Category: Travel

KLM Delft Houses

It’s a joy to be traveling through Schiphol again. KLM hands these Delft houses, filled with Dutch gin, to passengers traveling B. There’s 102 different designs, some fetch over $500 on the secondary market. This evening, I’ll be sipping cheap wine in steerage en route to MSP.

The Day Swinging England Invaded America

England swings like a pendulum doBobbies on bicycles, two by twoWestminster Abbey, the tower of Big BenThe rosy-red cheeks of the little childrenRoger Miller, 1965 I’m on board an Airbus A350 from New York-JFK to London-Heathrow. Last night, my home was the TWA Hotel at JFK. The hotel’s public spaces are in the restored and…… Continue reading The Day Swinging England Invaded America

TWA Hotel

Wandered through soaring, flowing spaces, admiring how architect Eero Saarinen understood how to leave so much out yet leave us with more. Tonight my home is TWA Hotel, New York JFK Airport. Public spaces are in the restored and reassigned 1962 TWA Flight Center.

A Trip to England: Covid Risks and Responsibilities

Aboard a Delta flight, July 2021. In November I’ll travel to England, my first overseas trip in over 1½ years. This will be the first time I’ve flown eastbound across the Atlantic on a daytime flight. But, enough of firsts. The trip isn’t assured. It’s possible Covid travel restrictions to the UK could be tightened…… Continue reading A Trip to England: Covid Risks and Responsibilities

Closed Border

Air New Zealand cancelled our December HNL/AKL flights: it looks like the country won’t reopen to tourists until 2022. So, today, I cancelled a bunch of hotel reservations: we’re $0 out of pocket. We’ve saved over the years by buying only medical coverage

Ready for Quick Getaway

Prepared for an early flight tomorrow morning to Chicago. I’ll explore on foot and shared bicycles (hence the helmet) then fly back in the evening.

A Request from Her Majesty

I now have Her Britannic Majesty watching my back: my British passport arrived today. I’ll usually travel on my US passport, but a second passport might help me to work around nationality-dependent Covid restrictions.

Backup Passport

Spent much of the afternoon applying for a UK passport: my old one expired 15 years ago. Post-Covid travel with 2 passports may give more flexibility: when I arrive at London LHR later this year, I’ll choose the shortest immigration line. (Current wait times are up to 7 hours.)

Age Surcharge

Came upon this when renting a car for a trip to New Zealand later this year when I’ll be 70. Felt indignant until I realized it says “*above* 70.” Now it feels like a reprieve.