Well, we’re closing up on 2011, so it’s time to do a mini-retrospective on this years travel.
Firstly the trips…
- Gold Run 2: Blame Canada! It’s only a mileage run anyway! With Aer Lingus, BMI, Air Canada and Continental – BHX-DUB, DUB-LHR-YVR, YVR-IAH-LHR (also on FlyerTalk)
- Re-Creating a Photo – To New York with United, British Airways and BMI Baby – BHX-AMS, AMS-IAD-LGA-IAD-FRA, FRA-LCY (also on FlyerTalk)
- Going the Canadian Way: To Chicago with Air Canada LHR-YYZ-ORD-YYZ-LHR with Air Canada (also on FlyerTalk)
- SEN for £128.20? A Swiss Adventure – BHX-ZRH-BCN-ZRH-BHX with Swiss and Helvetic (also on FlyerTalk)
- From One Side of Birmingham to another (Post Birmingham Riots 2011) and Crossing back across the city one day later
- Multi-Modal Mayhem with With Eurolines, Brussels Airlines, Air Canada and Lufthansa (also on FlyerTalk)
- A Smooch of Chicago and a Kiss of DC – with United – LHR-ORD-IAD-LHR (also on FlyerTalk)
- Narrow Minds and Narrow Bodies – To Denver with the New United, Aer Lingus and FlyBe – BHX-DUB;DUB-EWR-LAX-DEN-SFO-EWR-BFS;BHD-BHX (also on Flyertalk)
Highlights of the Year
- Finally getting to New York and doing one photo:
- Getting soaked under the Niagara Falls. I swear my coat took weeks to dry out after that…
- Some Excellent United Crews – people who understand the words “Customer Service”
Discoveries of the Year
- Swiss International Airlines – Why did no one tell me about them sooner???
- The Senator lounge at Zurich Airport – Bubbles and Ice Cream for breakfast is perfectly acceptable.
- British Airways CityFlyer – A lovely little gem of an airline.
Lowlights of the Year
- Being stuck at Canadian Immigration not once – but TWICE – I’m not bitter about this – much.
- Not being anywhere near a business class cabin this year 🙁 – It happens. Something I’ll resolve next year
- Continental Airlines crews based at Houston – Or “Fake like you want you come to work”.
- United 747 crew from LHR-ORD – A crew that demonstrated they were there for my safety. And chatting. And doing make-up in the Galley.
Idiots of the Year
- The Transportation Security Administration. Yes – Lets award them something for their wanting to use scanners and me opting out. I’m still waiting on a few sets of flowers, chocolates and dinner dates. Oh, and seriously – Brush up on your manners and politeness. And then there’s bag wrecking too.
- Frankfurt Security also gets a Idiot award for bag wrecking too.
- Canadian Immigration and Customs. 4 hours of my life I’d kindly like back please.
And the biggest highlight and stress point for me… Moving from Blogger To BoardingArea. It was an interesting move (and here’s a hint: Migrating away from Blogger is a right royal pain), but I feel the move is bringing my thoughts to a larger audience and has forced me to focus my content better – which is a very good thing.
There’s a few more posts as we pile into the New Year, but hopefully there will be no drama’s or crises that will ruin anyone’s New Year.
Thank you for reading during the year – both old visitors and new ones.