Photo Diary: Grinding of Business Travel- *A RTW on SQ/LH/SN/UA via SIN/LON/MAD/FLL
Feb 28, 2015, 5:02 pm
#76
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January 31 Chelsea vs Manchester City
One positive of coming to UK during the winter month is the Premier League of English Football (Soccer).
From Wikipedia:
Growing up in England, my weekend as a teenager was to follow the matches of English Football. Without money to travel to actual football matches, I glued myself to BBC Radio station listening to the featured matches and then waited to watch the Saturday night TV program "Match of the Day" on BBC 1.
After I moved to the US, BBC World Service broadcast on Short Wave Radio frequency was commonly heard in my home in South Florida. Now with the NBC Sports coverage, advancement of internet and record TV deal around the world , I am able to watch the matches live around the world.
My team is Manchester city....a supporter since 1977 and I have endured a frustrated period until 2011... a run of 34 years without winning anything (much like the Chicago Cubs in the American Baseball, another sports I adore!)
On January 31, Manchester City (2nd in the league) traveled to Chelsea (League Leaders) to play the "Match of the Season". Despite being the Champion from the previous season, City has not really played well and Chelsea has established a five-point lead and played some entertaining football.
I did not have ticket to the match (sold out when the season first started in August) and have work commitment in the afternoon before the match, but I did celebrate the location by purchasing a football jersey, read every previews available in the paper, watched the live match on tele in my hotel room, and watched the "Match of the Day" show Saturday night, and read post match analysis on Sunday as I flew out of London.....a welcome escape during this drab trip indeed!
From Wikipedia:
The Premier League is the most-watched football league in the world, broadcast in 212 territories to 643 million homes and a potential TV audience of 4.7 billion people.
Of the 46 clubs to have competed since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, five have won the title: Manchester United (13), Arsenal (3), Chelsea (3), Manchester City (2) and Blackburn Rovers (1). The current champions are Manchester City, who won the title in 2013–14.
Of the 46 clubs to have competed since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, five have won the title: Manchester United (13), Arsenal (3), Chelsea (3), Manchester City (2) and Blackburn Rovers (1). The current champions are Manchester City, who won the title in 2013–14.
After I moved to the US, BBC World Service broadcast on Short Wave Radio frequency was commonly heard in my home in South Florida. Now with the NBC Sports coverage, advancement of internet and record TV deal around the world , I am able to watch the matches live around the world.
My team is Manchester city....a supporter since 1977 and I have endured a frustrated period until 2011... a run of 34 years without winning anything (much like the Chicago Cubs in the American Baseball, another sports I adore!)
The club have been previously branded as "everyone's second favourite club"vdue to their reputation as being one of the most tumultuous and unpredictable teams in English football with an innate ability 'to do things the hard way'. Supporters refer to inconsistent results and unexpected events as "Typical City", or "City-itis" and media often refer to City as a "soap opera" club. Historical events and results labelled as "Typical City" include being the only team to score and concede 100 league goals in one season (1957-58) and the only reigning champions in English football to be relegated. However, despite anguish, many City fans regard success and failure as part of being a loyal and real football supporter and specifically what it means to be a Manchester City supporter.
I did not have ticket to the match (sold out when the season first started in August) and have work commitment in the afternoon before the match, but I did celebrate the location by purchasing a football jersey, read every previews available in the paper, watched the live match on tele in my hotel room, and watched the "Match of the Day" show Saturday night, and read post match analysis on Sunday as I flew out of London.....a welcome escape during this drab trip indeed!
Mar 1, 2015, 3:35 pm
#77
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Jan 30-31 Andaz Liverpool Street 3 of 3
More often than not, I prefer dinning in the hotel room if I can traveling on my own. Jetlag, weather, crowd, work and lonely dinning are the reasons I just not a fan of eating out alone on a business trip.
Mar 2, 2015, 10:20 am
#78
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Feb 1st London Heathrow T2
After a short stay in London, I headed to Madrid for a four-day meeting. I have never been to Heathrow T2 (Star Alliance Terminal) other than when I landed a couple days ago in the night. I wish I had more time to tour the facility, but I was late arriving into the terminal due to delay experienced on the Heathrow Express. I did a quick in-and-out visit to the LH's Senator Lounge and proceeded to boarding.
Mar 3, 2015, 2:53 pm
#79
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Feb 1 LHR-FRA
The problem with flying on a RTW on a alliance-only ticket is that not all alliance offer flights between two major business cities around the world. Take Madrid and London as an example, Oneworld dominates the air traffic between these two cities. The only way to fly from London to Madrid is through another European city on a Star member airlines: GVA, ZRH, CPH, BRU, FRA, MUC....
Mar 5, 2015, 2:25 am
#80
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Beijing, China
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On room service, I have always enjoyed in-room dining. Some may think of it as a "sad" way to dine given endless fancy dining choices outside, but I think of it as my own oasis which I find relaxing - of course, it could be greatly enhanced if hotels provided more variety and better quality food.
Last edited by SAUCflyer; Mar 5, 2015 at 2:51 am
Mar 5, 2015, 8:46 pm
#81
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February 1 FRA-MAD 1 of 2
By the time I got to Frankfurt I was already exhausted. Even after all these years of flying, I still have not mastered ways to minimize jetlag. When I was younger, I didn't mind taking the connecting flights over non-stop flight to gain more RDMs and PQMs. Now, older and having too much time on the road, non-stop flights are preferred.
I was eager to get to Madrid and checked into the hotel to have a good night sleep in preparation for 4 days of intense meetings.
I was eager to get to Madrid and checked into the hotel to have a good night sleep in preparation for 4 days of intense meetings.
Mar 7, 2015, 12:33 am
#83
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I agree strongly with this. Asia especially being the worst - I remember a previous 6 day trip to Shenzen to meet with suppliers, I was up @ 5AM to get the last bit of the US workday in, then a full day in town, only to have the US wake up right when your about to sit down for dinner.
Working and traveling 300K BIS miles a year is mind-boggling. I don't absolutely have to travel anymore for business, thank goodness, and affirmatively avoid "optional" trips. Now I'm remembering why. Diet, exercise, family -- they all suffer. Working the whole time doesn't help either.
Swimming in a hotel or nearby pool usually makes me feel better. So does calling home. Short of hospital-grade pharmaceuticals, that's about all you can do, and even then time zones and scheduling are never really elastic enough.
Good luck.
Swimming in a hotel or nearby pool usually makes me feel better. So does calling home. Short of hospital-grade pharmaceuticals, that's about all you can do, and even then time zones and scheduling are never really elastic enough.
Good luck.
Glad to read that your seemingly awful work trip was sweentened by things you love; treating ourselves with our "favourite things" always help bring sunshine into a cloudy day!
On room service, I have always enjoyed in-room dining. Some may think of it as a "sad" way to dine given endless fancy dining choices outside, but I think of it as my own oasis which I find relaxing - of course, it could be greatly enhanced if hotels provided more variety and better quality food.
On room service, I have always enjoyed in-room dining. Some may think of it as a "sad" way to dine given endless fancy dining choices outside, but I think of it as my own oasis which I find relaxing - of course, it could be greatly enhanced if hotels provided more variety and better quality food.
I have found out hard to eat alone in a restaurant or bar. Much more relaxing in a hotel room.
Mar 8, 2015, 3:07 pm
#84
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Feb 1- Feb 6: Hotel Miguel Angel Occidental, Madrid
I cannot remember the exact number of times I have visited Madrid.....quite a few I think. It was featured in one of my earlier trip report:
Plaza Mayor/Heldenplatz, MAD/VIE, LH & 1st time on Austrian/Adria Airways!
I think I have been staying at the Hotel Miguel Angel Occidental all but one time. Not that it is the most glamorous, affiliate with an international chain or equipped with bells and whistles in latest technology, its location is great and close to my meeting places. It is an older hotel and does come with older charm.
Plaza Mayor/Heldenplatz, MAD/VIE, LH & 1st time on Austrian/Adria Airways!
I think I have been staying at the Hotel Miguel Angel Occidental all but one time. Not that it is the most glamorous, affiliate with an international chain or equipped with bells and whistles in latest technology, its location is great and close to my meeting places. It is an older hotel and does come with older charm.
Last edited by UA_Flyer; Mar 8, 2015 at 6:35 pm
Mar 12, 2015, 2:43 am
#90
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