My Musings (Sundays)

Category Archives for My Musings (Sundays).

A wish for 2013 – an end to Bleugh Forms

Anyone get as tired as I do, of filling out their passport details on immigration forms and websites? It was only like 50 times last year! Then I have to stand in a line of sometimes thousands to be glanced at by a human being or questioned intently by them. London Heathrow, LAX and Sydney drive me crazy with the amount of time I spend standing in line. How much business and leisure time is wasted for millions of global travellers by these processes. I estimate I lost 36 hours in immigration form filling and line standing. And I am very efficient…

Continue Reading »

My Bucket List

I am moving to a new job in 2013 which will require me to travel less! Nonetheless, my bucket list for my life is: Visit 99 countries (currently 57) Visit (not transit through) all 50 US states (currently 46) Alaskan Cruise Walk across Hadrian’s Wall in England Yellowstone National Park Five major New Zealand hikes (currently 2: Milford and Queen Charlotte) Camino de Santiago Walk Hadrian’s Wall walk, UK Iguazu Falls ( have been to Victoria and Niagara Falls) Berlin Marathon (if I am going to run that far, I am going to do it…

Continue Reading »

The Mayans were wrong and we have had no End of the World!

Despite the fear mongering of some doomsdayers, the Mayan calendar date of 21 December 2012, did not mark the end of the world. Seems safe to say the world has not ended? Glad you are still with me! I am stunned to see Skyscanner saw a dramatic rise in one-way bookings to “safe” havens. Why do people get sucked in by this stuff?

Continue Reading »

Qantas ditches Wifi???

Qantas latest decision has been to ditch on board wifi after a six month trial period.  In the period March through November, Qantas  installed wifi on some of their A380s. The service was  was offered for a fee on flights between Australia and London/Los Angeles. The response rate from passengers was just five per cent and  Qantas  is pulling the pin. Qantas did not say what percentage of passengers would need to use  wifi to make it viable. The Wall Street Journal calculated last December that only three per cent of passengers on commercial flights with WiFi actually opt to pay…

Continue Reading »

Disconnected Star Alliance Points

I have flown Turkish Airlines six times in the past  six weeks. They are a member of the  Star Alliance (along with United, US Air, Singapore, Lufthansa and others).  The Alliance  slogan is: “The Way the Earth connects”. Upon booking, I called Turkish Airlines, and asked them  to enter my United number into the Turkish Reservations system attached to my flight bookings. When checking in online, I found my number was absent from the system,  so I re0entered it. At the airport, check in counter, I found (again) my United  number was absent from my booking. When…

Continue Reading »

My 3000 hours in the Air

My Turkish Airlines flight yesterday tipped me over 3000 hours of flying in my life. This is 125 days of my life inside planes travelling 54 times around the earth! Not sure whether to cheer or mourn! Below my Turkish Airlines meal from Edinburgh to Istanbul. Very delish! Related Posts My 200 000th mile Turkish Delight -Great Trip + Best Economy Meal Ever!

Continue Reading »

Remembrance Day Ponderings

November 11 is Remembrance Day across most of the previous British Commonwealth countries and  Vetrans Day in the USA. Wherever you are,  may all those who served in war be acknowledged today. My Grandfather was injured twice in World War One. .He enlisted in 1916 at the age of 22 and was sent to Europe. Shells and shrapnel caem close to narrowly taking him from us. So many of his friends were lost, however. Some lost as a result of the very shell that my grandpa survived. Were my late Grandfather ear efforts successful? I would dearly love for him to know he made a difference.…

Continue Reading »

Ear Grounded Me!

Somehow, I picked up an ear infection last week. On Thursday evening, I was meant to be flying for a short one hour flight but pulled the pin and postponed the trip because my ear did not feel right.  A visit to the doctor an hour later confirmed I did the right thing. The doctor told me that if I had flown,  I was at risk of damaging my ear drum. She also said there was a five per cent chance I could have caused permanent hearing damage. She prescribed no flying for seven days and a course…

Continue Reading »