in charge” need to do to make travel markedly better. Treat Your Customers with Respect Too often, passengers are herded bewildered into long lines and then alternately shouted at or ignored. I believe this stress and the points above are helping to contribute to a lack of civility from passengers who push back at staff and each other. Can we send all staff globally to Tokyo Haneda or Singapore Changi Airport (pictured) to watch…
Unveiling the Hidden Truth: Behind the Online Booking Sites
Following my Agoda.com/Booking.com phishing experience described last week, I was keen to understand more about the behemoths I was dealing with. I am one of those travellers who love today’s digitally connected world with its plethora of online booking agencies at my fingertips. I like being able to book your next adventure with a few clicks. Up to now, my experiences have largely been positive. My phishing experience has changed that!What many do not realise is that our online hotel and airfare booking agencies are owned by just a handful of mega-companies. In this blog…
The Tunisair Dilemma: Is the Terrible Rating a Warning or a Challenge?
I am planning my October travels, and I am always game to fly a new airline (surprise!!!). (I have now flown 120 different airlines). I have a group of airlines that are in my top ten and a group in my bottom ten… I may have found a contender for what would be the world’s worst airline if I am game to fly them on a short hop from Europe to Tunis. Their flight time is just over one hour whilst their competitors onky offer indirect flights of five hours plus for three times the…
Al Stewart, Music and Morocco: Time Passages & Year of the Cat
Whilst travelling around Morocco, I kept hearing the music of 1970s British singer-songwriter Al Stewart, known for his thought-provoking lyrics that often weave together historical and literary references with personal experiences. Two of his most popular songs, “Year of the Cat” and “Time Passages,” have become classics of the era and remain popular to this day. Both songs showcase Stewart’s ability to craft intricate, poetic lyrics that tell compelling stories and offer insights into the human experience. “Year of the Cat” is perhaps Stewart’s most famous song. Released in 1976, the song tells the story…
Running My Way through 2022
Last year, I ran and walked 3,879.3 km, about 2,410 miles. This is the equivalent of walking/running from: Madrid to Paris to Istanbul Sydney Circular Quay to Wollongong to Canberra to Adelaide’s Henley Beach to Perth’s City Beach Singapore to Bangkok to Hanoi to Yulan I walked and ran across cities, parks, beaches, forests and mountains. With friends. With family. With strangers. And alone. In 17 countries. Thanks to my walking and running companions. No wonder, I feel tired at the start of 2023!! I had hoped to get to 4,044 km but I fell…
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