First of all - happy New Year to everyone. Hope that you all had a great new year celebration. As we now have entered into a new year it is time to make a summary of the 2009 . So how was the travel year 2009? It has been a pretty exciting year for me as I have got to visit new places and I have also revisited places that I have been to before. It has also been an exciting year when it comes to just the flying bit - in total I had almost 50 flights and in total it was over 100.000 km (or 155 hours in the air).
I stopped by Amsterdam in March and I have been there on vacation before. But I have to admit that I had totally forgotten how charming this town really is. This time I did not get to see and do anything more or less but I have been tempted to re-visit this city on vacation in the future.
In April it was time for a brand new experience - a trip with the relative new Airbus A380. Yes, this is the plane with two floors and I had the pleasure of flying it from London to Dubai on Emirates Airlines. I have posted pictures and videos of the flight experience on http://gardkarlsen.com/blog/?p=31 . On this trip we ended up in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) (see trip report on http://gardkarlsen.com/Ho_Chi_Minh_C...rip_report.htm ) and Siem Reap / Phnom Penh in Cambodia (see trip report on http://gardkarlsen.com/Angkor_Wat_Ca...rip_report.htm ). Both Vietnam and Cambodia was countries that we had not been to before and it was great to experience a new culture, new food, new people. I would love to go back to Vietnam to explore more of the country in the future.
Due to a great offer from Lufthansa we ended up going to Dubai in May. Dubai can offer shopping, insane building projects and beaches but I'm stuck with mixed feelings after the visit. There are many other places that are more fun to visit in my opinion. Anyway - here is my trip report http://gardkarlsen.com/Dubai_UAE_trip_report.htm
In September I spent a long weekend in London and I have been there several times before. During visit in the past I have not had any great feelings towards the city but maybe I have changed because this time I was stuck with a WOW feeling when I went home. It is an amazing place when it comes to sightseeing, food, shopping, history etc. I have posted some info in the blog on http://gardkarlsen.com/blog/?tag=london-2009 and I'm also working on a trip report.
In September I spent a few frequent flyer points to fly on First Class to Hong Kong with Lufthansa and back again on First Class with Thai. It was a brand new experience for me and I wish that I could travel like that every time The service was incredible both at the airports and in the air. I have posted photos and videos on http://gardkarlsen.com/blog/?tag=fir...xperience-2009 . Feel free to visit the link and find out what life on first class is like
And to round the year of we took a trip to Thailand and Phuket. We have also been there before but we were tempted to re-visit as SAS had a good offer. We had a nice hotel on Kata beach but there is no doubt that Phuket is really busy with tourists. And you know that when you get the menu in both English and Swedish, there must be many Scandinavians in the area. I have posted some thoughts about Thailand on http://gardkarlsen.com/blog/?tag=thailand
That is a short summary of my year. What do you remember best from your 2009 travel year? And where are you going in 2010?
Quite an active year for you! Isn't first class on CX fantastic!?!!
I fulfilled a 25 year-old dream to fly around the world by engaging in an AONE4 RTW. I was NOT disappointed!
First Class CX also really impressed me. Here are some pics.
Location: on my way to (CFE) Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne, France from New York City
Programs: joined OneWorld(QF,BA,AA) Skyteam(AF,DL) formerly spoiled silly with: TrueBlue,Elevate,Velocity
Posts: 2,095
2009 was my busiest year yet in terms of travel.
I have flown 59 segments and 105k paid miles, most of them in Australia.
This was 100% leisure and has cost me an arm and a leg, but hopefully the experience gained will allow me to get a better job in 2010.
2010 is starting off with a few flights, but I'm extremely disappointed about a trip I had booked last year to go to Europe. Personal problems are travel joy killers, I would highly recommend for those that like flying not to rely on anyone else but themselves for planning trips.
2009 was a relatively light year for me in terms of trips and flying.
It started off - quite literally - on a high note with the Neujahrskonzert (New Year's Concert) of the Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic) on the first of the year at the renowned Musikverein in Vienna.
In late January, I made my annual pilgrimage to IBM's Lotusphere, a large (ca. 10,000) gathering of knowledge workers interested in collaboration and knowledge sharing solutions in Orlando, Florida.
In April, it was off to San Francisco for some meetings, followed by a pleasant drive down to Los Angeles in an M3 for the launch of BMW's new Z4 Roadster.
September saw a return to Austria to spend time in Austrian Wine Country, visiting several dozen vineyards and having the opportunity to learn about wine-making.
A quick summary of my own fairly modest travels, for anyone interested:
In a phrase, not as bad as I'd feared.
Delays and lost luggage less frequent than recent previous years.
Airports I particularly remember: MSP and ATH good, surprisingly comfortable and effective (though I wish they'd keep the moving walkways in repair at MSP.) ATL and CDG hideously noisy, uncomfortable, confusing.
Bad as ever: seat comfort in coach.
Prices: Better than recently if you search a lot. I got some surprising bargains (e.g. North American regional airport to ATH in summer under $700 rt!)
Worse than ever: screeching, running, seat-kicking kids. Or maybe I should say it's their parents who are worse than ever, since they're the ones who raise kids to act like this and respond to such behavior by either ignoring them or beaming lovingly at them.
Security: dealing with lines and security procedures relatively easy this year, though maybe I was just lucky.
Location: HPN/LGA/EWR, but never JFK (OK, sometimes, but always begrudgingly...).
Programs: CO Plat and too many hotel and rental car programs to bother listing...
Posts: 1,071
Quote:
Originally Posted by newbiztraveler
Wow, you guys sure lead exciting lives. I flew >100 flights and almost all of them were to the same 2 places.
Sounds like my life... EWR-LHR, EWR-PHX, repeat monthly. This year is looking to be the same. I did manage to add a few new airports, though: MAN, GLA, CHS, ORF, and FCA.
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“Childbearing should be a punishable crime against society, unless the parents hold a government license..."— David Brower
Programs: Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 851
Mine was crap, topped off with a cancelled vacation to Morocco over Christmas thanks to Gatwick being unable to de-ice their runway and easyJet not having enough flights to rebook me before the clock struck midnight on 2009.
I went to South America and had to connect in Lisbon both ways. Chaotic airport, but that is not news. I am just sorry I missed the flash mob dance party, it looked pretty fun. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeI-jft5esM
I estimate that I did about 46 flights..but I cannot be sure! They all blend into one after awhile. Only two were holiday flights. I estimate 150 nights in hotels. 24 rental cars, several hundred restraunt meals.
I cleared A-list on WN, and SP on USAirways, going for gold this year, planning to NOT fly WN if I can help it. Reward system on WN is not worth it for VERY frequent fliers. Also flew CO, AA, AC, Frontier, and one chartered Cessna.
LOWS:
Days Inn Tulsa
getting airsick..TWICE. Once on a smooth flight 737, once on a CRJ.
Seat poached by a guy who told me to not give him "back talk" (Oh, I won the day in case you were wondering),
Bumped once when I didn't have time, missed a VBD once when I did.
1hr20minute wait on tarmac after an early arrival. On an itsy bitsy Embraer 145. After a 2.5 hour bumpy flight. In 113 degree PHX summer. Beside a fat lady. When I had a migraine.
Sitting beside two toddlers on WN flight (of course), one of whom spit on my face and spilled peanuts into my lap.
Extended Stay Suites OKC...the most delapidated hotel in the country I think.
Hangover in St. Louis, my fault..but it still sucked.
Tornado in Oklahoma, had to get under hotel bathroom sink. Hail damaged the rental car.
Hitting a raccoon with my rental car.
5 days of freezing rain in Kanas City
Dispute with Dollar Rentacar..I won out, but it was like pulling teeth from a tomcat and took 5 months.
Got lost in Des Moines.
Being called a "drunk" by a hotel desk clerk (I was sober, just tired as hell from a 16 hour workday)
HIGHS
2 free nights and an upgrade to a suite for filling out a survey about a hotel that was negative..personal email from manager.
Every FC upgrade was a high, even on USairways! I batted about 75% after making status.
Upgraded to new wing at Caesars Palace.
Snowed-in at Colorado Springs. Oh, on this same trip I was "upgraded" to a rear wheel drive Dodge Magnum..which made the trip to the snowed in airport even more difficult and frightening..
A few intimate highs I cannot talk about nudge nudge wink wink
One flight in coach on a 737-700 where I was one of only 9pax.
Meeting another guest at a hotel bar that ultimately lead to a speaking engagement for me, all expenses paid, at a university.
Every stay at a Hyatt Place hotel.
Friday nights on Tejon St. in Co.Spings never disappoint.
"I know you reserved a compact, but all we have left is the Cadillac STS"
Being pulled into the FC priority lanes at PHX because I was wearing a suit and the TSA agent just ASSUMED I was FC. I was not.
You guys are all have an exciting lives!...( you really all love to travel )..Me, I came from Las Vegas Nevada early last month...I really enjoyed visiting all the beautiful places..It really made me felt more relaxed, maybe because I am really tired in my job!...You guys try to visit Las Vegas,...I really loved the place, the foods, the people they are very hospitable...
You guys are all have an exciting lives!...( you really all love to travel )..Me, I came from Las Vegas Nevada early last month...I really enjoyed visiting all the beautiful places..It really made me felt more relaxed, maybe because I am really tired in my job!...You guys try to visit Las Vegas,...I really loved the place, the foods, the people they are very hospitable...
Las Vegas is actually on my quarterly route. In 09 I went 4times for work and two more times on personal time..once for a concert, once to visit a friend.
Las Vegas for a business traveller is a whole different ballgame than it is for a tourist. I find myself staying on the strip not because I want to be near the crowds and lights, but because I have a corp. budget and the better room deals are there...so while I trudge around in my suit for meetings I have to navigate my way through a casino swamped with oldies and fat families and frat boy drunks while trying to ignore the lights and noises..which after 5 days drive you completely off your rocker..I call it "Vegasitis", and it always seems to take at least 2 days to sink in.
Then, unlike the tourists, I get to venture into the REAL Las Vegas: The one where people live and work. Parts of it are okay, but most of it is seedy and reeks of despair. It can also be somewhat dangerous and goes from good area to bad area quite rapidly. Traffic is usually a mess, and it seems that in 09 most of the towns roads were under construction, making travel even more difficult on the surface streets and freeways.
The unavoidable area of difficulty for the vegas business traveller is McCarran airport. Always a madhouse (but less of one on the weekdays) and always full of tourists and slot machines. It's a big casino with airplanes!
59 flights, up slightly from 2008. 9 were for work.
New Countries: 3 (Taiwan, Switzerland, Germany)
New States: 1 (Nebraska)
New Airlines: 2 (JAL, Air Berlin)
New Int'l Premium Class Experiences: BA J, IB J, AA J, AS F
New Airports: 9 (TPE, NRT, YVR, SEA, ZRH, PMI, OVD, BMI, CHS)
Miles Earned: ~186,000
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2010 EXP Upgs: 14/15 2009: 37/38
ACs: JFK C; ORD H/K, G; DFW A, C; MIA; LAX; EZE; SFO; NRT; BOS; FLs: LAX; MIA
What was your 2009 travel year like?
