UA_Flyer

The last photo trip report I started never got finished...Malta! Sorry!
There are some amazing photos still waitng to be posted....I promise I will do by end of Q1.

A few FTers have PM'd me asking why I have stopped doing photo trip reports all the sudden after doing one per month in 2010. There is a combination of reasons for lack of activities:

1. I lost my entire Nikon DSLR kit in Miami on Christmas Eve....still don't have a replacement yet.
2. Work! Work! Work! I am in quick sand and up to my nose....and sinking fast
3. Internet connection in China....I cannot access Shutterfly (where I store my photos) in China for some reasons, and when I do have access, I cannot see the images.
4. I have been cutting down work related flying on purpose to stay on the ground....knowing that 2011 will be a record year for me already in terms of actual miles to be flown.

With that being said, I do have some materials taken in 2010 that I could do a couple of photo trip reports in 2011.

The loss of my camera really devastated me emtionally. I have lost interest doing photo trip reports and have not even started looking into a camera replacement. I do still have my Iphone4 with me on the road, but have hardly taken many photos since.

I am in Brussels at the moment and will be ready to fly back to China in few hours (on A380!). While sitting in my hotel room this morning, all the suddent I realized I need to get over the loss of my Nikon and pick myself up emtionally and start to enjoy taking photos again and making my business travels more interesting.....I do have a lot of businss trips coming up in 2011.

I have been coming to Brussels every year for the past 4 years....not an exciting place to come in the winter. I have done two photo trips reports relating to my travel to Brussels previously:

Godiva, Neuhaus, LH/KA C, CX Wing & SAS Lounge

Forgo 2 SWU to try SQ 380/77W & LH C seats

What is a best way to slowly returning to this Forum without a decent camera on this trip while still feeling the blues of losing of my camera and dealing with boring Brussels?......My solution is to do a BW photo trip report using my iPhone4 camera and a cheap (below US$99) compact camera I borrowed from my teenager daughter.

Followng the same theme as the Colorlessly stuck in a Time Trap - Another UA F/C Transpac Trip! trip report I did last year, here is the photo trip report I have decided to be my first photo trip report in 2011:









Stay Tuned!
(Be patient on the progress of this report....due to China internet issues and my workload, but I am trying hard to finish this report without lengthy delay!)

My other photo trip reports can be accessed by click on the titles below:


The Macau Differences -Turbojet Across the Mouth of Pearl River!
This is London! - Inaugural LH A380 Frankfurt-Beijing Service!!
Hi Seoul, Soul of Asia! - First time flying Asiana!
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg:EU-Asia on LH F & 1st time on Lux Air
Shanghai – An Old City with Modern Make-Ups; LH C from EU to Asia!
Guinness, Trinity, Walking around Dublin- Another LH C Trip Report!
Sleepless in Taipei - Cattle Class over Taiwan Strait on CA/CX!
Colorlessly Stuck in a Time Trap - Not Another UA F/C Transpac Trip!
Plaza Mayor/Heldenplatz, MAD/VIE, LH & 1st time on Austrian/Adria Airways!
Time Square Loses its Colors...Not Just Another UA Trip Report!
Godiva, Neuhaus - Sweeties of Brussels, LH/KA C, CX Wing & SAS Lounge
iPhone Photo Report:PEK-FRA-ZRH-MUC-PEK on LH/LX Business Class
Round-the World on UA (new F Suite), SQ A380/77W (Business), LH 744 (Business) and BD A320 (Business)

Mynameismud

Glad to see you back here ^

Babaduck

UA_Flyer - welcome back! I am in awe of your skill with a cheap camera, never mind an SLR... I have a Sony DSC-W350 which is covered in bits of food (the occupational hazards of taking photos for my food blog ) but I can't even get to 10% of your photographic genius.

UA_Flyer

Thanks very much for your support!^

I am a little worried about the quality of the photos taken with iPhone4 and a cheap point&shoot camera....we will see how they turn out in this TR.

UA_Flyer

As a business traveller, I don’t really pay attention to what is going on at the airport when my mind is pre-occupied with tons of work related stuff.

On this particular day ( still during the Chinese New Year holiday period), I woke up early in the morning to take the morning LH flight from PEK to FRA, and then connecting to BRU.

I had just returned to PEK the previous night on UA NRT-PEK flight and got in around 11 pm, and still exhausted from previous day’s travel. PEK was fairly empty during this public holiday. This is in huge contrast to its typical day….PEK is already the third busiest airport in the world by passenger volume.

I strolled around aimlessly after checking in. I did not want to fly today. I’d rather stay home and take a day off. I already had too much work, and could do without a week in Brussels..... more meetings will create more work, and I am already up to my neck with work! work! work!

UA_Flyer

I travelled between Asia and EU for work six times last year, and have done photo trip reports for five of them (links in Post #1). There was nothing exciting about this Brussels trip in the middle of winter.

Everything I saw look the same, and everything smelled the same….same lounge, same gate, same planes…..if this was a vacation or going to a brand new location, I am sure I would have felt differently and perhaps a little more excited.

aw

Thanks for another fine report and welcome back.

UA_Flyer

I have flown the LH 744 aircraft many times, and am quite familiar with it. It actually gets a little tired to travel in the same type of aircraft, same old seat, and using the IFE system that needs an upgrade.

One great thing about LH is that it is a professional airlines, and cater for business travellers. Services and products are consistent. There are no surprises. FA are profesional. Food quality is consistent, but lack of creativities of OS, Swiss or Tuskish.

Again, I was just going through the motion on this flight.

Same Cabin:



Same Welcome Drink:



Same Boring Newspaper:



Same Window View:



Same Amenity Kit:



Same TV Show as back in the US:



Even the TV classic of the Golden Girls and views of Ulan Bator could not get me interested in taking this trip:

Grew up in Miami, this was one of my favorite in the 80's.

UA_Flyer

I actually enjoy reading the Lufthansa in-flight magazine and IFE program. They are of high quality.

Menu on the other hand seem go over board with too much information. As a frequent business flyer, I don't bother reading the pages other than the menu choice.

UA_Flyer

Thanks. Slowly returning to this forum!

UA_Flyer

Food on Lufthansa is not comparable to those served on OS, Swiss, Turkish or Singapore, but the quality is consistent, and IMHO better than US based carriers. At least there are different varieties in each month's menu...unlike UA that keeps bringing back the same tired entrees almost every month.

Kevincm

Good to see you back posting UA_Flyer. Lovely black and white shots there.

I've found the iPhone 4 camera in HDR mode is very good, and it's a good pick up and go camera. In some cases I've been reaching for it sooner than my Canon DSLR's in the past few trips....

Looking forward to the rest!

FriendlySkies

Nice trip report ^ Looking forward to the rest!

UA_Flyer

I have been surprised by the quality of the iPhone camera ( at least for general web publishing not printing). It provides decent resolution and accurate exposure in most of the common shooting situation.

goodeats21

I will add my comments that it is good to see you back and thank you for another enjoyable post...with great photos.

I am also glad that you are slowly overcoming the loss of your camera / equipment.