Using a Magnus Fusion 212, a Hungarian pilot traced a big thank you to medical staff tackling COVID19. Taking off from Pécs, a city in southwest Hungary, the design took a fair amount of patient flight maneuvering. You can follow the flight path here. It is quite mesmerising. The Magnus Fusion 212 is 22 feet long and has a wingspan of eight metres and can carry two people. Its cruising speed is around 217km/h (135 mph). Its range is around 800km. I visited Pécs, seven years ago. Settled 2000 years ago, it is Hungary’s fifth…
Travel -after COVID19
In two weeks, I was meant to depart for an around the world trip: Thailand-Egypt-Athens and the Greek Islands- Milan- Malaga- Morocco- New York- Seattle and Spokane- Los Angeles-Taipei-Bangkok-Sydney. All carefully planned from late last year, it was going to be a fun trip that included three bucket list items and a new One World partner Royal Air Maroc. Seeing many of those destinations are now “COVID19 hotspots”, this would now be an insane and impossible trip. Instead, I am grateful that I am safe and healthy and, I’m looking forward to voyaging from MBR…
Qatar Airways getting people home
Most of the airline networks are closed, plane after plane grounded and borders sealed. One airline is experiencing a mini boom. So much so that it has expanded capacity on some routes and even put its Airbus A380 mega jumbos back into service. Following the decision by the United Arab Emirates to close its borders to all travelers including transit passengers, Emirates and Etihad Airways, ceased all passenger operations for two weeks. Doha in neighbouring Qatar remains open as a transit point but passengers cannot enter the country. Qatar airways have launched a campaign #wewillgetyouhome…
One Million
One Million people have now officially caught the virus (almost one quarter in the USA). Sadly, 51,354 have died. All condolences to families. 37,000 people are currently in a critical condition. The good news is that 210,000 have officially recovered globally. About one in four cases are in the USA. China is officially no longer in the top three nations in terms of case numbers. Thinking of all those bravely working to combat this virus. Be nice to each other. Stay Home. Stay isolated. Stay Safe Virus Information WHO information on the virus CDC: People…
Teddy Bears Make Lockdowns Bearable
Parents across the world are relishing the moments when the family are allowed to go outside their homes for exercise. To cheer kids up in this grim and unsettling time people across the world have been putting their teddy bears in windows for kids to spot. Bears have also appeared on porches and in trees. The concept comes from the children’s book “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. The motto of the book s “We’re not scared” – which is relevant for so many right now.…
Where are you? I want to hear from you!
I am safe at home and finishing my quarantine in two days. At that time, I will be then be able to remain at home under lock-down! This tantalizing view from my bathroom shows me the (quieter) world outside. I am curious to know where other people are and what they are doing? Are you stuck somewhere and cannot get home because you have no money or access to travel options? Are you in self isolation or quarantine having come back to your home county? Have you had to cancel your travel plans and are…
Dodging National Closures – Last Plane to Bangkok
I was in the USA for family reasons on a long arranged trip and was in the Northern suburbs of Philadelphia, USA. My Home base is in the northern suburbs of Bangkok, Thailand. Having worked in public health, I monitored the virus carefully. As the infections accelerated flight cancellations, lockdowns and compulsory quarantined accelerated. I decided to cut short my US business and get back to Bangkok. This was a rather nerve wracking trip as I tried to dodge the virus, country closures and airline shutdowns. Booking Finding a way home from Philadelphia proved to…
Can You travel? No. Implications and Advice
I flew home rather hurriedly last week. On March 15th I said people should not travel anymore and return home. A view I got some criticism for. C’est la vie. I decided to cut short my US visit, cancelled my UK business meetings and long looked forward to weekend hiking trip and hightailed it home. The world then changed very quickly in a week. On March 15, Canada warned its citizens not to travel and asked them to return to Canada. The EU introduced its blanket travel ban on March 17. The UK also gave…
Virgin Atlantic Sucks- COVID19 Fail
II try and avoid these type of posts but I have become so disillusioned with Virgin Atlantic. Imagine if in December, I had bought a non refundable airline ticket through Virgin Atlantic. Imagine if I changed my mind about the dates and wanted to change or refund it Would I deserve that option? A big fat “no”. I get that. I support that. Imagine, however, if since I bought the ticket that the world changed completely? Imagine that a new and scary virus emerged. A virus that results in thousands of deaths airports being shut…
Self Isolation- How to do it
I am in self isolation. Like many over the last few weeks, I have returned home under requirements I not mix with others as I may have been exposed to the COVID19 virus. it can take up to two weeks for symptoms of COVID-19 to appear — although usually they show after five days. So 14 days is on the safe side. For an extrovert, its a nightmare. Although the reality is that much I would normally go out to do and see is closed anyway! If you are sharing your home with others, you…
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