I have been waiting to ride the Zig Zag Railway, located west of Sydney since it opened as a tourist railway in 1975. The Zig Zag Railway, true to its name, tackles challenging terrain with a series of dramatic switchbacks, creating a zigzagging route through the stunning Australian Blue Mountains. This Railway in NSW was described as “the eighth wonder of the world” when it opened in October 1869. It was praised for its technological breakthrough as trains moved people and produce between Sydney and the flat plains in the west of the state of…
Trip Reports
Category Archives for Trip Reports.
A Journey Back in Time: Discovering the RH&DR Heritage Line
For my train nerd friends, I recently took a ride on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, a 15 inch gauge line in the south of England. Join me for the ride! The Railway along the coast of Kent, England opened in 1927, and remains a beloved heritage line today. Founded by millionaire racing drivers, it has survived depression, war, and closures of many other railways to become a key attraction, maintaining its vintage charm and allure for rail enthusiasts, tourists, and local residents alike. I have wanted to ride on it since I was…
Air Malta Flight Fails to Soar
The choices for a direct flight between Milano, Italy and the stunning island of Malta were between Air Malta or Ryanair, who I avoid flying at all costs. I was keen to try Air Malta, the tiny flag carrier, which has been financially struggling for a long time. But, when I booked this flight, I hadn’t anticipated the October 3rd announcement that the current Air Malta will be shut down in March next year. To make matters “more interesting”, Italy had a general transport strike on the day I departed Milan, which caused delays or…
Poor One World connectivity: When a booking goes Really Awry
I am a devoted fan of Qatar Airways, my preferred airline. I am a One World Emerald passenger, which is the highest level for frequent fliers in the One World system. I appreciate the benefits that come from heat arrangement. However, what should have been a seamless, terrific One World experience, however, turned into a more stressful experience due to the handling of a sudden change in my flight itinerary. I booked a four-segment flight from Jakarta, Indonesia to New York’s JFK and back, with connections in Doha, Qatar. The total miles for the roundtrip…
Pleasant Surprise: A Comprehensive Review of Philippine Airlines Business
My expectations of Philippines Airlines were quite low. My only experience of Philippine Airlines had been a single adequate domestic flight five years ago. Instead, I found that PAL holds their own and offers service that is, overall, currently better than both Thai Airways and Malaysia Airlines. As those two airlines’ standards appear to have slipped, PAL has overtaken them. Best of all, I managed to snag business class fares that cost less than a third of those being charged by Singapore Airlines. I got a very comfortable ride. All my flights were marred by…
Royal Air Maroc Business- Could do better
Overall, I enjoyed my first-ever flight with Royal Air Maroc (RAM), the Moroccan flag carrier from Casablanca to Doha in Qatar, aboard a very comfortably laid out Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The experience, however, wasn’t One World standard. RAM is owned by the Moroccan Government and is headquartered at Casablanca-Anfa Airport. They joined the One World alliance in 2020. I had planned to fly them that year, but obviously, I was grounded. Flying them means I have now been on flights with every One World carrier (existing and previous). Booking I used 42,000 American Airlines Advantage…
Easily Exploring Morocco by Train
Recently enjoyed ten lovely days traversing Morocco, a country known for its vibrant culture, ancient history, and picturesque landscapes. The country also has one of the most comprehensive and comfortable rail systems in Africa. This includes a high-speed train system also known as the LGV (Ligne à Grande Vitesse) or Al Boraq or TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) based on the French design. I used the rail system as the backbone of my adventures adding bus and car connections to Chefchoen and Essaouira. Booking Many people warned that it is almost impossible for a foreigner…
Unique Flying – an Island Hop with Citilink Airlines
The direct distance from Dili, the Capital of Timor L’Este to Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia is just over 1100 km (660 mil) and takes around 90 minutes. Two carriers ply the route- each one flying a few times a week. I chose a new airline for me: Indonesia’s Citilink, hopping on board flight . The fare wasn’t cheap, however as demand seems to exceed the number of available seats. My biggest gripe with the island nation is the lack of easy transport opportunities. You only get to Dili by air from Darwin, Australia, and Denpasar. Because…
Chaos and Sublime with Air Calin Long Haul Business
Aircalin flight took me on a largely delightful trip from Singapore to Noumea but there were some chaotic glitches. Société Aircalin, also known as Air Calédonie International, is the flag carrier of the French collectivity of New Caledonia, with its headquarters in Nouméa. This small regional airline operates flights to various destinations across the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and French Polynesia. Air Calin operates a fleet of modern Airbus aircraft, including the A330-900neo and A320neo. The beautiful A330-900neo is the flagship aircraft of Air Calin’s fleet, and it accommodates 292 passengers with…
Stepping off my 1500th flight!
I am thrilled/stunned/amused/shocked to find that following my most recent flight from Manila to Melbourne, I have now flown 1,500 times!!!! This milestone feels like a significant achievement! 86 times, almost 87 times around this earth and nine times the distance to the moon! In 1968 I stepped onto my first plane and I was hooked! When I was a kid, I had flown so often that I begged my parents to take us by train from Nigeria to Australia instead of flying!! I have decided that for me, there are so many highlights of…
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