I have been to Brussels, the capital of the small European country of Belgium three times. It is my 14th favourite city out of the 185 cities I have visited across the globe with a population of 100,000+ I have flown out of Zaventem the city’s airport. I have ridden the Brussels metro, enjoyed Belgian food, drink, art and culture. And I am a massive Tintin fan. On Tuesday, at 8am two coordinated bombings at that airport and one at Maelbeek Metro (subway) station at 911am killed 34 people (including the bombers). One airport bomb reportedly exploded near the…
Je Suis Istanbul
I love Istanbul. After two fantastic visits there, I feel at home in its hillsides, streets, quaint shops, ferry boats and cafes. My Turkish is slight but the hospitality I have experienced from the warm locals has made up for that. I guarantee that I have eaten from one end of the city to the other! I also love Turkish Airlines which I have used to connect through Istanbul. Istanbul comes in at Number 30 on my Top 200 cities over 100,000 people! On both occasions, I stayed not far from Istanbul’s’ most famous shopping street: İstiklal…
Je Suis Ankara (#2)
Last Sunday, on, 13 March 2016, at 635pm local time a 1995 BMW laden with explosives was exploded in a street location where there are many bus stops. 37 people were killed, 125 injured, with 19 severely injured, a bus was completely burnt up, along with many cars. The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), claimed responsibility for the attack. They had also been responsible for the 17 February Ankara bombing. They insisted that they were aiming for a Police station nearby and did not intend to harm citizens. This is either a monstrous lie or the group…
FlyDubai Crash -Questions start
A big plane crash is rare these days so every time there is one, we are all riveted. Despite plane travel being one of the safest forms of transport on the planet, people still have an uneasy fear when it comes to planes. The loss of FkyDubai’s Flight 981 today at Rostov-on-Don Airport , Russia, in the early morning hours of 19 March 2016, is shocking. The crash occurred during the 737’s second attempted landing and resulted in the death of all 55 passengers and seven crew. The poor weather that was engulfing the airport meant the…
Je Suis Ivory Coast
Sigh. Another attack on a beach resort. This time in Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire). I have wanted to visit this vibrant country for two decades but not got there yet. I came close when I lived in Nigeria, 1000km (600 miles) away. 13th March was reportedly, a beautiful day in the Ivory Coast, when six cowards dressed in black with balaclavas opened fire with Kalashnikov msachine guns on the beach at Grand Bassam. They were eventually shot by Ivory Coast security forces. The BBC reported “They killed a child, despite him kneeling down and begging”.…
A beautiful 717 flight into Canberra
Flew today from Sydney to Canberra on a Qantas 717 – a beautiful day for flying! How was your leap day?
Second Run for 2016 in Melbourne, Australia
My second 10km run for 2016 was along the coast of the beautiful Mornington Peninsula, outside of the city of Melbourne. The Australia Day Fun Run starts at Safety Beach and hugs the coast before going through a semi forested campsite and ending at a Village Green. I knocked off three minutes from my last time to come in at 1 hour 2 minutes 15 seconds. Related Posts First Run for 2016 in Hobart, Australia
100 Free Travel Tips
As a travel geek, I have gained a lot of learnings and experience from 60 countries, three war zones, 1064 flights, multiple long distance train, bus and boat journeys and 21 suitcases! One of my motivations for blogging is sharing what I have learnt so that travel is easier and safer for others. Here are 100 of my travel tips arranged in ten key categories: Planning Booking Travel Tools Accommodation Money Luggage En Route Attitude Safety and Security At Your Destination Any suggestions or requests welcomed. 1. Planning Stop Wishing and Do it- Life’s Bucket…
Madness: Malaysia refuses checked baggage
Imagine arriving at the airport for your European vacation or business trip to find that you airline is NOT accepting checked luggage. Malaysia Airlines passengers on all flights from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to London, Paris and Amsterdam were told from Tuesday January 5th that Economy Class passengers could only take luggage weighing seven kilograms (about 15 pounds) onboard, while Business and First class passengers could board with carry-on bags that weighed 14 kilograms (about 31 pounds). I understand passengers could book their luggage on but it would arrive separately! The outcry was significant as you can…
Qantas 747 flies with five engines
In an exciting manoeuvre, last Wednesday, Qantas flight 63 took off from Sydney, Australia to Johannesburg, South Africa with five engines on the 747 instead of the usual four. The extra engine was not used to power the flight. It was merely being transported to Johannesburg to be swapped with a defective engine on a 747 which then operated QF64 back to Sydney. I never knew that the 747 could be used in this way. Its wing, apparently, has anchor points under it, which allow for a supporting strut to be attached. A winching mechanism added to the strut lifts the extra engine…
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