I adjust my headphones a little louder as I stride into any airport, train station or ferry port. I have even created a Spotify list for my train journeys and flying! I walk compassionately past the crying couples, smile at the cheeky kids with their harried parents and feel a deep pang of sympathy for the stressed, angry or fighting travellers. I have loved travel for at least five decades (I have to take a breath as I type that)!! In that time, I have flown over 1500 times, travelled to 87 countries (of which…
Travel Tips (Monday)
Category Archives for Travel Tips (Monday).
Maximising Qantas Double Status Credit deal to my Benefit
Being an Aussie based flyer, almost one-third of my 1585 flights have been with the Australian carrier, Qantas. In addition I have flown every current and past One World carrier! This volume of flights means that I have achieved Qantas Gold for Life status (equivalent to One World Sapphire) in the Qantas Frequent Flyer program. I have also been Qantas Platinum (One World Emerald) for nine of the last ten years (I slipped one year). This status earns me a level of One World Priority benefits, which includes priority check-in, airport lounge access, priority boarding,…
Don’t Waste that Safety Briefing-Save a Life
The aviation year has started with a bang — literally. We saw the first Airbus 350 destroyed in a ball of fire. The pictures of the burnt-out shell are chilling. Then the USA grounded all Boeing 737 Max 9s after a brand-new Alaska airlines plane had part of its fuselage ripped out violently. Tragically, Japan saw five lives lost in the smaller plane on the runway that was hit by the JAL A350. People going to start others impacted by the recent Japanese quake. After 1580 flights with just one scary landing (plus three memorably…
Ten Opportunities for Better Travel in 2024
Happy New Year! I travel more than anyone else I know!! This gives me lots of opportunities to encounter fellow travellers and observe their behaviour and mine. Sometimes it’s exemplary, and sometimes it’s been appalling. As we usher in 2024, here are some suggestions to shape a more considerate and enjoyable travel environment for everyone involved. 1. Respect each Other Can we just treat others with some level of care, interest, awareness, and concern? We don’t have to be best buddies, but let’s not ignore each other, scream at each other, and trample each other…
Protecting yourself from the Bed Bug Scourge
It’s been a few years since I last wrote about bed bugs! It feels like I’m compelled to discuss these tiny bloodsucking critters every three or so years! Currently, I’m back in Paris, and there’s a noticeable media hysteria surrounding bed bugs. I have had numerous people messaging me warning me about the situation! Having experienced an infestation once, I can attest that it’s a far-from-pleasant experience. I often think of bed bugs as little vampires, stealthily settling into our cosy beds to feast on our blood as we slumber. The mere thought of these…
Why I love WISE money tool
Are you travelling internationally soon? Or later this year? I am a huge fan of WISE which used to be called Transfer Wise. They have become so indispensable for me that I have been astounded recently, to find people who don’t know about them. (If you do sign up, please use this link: https://wise.com/invite/u/martinc5) Six fabulous reasons I love Wise: 2 I have two fee-free VISA cards (one real and one virtual for online shopping). They have a distinctive Green colour which is always a talking point. The exchange rate is so good that I…
Secret Travel Advice for Cancelled Flights in 2023
Emergency Numbers – Full list from across the world
This is an updated post from two years ago. I have added several COVID19 numbers, n this current situation with travel starting again for many and COVID19 still impacting people, you need to know the emergency numbers of the country(ies) you are going to? In many parts of the world, people believe the emergency phone number is 911, the North American response number. It is not universal nor is 999, the UK number. 112 has become standard in many parts of the world but not everywhere. Also, in some countries, there is one number for…
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…
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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