TRAVEL PLANNING

When All Was Said and Done

LIFETRASH — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 01:54:56 +0000

The Airports

TPA / ATL / STU / SPU / ZAD / ZAG / CDG / ADD / JIB / JIB / ADD / DXB / DOH / DOH / IAD / TPA

BEST: DXB (of course)

SECOND: ATL or CDG

SECOND TO LAST: ADD

LAST: JIB (incredible filth)

The Airlines

Delta (third choice)

German Wings (fourth choice -- although they win for flight attendant outfits -- hot pink mini skirts)

Air France (second choice)

Ethiopian Airways (least favorite - flight attendants were as mean as the ones on NWA)

Qatar Airways (first choice - nice cabin crew - they get you anything you want and they smile while doing it)

The Lounges

TPA - great view of security but no real snacks aside from pretzels

ATL - AWESOME! They had 10 different kinds of finger foods to include wraps and caprese salad!

IAD - Comes in second. They had cookies, cheese and crackers but they only stayed open until 8:30pm

The Over Nights

The Millennium in Stuttgart (it was all downhill after that)

The Fiat in Zadar

A bunk bed in Zadar

Ethiopian Airways seat 32C

Etheopian Airways seat 24D

A Conex Box in Qatar (which was actually really awesome - the AC was like no other)

Qatar Airways seat 34D

The Food

Fish and Chips in Germany

Real mashed potatoes from the Croatian mess hall

Stuffed Squid on the shore of the Adriatic

Coffee and Crossiants in Zagreb

Red Wine and Capresse Salad at the Sheraton in Paris

Some strange Risotto and olives on the Ethiopian flight to ADD

Chicken of all kinds

Steak and Lobster - the Wednesday night food in the dinning facility

Ice Cream on Qatar Airways

Biggest Surprises

The first night of sleeping in Croatia (was not prepped for the Fiat -- thank goodness Butters had trained me in the finer art of auto sleeping)

The Khatt and garbage of Djibouti

Grass in the cloverleaf's in Doha -- wow what a difference two years makes!

Internet was free in Paris

The enforcement of Ramadan rules in Doha

Survivor... maybe

LIFETRASH — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:55:38 +0000

10 Days

3 Continents

4 Countries

5 Nights in a hotel

5 Nights on an aircraft

1 of which I know for absolute does not serve food (Ethiopian Airways ... go figure)

20,000 frequent flyer miles ...

PRICELESS

I'll let you know if it happens -- I have a morbid curiosity when it comes to this particular trip. I don't want it to happen but -- I kind of do. A bit like running a marathon.

Florida's Space Coast

LIFETRASH — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:52:26 +0000

July 11 at 1937 will mark one of the last 10 shuttle launches. The shuttle program is schduled to end September of 2010. That weekend will also mark the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing.

Hotels will cost you over 200 dollars a night but if your lucky enough you get to be like me.

I will be the third wheel on a camp site (no electric/no water) with my best guy friend and his girly girl girlfriend. I don't care to camp ... but I've done it and it's "FINE" and it's only two nights. So why would I choose to go...

I choose to go to watch girly girl drive my friend crazy. It's like a car wreck and a shuttle launch all in one. Not washing my hair will be a small price to pay for the entertainment I'm expecting to ensue.

Washington DC ... AGAIN

LIFETRASH — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:31:31 +0000

Maybe I should buy property.

BOGOTA, Colombia

LIFETRASH — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:18:56 +0000

Do stay in the Bogota Royal! Hardwood floors that rival the floors from my Italian penthouse, a shower that could fit a family of 4 and a toliet with a computer attached.

The street noise is all night long but Bogota is a big city and it seems to only come alive after 10pm. If you can't beat them you may as well join them. Although, it's not safe to be out on the streets after 9pm and here are the reasons why:

1. Paseo Millonario - where you get held up and forced to go around to all the ATMs in town and withdraw money until you have no money left.

2. Scopolamine - where you get drugged -- they rob you / they rape you / they take your money -- sometimes this is done in combination with the Paseo Millonario.

3. Taxi Muggings - 80K taxi's in Bogota. Of those 80K, one half are illegal. Never hail a cab.

4. Street Muggings - your average "give me all your valuables" - "This is a stick up" kind of thing. Only these guys apparently work in pairs.

MIAMI

LIFETRASH — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:50:51 +0000

It's off to the greater Miami area tomorrow. I hope I don't forget my camera but I have to leave at 430 in the morning.

However, my mind is on snow and the week long ski trip next week. I love Thanksgiving because it means skiing. Last year I was in the prison but the year before it was Solden, Austria / and before that it was Zermatt, Switzerland / and before that it was Baghdad, Iraq.

If I'm not eating fake turkey, better known as FURKEY or ... truck driver special -- I'm drinking Jager Tee with a side of powder.

Are we there yet?

LIFETRASH — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:02:44 +0000

I'm not even there yet but the adrenalin is already starting to pump through my system. Sitting in the Huston Airport -- see review at bottom of the page -- I'm getting snow reports and can not wait to get to my destination.

Hopefully when all is said and done I'll be able to validate that the crepe cart is a must do and PBR taste better at freezing temps.

OK -- Houston Airport

the Business Class lounge is one of my favorites -- Terminal B. However, the clientel is a little snobby and the sour faced woman married to the man that wears black socks with brown tassled loafers and has a kid that thinks he's a rastafarian (no... they are not Jamacian -- if I was a betting woman I say they are Texan). Just to validate that last statement let me tell you why I have made this judgement -- He's wearing one of those hats you stuff your dreadlocks into and has one of those multi-color "I smoke hooch" hemp tops on.

The bartender is cross-eyed ... like the insurance guy my mom had and you never knew if he was looking at you. Not a lazy eye -- a bonified I'm looking at the guy at one end of the bar AND I'm looking at the guy at the other end of the bar. But I love this guy -- he's fast and doesn't close the bar on-time. He's awesome.

I know I'm sounding judgy ... but crap -- why do people have to think their so special ... it's not like NWA puts folks through a screening process.

Après Ski at Breckenridge

LIFETRASH — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:40:29 +0000

In preparation for the upcoming first of the season ski trip I’ve scouted the happy hours and good deals – my source (Happy Hour Hound) has sent the following suggestions:

Angel’s Hollow on Ridge Street / Jolly Roger flag flying out front – need I say more

Blue River Bistro / $2 dollar Fat Tire happy hour with live jazz

Breckenridge Brewery on Main Street / $6 dollar pitchers 3-6pm and FREE BEER on Wednesdays

Breckenridge Burrito on Main / 2 for 1 burritos leave more money for beer

Café Alpine on Adams Ave / Molto tapas – small plates and good wine

Crepe a la Cart / Just like Paris … it’s a cart somewhere on Main Street

Hearthstone / 2 for 1 happy hour appetizers. Sit on the front deck for the perfect sunset

Modis on Main / Make a reservation and go!

Motherload Tavern (my favorite) / Fried Twinkies (as if they weren’t fatting enough) and PBR in a paper sack! This totally appeals to my American Legion / dollar taps sensibilities

Rasta Pasta / Spicy… in a good way

Rita’s / Best margarita’s in town – made FRESH with FRESH squeezed lime

Salt Creek Saloon / Red meat – yum. A Muslim’s nightmare … pork ribs to die for!

Southridge Seafood / Raw Bar happy hour 4-6pm

And the Snow Starts

LIFETRASH — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 23:45:20 +0000

The US ski tour will begin on 7 November in Arapaho Basin and possibly Breakenridge. If you are considering doing the Rocky Mt. thing consider the EPIC PASS a very good deal that lets you ditch all your cash on the slopes. It's a ski pass that's good at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breakenridge, Arapaho Basin and Tahoe's Heavenly and ... it can be linked to your debit card / credit card -- one card, loads of skiing!

After these next two hell weeks at work I'm focusing on the snow. Global warming has not been affecting the US as much as Europe.

Colorado Springs

LIFETRASH — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:55:15 +0000

This weekend I'm off to Colorado -- a little recon visit before the big ski trip in November. Hiking the Columbine trail is on the menu as well as getting all the "GEAR" together for the first snow of the season. At least this time I'm not taking the red eye through Las Vegas.

ALTHOUGH ... a quick trip to Las Vegas to see a few friends wouldn't be a bad idea (Mac Daddy, Fich, and T.Nic) -- hmmm didn't think I knew so many people in Sin City.

I think I might have to go sometime soon.