That's all folks. Journey over. Planning the next holiday.
Sarah wants to do India next year, so I can't wait to tell you all about Delhi Belhi.
In graphic detail.
I hope you weren't bored too much by my meandering mutterings.
I tend to segway into interesting thoughts (interesting to me, that is), and who knows what will trigger one.
By the way, have you ever tried riding a Segway? I had a play in Singapore, and it's the coolest toy you could play with. If you ever get the chance to have a go, take it. The chance, that is, not the Segway. You don't really want to be chased through the streets by the police on flashing Segways with loudhalers, do you?
You see how easy it is to get off topic?
I assume that you have figured out how to look at earlier posts, haven't you? I direct this question at Nicola Jane, the self-confessed lowest common denominator in IT.
And if you can do that, you will see last years trip in the archives as well.
To end I think I need to make a few apologies.
Sarah says that comparing that guy in New York with Wayne would be offensive. To Wayne, I guess.
I suppose I should apologise to those reading the Indian name-ceremony joke, who didn't see the rather vulgar punch-line coming.
I am definitely not apologising to the turkey-leg woman on 42nd Street. That outfit was a crime in any city.
I am sure there are more, but I always make a point of never giving all the apologies that people think I should.
By the way, if anybody finds some of these mutterings to be more meandering or confusing than you think they should be, then let me know. Either I wasn't clear and need to fix it, or you are too stupid and there's nothing I can do for you.
Brian
(I'm the one next to the old guy)
Friday, July 15, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Did you hear the one about the sports team?
Most of us have had a chortle about this one, but for those who missed out, here’s a quick catch‑up.
When people are checked in to fly, they are put into one of 4 categories, so that a relatively accurate average weight can be used for them, for the Loadsheet weight calculations. These are Male, Female, Sports, and Child. Many airlines use the same weight for men and women. The child is obviously lighter, and the sports weight is for those big fellas that weigh more than average. Like me.
Anyway, that sports entry is usually used for teams, because the added weight for 20-odd guys can make quite a difference.
On this occasion, the sports team (it was a major international rugby squad) was checked in simply as male, so was somewhat under what they should have been, weight-wise. The mistake was not picked up till the Loadsheet operator was about to close the flight. Everybody was onboard, and the flight was almost ready to leave for Australia.
To make the change, the sports pax needed to be offloaded in the system, and checked in again with the correct code. Because they had already been boarded in the system, they needed to be deboarded in the system before the Loadsheet officer could quickly offload and recheck them in, before finalising the Loadsheet. Remember that these are things that are done in the system. Usually the punters do not need to know if we have made a fox pax.
Our system requires that boarding and deboarding can only be done by the gates sets that are assigned for boarding. So the call was made to the gate agent. “Can you please deboard the XXX sports team, so that I can recheck them in as a sports team?”
Did our fresh-faced young possum deboard them all in the system as asked? Not so much. After a few minutes we hear “OK I have deboarded them. They are all standing with me on the airbridge.”
Oh dear!
What was he thinking? Is the aircraft sitting on a big-arsed set of scales, and we need to get the guys off so that we can re-weigh the aircraft? Who knows?
Anyway, coming back to the comment about the journey of the ice.
What if we DID have a big-arsed set of scales for the aircraft to sit on? How cool would that be? Here’s an experiment to try.
- Fill up a jumbo with everything required for a 15hr flight.
- Fill it up with pax and crew.
- Tow the aircraft onto these aforementioned big-arsed scales.
- Sit there for 15 hours, and do everything you would do for the flight. Meals. Drinks. Movies. Toilets. Everything.
- Except run the engines, of course.
- Then monitor the weight of the aircraft throughout the “journey”
I wonder if the journey of the food and drinks from the galley at the beginning of the flight to the waste tanks at the end of the flight, will affect the total weight much.
Just a thought.
Welcome Back to JFK
QF45 is scheduled to leave at 0715. We picked up our boarding passes at the gate at 0630 as instructed. I then went back to duty free to look for some prices for Sarah’s brother. We were at gate 36, as far as possible without falling off the terminal, so Sarah stayed at the gate. By the time I got back, it was 0645 and they were doing a final call. Very Sarah!
Everybody on board soon after, but the door didn’t close for a while. Off blox at 0712. Sarah would be proud. Not really, no.
Taxi to the runway. We took the scenic route, via Circular Quay. Didn’t see the Opera house or the bridge. Must have been on the other side of the aircraft.
E V E N T U A L L Y made it onto the runway at 0804. Airborne by 0805. OMG. 53 minutes. Reminds me of the JFK taxi a few nights ago.
The mind tends to wander while waiting this long for takeoff. While watching the choppy waves out the window, I started thinking about weight calculations. Yes. I know!
Anyway, I never wanted to learn Loadsheet, but I do know that there is a complicated calculation for fuel consumption during a flight. Same goes for any weight-critical vehicle or vessel. It goes something like this:
- The aircraft has a particular distance to travel.
- The aircraft at takeoff is a particular weight.
- To move an aircraft of that weight that distance, takes a particular quantity of fuel.
- That fuel has a particular weight, which is added to the total weight of the aircraft.
- During the flight, fuel is consumed at a particular rate, so that there is only a (much smaller) particular quantity of fuel left on arrival.
- As a result, the aircraft is getting lighter as it travels.
- As the aircraft gets lighter, it can travel further on the fuel it carries, reducing its consumption rate.
Once upon a time, somebody did the maths on this reducing fuel requirement, so that the calculation for the Loadsheet is both fast and accurate.
This type of calculation applies to other things too.
Think about the ice that a long-haul aircraft carries onboard.
- There are a set number of pax onboard.
- Each pax will be offered a set number of drinks during the flight.
- Each drink will require a quantity of ice.
Simple enough so far?
- But ice melts. If it is not refrigerated, the total volume of ice will reduce at a particular rate, for the duration of the flight.
- So an additional quantity of ice is required, to not only keep the required ice frozen until it is consumed, but also to replace that ice which melts before it can be used.
- The ice is being reduced by 2 things during the flight. First, it is being consumed. Second, it is melting.
Again, once upon a time somebody has done the maths on how much ice needs to be loaded at the beginning of the flight, so that there is enough to consume during the flight, without running out.
Added to that, is the sheer volume of ice required for a flight of perhaps 15hrs. This volume probably has a weight that needs to be built into the fuel calculation as well. If you think about it though, the weight of the ice does not decrease over the flight.
Ice turns to water. No significant weight change. Ice gets consumed, but doesn’t actually go anywhere. Ice bag to ice bucket to glass to pax to bladder to toilet to waste tank. It never leaves the aircraft, just moves around a bit.
So the real issue is the space required to store the ice. Because storage required more ice than will be consumed, there is an opportunity for weight saving.
What if we had icemakers onboard? They would take up perhaps the space of an onboard oven or storage tank, perhaps less. They would be attached to the potable water supply, so would be using water that is onboard anyway. They would make ice on an as-needs basis, so there is no ice storage required. Mmmm.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Thoughts at 45,000 feet
During a 15hr flight, one tends to go to the bathroom once or twice.
While in there, there was a little turbulence, and a thought struck me. I don't know why these thoughts come at odd times, but I guess you can't always control it.
Here's my thought. What if you are sitting on the toilet when there is an explosion? I wonder if these thoughts are based on the noise made by the flushing function. It sounds as though the contents are being sucked into the atmosphere. Explosive decompression. What if it took the toilet cubicle with it?
When I hear an aircraft toilet flush, I am always reminded of a story I heard on the Sunday morning request session on the radio when I was a kid.
It was about travelling on NZ rail. It talks about how the NZRail cups are unbreakable. It also talks about how the onboard toilet is so busy, there is always a queue. When you at last get to the toilet, the train stops at a station. The humour here is that because the railway toilets used to open directly onto the tracks, they could not be used while the train is stationary.
When I am boarding a flight at home, woe betide somebody who asks if they can use the onboard toilet. With a straight face I would tell them "yes, but you can't flush till after takeoff". Some odd looks.
Anyway, what if you are sitting on the toilet when there is an explosion. You come sailing out of the aircraft, with your trousers around your ankles.
Forget the fact that you won't survive the fall. What about the embarrassment of being found like that?
Isn't it odd what people think about, at the oddest places.
While in there, there was a little turbulence, and a thought struck me. I don't know why these thoughts come at odd times, but I guess you can't always control it.
Here's my thought. What if you are sitting on the toilet when there is an explosion? I wonder if these thoughts are based on the noise made by the flushing function. It sounds as though the contents are being sucked into the atmosphere. Explosive decompression. What if it took the toilet cubicle with it?
When I hear an aircraft toilet flush, I am always reminded of a story I heard on the Sunday morning request session on the radio when I was a kid.
It was about travelling on NZ rail. It talks about how the NZRail cups are unbreakable. It also talks about how the onboard toilet is so busy, there is always a queue. When you at last get to the toilet, the train stops at a station. The humour here is that because the railway toilets used to open directly onto the tracks, they could not be used while the train is stationary.
When I am boarding a flight at home, woe betide somebody who asks if they can use the onboard toilet. With a straight face I would tell them "yes, but you can't flush till after takeoff". Some odd looks.
Anyway, what if you are sitting on the toilet when there is an explosion. You come sailing out of the aircraft, with your trousers around your ankles.
Forget the fact that you won't survive the fall. What about the embarrassment of being found like that?
Isn't it odd what people think about, at the oddest places.
The Flying Slug
QF12 is a scarebus 380.
It has to be the ugliest aircraft in the sky. Maybe the aircraft we saw at Boeing just pips it at the post.
Just.
Inside it's just another aircraft. Quieter, yes, but just another aircraft.
Dinner was offered just after take-off. I elected to wait a couple of hours for dinner. They told me they could not get the ovens available again for probably 3 hrs. No problem. I watched a movie, while the others ate, and then slept. By the time I woke, it was only about 3 hours till breakfast. Never mind.
Another movie, and 3 or 4 tv episodes, then breakfast. Then we are on descent.
Sarah has always said that she could never bear to take a flight of more than 12 hours. This one was 15!
Luckily it didn't feel like it. We agreed on this one. Surprisingly nice flight.
Now in Sydney for a couple of days.
It has to be the ugliest aircraft in the sky. Maybe the aircraft we saw at Boeing just pips it at the post.
Just.
Inside it's just another aircraft. Quieter, yes, but just another aircraft.
Dinner was offered just after take-off. I elected to wait a couple of hours for dinner. They told me they could not get the ovens available again for probably 3 hrs. No problem. I watched a movie, while the others ate, and then slept. By the time I woke, it was only about 3 hours till breakfast. Never mind.
Another movie, and 3 or 4 tv episodes, then breakfast. Then we are on descent.
Sarah has always said that she could never bear to take a flight of more than 12 hours. This one was 15!
Luckily it didn't feel like it. We agreed on this one. Surprisingly nice flight.
Now in Sydney for a couple of days.
Maybe this time
Off to the airport. Hope things go better tonight than last night.
Check-in is open when we get there, so up we go. As expected, on standby, and hold our bags. Come back in 2 hours. No hint of our chances. We think OK, but who knows.
Tom Bradley is not very large on the public side. Food outlets upstairs, a handful of retail downstairs.
The wait is boring. At 2100 we join the queue of staff. We meet up with the guy we spoke to at JFK last night. His son-in-law works for QF in SYD, so he is way down on the food chain. As I said, no staff got onto the QF flight out of JFK last night. We flew direct at great expense. He slept in the airport, and flew via a couple of way-points today. Last night Sarah gave him the rundown on how staff travel works. Today she continues the lessons.
2130, still no activity. 2145 a QF crew arrive, so have to drop their bags at the counter we are all waiting at. 2200, and they start calling out names. I don't know if they are in any particular order, because we should be pretty high priority. One asian couple ahead of us are called up. One gets business class, one economy. I didn't get to see how chivalrous he was.
Then us. We are on. Drop the bags, pick up the boarding passes. Small number row, excellent. That will make the journey bearable. Not together, but within food throwing distance.
Our new BFF is also coming. His row is a much larger number. Never mind, he is on at least. That's good.
Up the airbridge to the upstairs door. My God this corridor is long. Backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards, up and up. It just keeps going and going. Somewhere at the end of here is an aircraft. Somewhere.
Here we are, turn left and settle in. We are off.
Check-in is open when we get there, so up we go. As expected, on standby, and hold our bags. Come back in 2 hours. No hint of our chances. We think OK, but who knows.
Tom Bradley is not very large on the public side. Food outlets upstairs, a handful of retail downstairs.
The wait is boring. At 2100 we join the queue of staff. We meet up with the guy we spoke to at JFK last night. His son-in-law works for QF in SYD, so he is way down on the food chain. As I said, no staff got onto the QF flight out of JFK last night. We flew direct at great expense. He slept in the airport, and flew via a couple of way-points today. Last night Sarah gave him the rundown on how staff travel works. Today she continues the lessons.
2130, still no activity. 2145 a QF crew arrive, so have to drop their bags at the counter we are all waiting at. 2200, and they start calling out names. I don't know if they are in any particular order, because we should be pretty high priority. One asian couple ahead of us are called up. One gets business class, one economy. I didn't get to see how chivalrous he was.
Then us. We are on. Drop the bags, pick up the boarding passes. Small number row, excellent. That will make the journey bearable. Not together, but within food throwing distance.
Our new BFF is also coming. His row is a much larger number. Never mind, he is on at least. That's good.
Up the airbridge to the upstairs door. My God this corridor is long. Backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards, up and up. It just keeps going and going. Somewhere at the end of here is an aircraft. Somewhere.
Here we are, turn left and settle in. We are off.
Lax Angeles
The fight to LAX is long and uncomfortable. It didn’t help that the IFE didn’t work. I recognised the telltale boot script on the screen, with the little penguin in the top corner. Another Panasonic crash.
I had a cunning plan. Yes, I know. Another one.
While we were doing the family group shuffle at boarding time, Sarah was at the window, and I had moved to the middle seat. Sarah wanted to swap, but we wanted to wait until the seatplan nazi had finished. When she left, we swapped, without disturbing the woman in the D seat. That’s when I had my cunning plan. Anybody see where I’m going? Let’s see.
All airline seats are fixed, with the ability to recline, if you’re lucky. Our people got a bit clever with what is now known as cuddle class. I haven’t seen them in the flesh, but it looks like the footrest folds up to fill the gap between seats, creating a bed space. I have to say, I really liked the ad we used (maybe a mock-up, not sure) for these. They use symbology, like no smoking, no pets, that kind of thing. They had a spoon symbol, with a tick. Then a fork symbol, with a cross. Brilliant.
Anyway, getting to any seat in economy is a shuffle. Virtually impossible to get past anyone. All you’ve got is the room allocated for your knees, to do any manoeuvring at all.
So, my idea is to take what has been done in theatres for years. Have the seat fold up, as soon as you stand up. How easy would it be to get around on board if each row became an aisle when we stood up? Boarding and disembarking would be so much quicker. Cleaning would be faster. Now THAT would help OTP! There you go Doug, ruminate on that.
There is only one potential obstacle that I can see to this. The seats need to remain securely anchored to the floor, but I doubt that the designers would find this unsurmountable. Given the design of seat mountings now, it may not even be an issue at all.
Despite the bad stuff, the Delta flight was actually OK.
We landed only a few minutes late, and then waited 20 minutes for the bags to start. The 757 is a hand-loaded aircraft, like the 737, so I guess it took a while to unload.
So, bags at the ready, we go outside to wait for the shuttle. I had already called the hotel to warn them we would be late. They said they don’t cancel if we get there before 0200. No problem there. It’s 0130 when we are still waiting for the belt to start.
The shuttle arrives within 3-4 minutes, and we are now at the hotel. Sleeeeep.
We have a 1400 checkout (Priority Privilege card has some benefit here. Cool), and the flight to SYD doesn’t leave till 2230.
After a very good sleep in a very good bed, we check out at 1330, and put the bags into storage.
We have stayed at LAX airport before, always purchased through Hotwire.com. This is a great website for cheap hotels, based on location. The unusual thing about Hotwire, is that you don’t know which hotel you are staying at until you pay for it. We used it last year for LAX, and got the Hilton Airport. Nice Hotel. We also used if for Las Vegas, and got the Trump. Another score. Refer to last year’s blog for details.
This time we got Crowne Plaza. It’s about 300m closer to the airport than the Hilton, and at least as nice. Both are listed on Hotwire as 3.5 stars, but are both better.
Anyway, that’s the up side. The down side is that this part of LA is crap. Nothing around. Like where we stayed in DC, nowhere within walking distance. Walking distance in most of LA is a hell of a lot shorter than walking distance in DC, by the way.
To be honest, we are not fans of LA at all. It’s just a nasty means to an end, a way of getting somewhere better. Check out last year’s entry for our attempt to find somewhere nice at Santa Monica.
Last year we checked out after lunch, did a quick last tour of the pier, and went to the airport horribly early. Luckily we could check-in, and spent a few hours in the Koru Lounge.
This year we are not travelling on NZ. We took QF, so that we could do the JFKLAX sector on them. They don’t have rights to pick up domestic pax who are not booked internationally on QF. And that turned out SO well for us, didn’t it?
So, what to do to fill in a few hours, in a crappy industrial part of a crappy superficial town?
As luck would have it, when we checked in last night, we saw a flyer for a hop-on-hop-off trolley that goes right past. If you’ve been paying attention, you know how much we love those things. And no, that is not sarcasm.
We check out the trolley. It goes to 3 stops. Manhattan Beach village, Manhattan Mall, and El Segundo Mall. And it costs $5 each. We are off to fill in a few hours.
The trolley goes past every 30 minutes, and it is due in 5. Let’s go.
The first stop is Manhattan Beach. Actually, this is very, very nice. Very pretty place. We could live in this kind of area. I Know! LA. Go figure.
Next was the mall. We stopped here to do Olive Garden. Hadn’t done one before. It’s an Italian restaurant chain over here. Not bad at all.
As Sarah says, cute little mall. Single story, well laid out. Nice.
Onboard
Forgot to mention, we were delayed.
Supposed to leave at 2100. The cabin crew arrive from a delayed inbound from LAX, and they board about 2040. We are allowed to board at about 2045ish.
Can you imagine that. Operating a 6hr flight, and then doing it again 30 minutes later. Blech!
The boarding call asks for the special handling and business class to board through the right lane.
Then zone 1, then 2 etc. Zone 1 is at the front, then 2 the middle rows etc. Not the best boarding sequence. The more I think about it though, the less sense it makes. We were zone 4 (officially), but were only 6 rows from the front of economy. Maybe I got it wrong. Like I said, signage not the best here.
Anyway, the boarding call is for zones 1 and 2, and they are strictly following that. Unfortunately, nobody else is. Everybody wants to board NOW.
There is 1 lane (the right hand only for the special people), and lots of people trying to board. Form one line please. Might as well have been in Romanian. It's like a Bangladeshi intersection here. Or a sale at a bridal store. 5 rows of people trying to squeeze into one line. Every time the staff find somebody trying to board ahead of their zone, they get put to one side. Then a queue forms behind them. Sarah could SO sort these people out!
We officially don't know our zone, so we join the melee. Anybody who books late(like us), gets a boarding pass without a seat number. As punishment for not being organised, they need to wait till everybody else checks in, and then get whatever's left.
So we board, and wait in our F seats for the first E person to arrive next to one of us, so that we can make the offer. Easy, done this a hundred times back home.
Meanwhile, there are other groups around us trying to swap seats. And more. Finally there is a family of about 8 middle-eastern people, scattered across about 5 rows. They include at least one of the E seats next to us. So, the first couple had been sorted. Then the next. Then us. Then this family was pretty much sorted. Then the crew get involved.
Oh
My
God!!
Everybody has to sit in their allotted seats!
She then starts to unpick the knitting. We sit quietly.
Can you move back to that seat. But he is with his child. I am happy to sit in his seat.
Everybody has to sit in their allotted seats!
Eventually she gives up. I think she was getting the look, not only from the passengers who had solved their own seating issues, but also from the other crew. It's almost 2115, and they want to shut the door.
So they do.
We are on a 757. It looks new, but I didn't think they were still in production. It has wingtips and everything! Maybe a retread, but looks good inside. We are in row 26 now. I thought it would be down the back, but it isn't.
Rows at the door we came in start about 20. Business is turn left.
I don't know how they get 4 zones for boarding, but there are 3 cabins, separated by a toilet on the port side. Opposite the toilet is some form of galley station. That's where the hostie makes coffee. Maybe the carts come from there too, I didn't see. Probably not, though.
The pilot said the flight would be 5hrs and change, so a quick trip, right? Yeah nah!
We pushed back just after 2120, and took off about 2215.
I KNOW, right?
Apparently we didn't just get caught at a bad time. We turned once, and I could see the queue behind us disappearing off into the night.
We first did Amrika in '02, and JFK was part of that. We flew in on QF from LAX, but then flew to Buffalo on JetBlue. I've already said I like them.
Before that trip, I did some research on the company. Sarah is nervous about flying on Amrikan carriers. Not for any jihad reason, just that their service and safety records are hardly stellar.
So, JetBlue. They are a VBA, one of the first and apparently one of the best. The guy that started it, had started another VBA in the past, and then sold it on. This is apparently fashionable in airline start-up circles.
Anyway, this guy also wrote the check-in software he used, both in his original start-up, and in JetBlue. He then sold that as well. I think it has changed hands a couple of times, and has been known by a couple of names. We knew it as "Open Skies", when we handled Freedom Air. It is also the software used by EVERY VBA in the world.
Anybody naive enough to ask, would know that I am a big fan of Open Skies. Huge. It is not only the easiest system to learn (I could teach someone to be up and running at check-in in 15 minutes, 30 tops), but it is completely idiot-proof. And I use the term advisedly. If there is anything to pay on the booking, you cannot check them in. Period. No discussion. No mistakes.
Also, before the door is closed on the aircraft, the company can know, to the cent, how much profit or loss has been made on that sector. Now how's THAT for nimble? Any legacy system, like those used by any major airlines, doesn't come close to that kind of transparency. If we are lucky, then in about 6 months our bean counters will have a ball-park figure of the profitability of a route. Ball park.
Anyway, I digress.
Back in '02, Jetblue was quite a young airline, and was based in JFK. Back then this was unheard of. All domestic carriers were using the other 2 NYC airports. JFK was an international airport. The JetBlue logic was simple. Too much congestion at the other 2 meant delays. JFK had lots of slots unused. Whatever disadvantages there were in using JFK were wiped out by the advantage of quick and on-time turnarounds.
Obviously, it was a good plan, because everybody else is now using JFK as well. Result? Congestion there as well. Bugger.
We eventually go airborne, and fidgeted our way to LAX. Delta is actually very good. Not a lot of room for the fat white guy, though.
Supposed to leave at 2100. The cabin crew arrive from a delayed inbound from LAX, and they board about 2040. We are allowed to board at about 2045ish.
Can you imagine that. Operating a 6hr flight, and then doing it again 30 minutes later. Blech!
The boarding call asks for the special handling and business class to board through the right lane.
Then zone 1, then 2 etc. Zone 1 is at the front, then 2 the middle rows etc. Not the best boarding sequence. The more I think about it though, the less sense it makes. We were zone 4 (officially), but were only 6 rows from the front of economy. Maybe I got it wrong. Like I said, signage not the best here.
Anyway, the boarding call is for zones 1 and 2, and they are strictly following that. Unfortunately, nobody else is. Everybody wants to board NOW.
There is 1 lane (the right hand only for the special people), and lots of people trying to board. Form one line please. Might as well have been in Romanian. It's like a Bangladeshi intersection here. Or a sale at a bridal store. 5 rows of people trying to squeeze into one line. Every time the staff find somebody trying to board ahead of their zone, they get put to one side. Then a queue forms behind them. Sarah could SO sort these people out!
We officially don't know our zone, so we join the melee. Anybody who books late(like us), gets a boarding pass without a seat number. As punishment for not being organised, they need to wait till everybody else checks in, and then get whatever's left.
So we board, and wait in our F seats for the first E person to arrive next to one of us, so that we can make the offer. Easy, done this a hundred times back home.
Meanwhile, there are other groups around us trying to swap seats. And more. Finally there is a family of about 8 middle-eastern people, scattered across about 5 rows. They include at least one of the E seats next to us. So, the first couple had been sorted. Then the next. Then us. Then this family was pretty much sorted. Then the crew get involved.
Oh
My
God!!
Everybody has to sit in their allotted seats!
She then starts to unpick the knitting. We sit quietly.
Can you move back to that seat. But he is with his child. I am happy to sit in his seat.
Everybody has to sit in their allotted seats!
Eventually she gives up. I think she was getting the look, not only from the passengers who had solved their own seating issues, but also from the other crew. It's almost 2115, and they want to shut the door.
So they do.
We are on a 757. It looks new, but I didn't think they were still in production. It has wingtips and everything! Maybe a retread, but looks good inside. We are in row 26 now. I thought it would be down the back, but it isn't.
Rows at the door we came in start about 20. Business is turn left.
I don't know how they get 4 zones for boarding, but there are 3 cabins, separated by a toilet on the port side. Opposite the toilet is some form of galley station. That's where the hostie makes coffee. Maybe the carts come from there too, I didn't see. Probably not, though.
The pilot said the flight would be 5hrs and change, so a quick trip, right? Yeah nah!
We pushed back just after 2120, and took off about 2215.
I KNOW, right?
Apparently we didn't just get caught at a bad time. We turned once, and I could see the queue behind us disappearing off into the night.
We first did Amrika in '02, and JFK was part of that. We flew in on QF from LAX, but then flew to Buffalo on JetBlue. I've already said I like them.
Before that trip, I did some research on the company. Sarah is nervous about flying on Amrikan carriers. Not for any jihad reason, just that their service and safety records are hardly stellar.
So, JetBlue. They are a VBA, one of the first and apparently one of the best. The guy that started it, had started another VBA in the past, and then sold it on. This is apparently fashionable in airline start-up circles.
Anyway, this guy also wrote the check-in software he used, both in his original start-up, and in JetBlue. He then sold that as well. I think it has changed hands a couple of times, and has been known by a couple of names. We knew it as "Open Skies", when we handled Freedom Air. It is also the software used by EVERY VBA in the world.
Anybody naive enough to ask, would know that I am a big fan of Open Skies. Huge. It is not only the easiest system to learn (I could teach someone to be up and running at check-in in 15 minutes, 30 tops), but it is completely idiot-proof. And I use the term advisedly. If there is anything to pay on the booking, you cannot check them in. Period. No discussion. No mistakes.
Also, before the door is closed on the aircraft, the company can know, to the cent, how much profit or loss has been made on that sector. Now how's THAT for nimble? Any legacy system, like those used by any major airlines, doesn't come close to that kind of transparency. If we are lucky, then in about 6 months our bean counters will have a ball-park figure of the profitability of a route. Ball park.
Anyway, I digress.
Back in '02, Jetblue was quite a young airline, and was based in JFK. Back then this was unheard of. All domestic carriers were using the other 2 NYC airports. JFK was an international airport. The JetBlue logic was simple. Too much congestion at the other 2 meant delays. JFK had lots of slots unused. Whatever disadvantages there were in using JFK were wiped out by the advantage of quick and on-time turnarounds.
Obviously, it was a good plan, because everybody else is now using JFK as well. Result? Congestion there as well. Bugger.
We eventually go airborne, and fidgeted our way to LAX. Delta is actually very good. Not a lot of room for the fat white guy, though.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Delta Terminal
We get to terminal 2, and find the ticketing counter. More signage issues, but we make it. It turns out that the ticketing is also the check-in counter, so we join the queue.
Once again, the queue stagnates. Has nobody ever heard of 15 seconds per transaction?
We are now hearing that there are cancellation and delay issues. It seems that JFK has ceiling issues. Not the type CHC had after an earthquake, but the weather variety.
More Bollocks!
E V E N T U A L L Y we make it to the counter. Is the flight to LAX still going? Yes.
Is it on time? Yes. Are there seats on it? Yes. What is the cost? &$&$&$(&!!!!
So after spending a horrible amount for a last minute ticket, we are ready to go. Will we have seats together? Check at the gate.
Security again. I remember the belt this time, so only a quick shower and I'm off.
Go to gate. No staff, so we sit.
At about minus one hour, a girl turns up, and I join the queue to talk to her.
Can we sit together? Check back with me later. Is there food onboard? For sale. Thanks.
Sarah goes and buys something for us to eat onboard, and we wait.
End result, 2 window seats, one behind the other. You can swap onboard. Offer somebody next to you the second window seat. Sweet
Once again, the queue stagnates. Has nobody ever heard of 15 seconds per transaction?
We are now hearing that there are cancellation and delay issues. It seems that JFK has ceiling issues. Not the type CHC had after an earthquake, but the weather variety.
More Bollocks!
E V E N T U A L L Y we make it to the counter. Is the flight to LAX still going? Yes.
Is it on time? Yes. Are there seats on it? Yes. What is the cost? &$&$&$(&!!!!
So after spending a horrible amount for a last minute ticket, we are ready to go. Will we have seats together? Check at the gate.
Security again. I remember the belt this time, so only a quick shower and I'm off.
Go to gate. No staff, so we sit.
At about minus one hour, a girl turns up, and I join the queue to talk to her.
Can we sit together? Check back with me later. Is there food onboard? For sale. Thanks.
Sarah goes and buys something for us to eat onboard, and we wait.
End result, 2 window seats, one behind the other. You can swap onboard. Offer somebody next to you the second window seat. Sweet
Still getting out of Dodge.
Where was I?
In the departure lounge, waiting for seats. Somebody comes to the gate, so Sarah pops up for a word. No result, rather a gruff specimen.
Later Sarah hunts out an actual QF employee, and has a quiet word. It appears that our bags should not have been taken, and we should have been told to wait down at counters. Should we go back? Yes.
Bollocks.
Back we go, and front up at counters. The staff are miffed that the guy sent our bags, so somebody needs to retrieve them.
Sorry folks, but everybody turned up today. No staff will get on. Double Bollocks.
Plan B? What other carriers still have flights? Tried going online, but most sites won't let me look for today. Too late in the day. Have to do it in person. We try UA, who at least are in the same terminal. Yes, but it will cost $3000 each! Triple Bollocks!
Around the corner is US Air. No flights to LA tonight.
We know that Delta has a flight in a couple of hours, so head off to see them. A discussion about which terminal to go to, ends with us taking the train to terminal 2. Many of these airlines use multiple terminals, so that's another level of complexity to manoeuvre.
There are two trains pulling in. One going left, one right. Which one? No labelling. What's wrong with these people? Ask somebody nearby, that one over there. We're off.
In the departure lounge, waiting for seats. Somebody comes to the gate, so Sarah pops up for a word. No result, rather a gruff specimen.
Later Sarah hunts out an actual QF employee, and has a quiet word. It appears that our bags should not have been taken, and we should have been told to wait down at counters. Should we go back? Yes.
Bollocks.
Back we go, and front up at counters. The staff are miffed that the guy sent our bags, so somebody needs to retrieve them.
Sorry folks, but everybody turned up today. No staff will get on. Double Bollocks.
Plan B? What other carriers still have flights? Tried going online, but most sites won't let me look for today. Too late in the day. Have to do it in person. We try UA, who at least are in the same terminal. Yes, but it will cost $3000 each! Triple Bollocks!
Around the corner is US Air. No flights to LA tonight.
We know that Delta has a flight in a couple of hours, so head off to see them. A discussion about which terminal to go to, ends with us taking the train to terminal 2. Many of these airlines use multiple terminals, so that's another level of complexity to manoeuvre.
There are two trains pulling in. One going left, one right. Which one? No labelling. What's wrong with these people? Ask somebody nearby, that one over there. We're off.
Getting out of Dodge
So we head off to the Airport. I dutifully pop into the bathroom and change into something more respectable than the shorts I have been baking in for the last few days.
Then we join the queue as check-in opens. We were told that an ex QF person was on staff-travel for this flight, but never saw them.
Got to check-in EVENTUALLY. I know there were only 2 check-in agents at this early kick-off, but SO SLOW! Skill levels must be being dumbed down world-wide. We know the flight is slightly oversold, but hey, that's no problem usually, right?
The guy checks us in to standby. Fine. He then takes our bags and tells us to get our seat numbers at the gate. Surprising, but promising. So, off we go through security. I forgot to take off my belt before the waterless shower, so the guy on the other side tucks my shirt in for me. Friendly...
The departure lounge in terminal 7 is less boring than the check-in area. Duty free (not for us, domestic only today), shops, food court. We get maccas. I had an angus burger, but here they have one with mushrooms and swiss cheese. Can't wait for that to arrive in NZ.
There was also a Brookstone store. I have seen these in Vegas in the past. Gadget stores, I guess like the G4men thing back home. The girl there was demonstrating a remote controlled helecopter thingy called a "Parrot quadricopter Drone". It has 4 helicopter blades to manoeuvre.
Then we join the queue as check-in opens. We were told that an ex QF person was on staff-travel for this flight, but never saw them.
Got to check-in EVENTUALLY. I know there were only 2 check-in agents at this early kick-off, but SO SLOW! Skill levels must be being dumbed down world-wide. We know the flight is slightly oversold, but hey, that's no problem usually, right?
The guy checks us in to standby. Fine. He then takes our bags and tells us to get our seat numbers at the gate. Surprising, but promising. So, off we go through security. I forgot to take off my belt before the waterless shower, so the guy on the other side tucks my shirt in for me. Friendly...
The departure lounge in terminal 7 is less boring than the check-in area. Duty free (not for us, domestic only today), shops, food court. We get maccas. I had an angus burger, but here they have one with mushrooms and swiss cheese. Can't wait for that to arrive in NZ.
There was also a Brookstone store. I have seen these in Vegas in the past. Gadget stores, I guess like the G4men thing back home. The girl there was demonstrating a remote controlled helecopter thingy called a "Parrot quadricopter Drone". It has 4 helicopter blades to manoeuvre.
Anyway, it also has 2 video cameras. One facing forward, and one facing down. Very, very cool.
But wait, there's more. Guess what you can use to control it?
The iPhone!
I KNOW!!!
Only $299. What a bargain!
You know that it was never going to happen, right?
Friday, July 8, 2011
Amish Paradise
Well, Sarah did her PhD on the Amish. Go ahead and ask her questions when she gets back.
While you're at it, check her on Philadelphia as well. She stopped there on the way to 1699.
She says I would not have enjoyed the drive. A bouncy bus for most of a 13hr day. Sounds like pure heaven to me. They left 20 minutes late from here, while they sorted out some late comers. I could just imagine Sarah sitting on the bus, tapping her watch (if she had worn it)
OTP people. OTP. Offload and go. If these ass-wipes can't get their shit together then we ditch them and go. OTP. No delay on my watch, thanks.
While you're at it, check her on Philadelphia as well. She stopped there on the way to 1699.
She says I would not have enjoyed the drive. A bouncy bus for most of a 13hr day. Sounds like pure heaven to me. They left 20 minutes late from here, while they sorted out some late comers. I could just imagine Sarah sitting on the bus, tapping her watch (if she had worn it)
OTP people. OTP. Offload and go. If these ass-wipes can't get their shit together then we ditch them and go. OTP. No delay on my watch, thanks.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Here's something you don't often see
A big white box on 5th Avenue.
How many companies would get away with this?
How many companies could make an elevator cool?
Hands up those who can't figure it out.
I thought so.
There are also a lot of stores you may have heard of
and they're in nice buildings, too.
There are always people taking photos on the streets of New York. One of the most photographed building on my walk, is Trump Tower. I have no idea why!
It is one of the ugliest buildings around. I will go further. Any building built for, and carrying the name Trump, is god-awful ugly. Garish and ugly.
5th Avenue
Went for a walk up 5th Avenue while Sarah is off partying like it's 1699.
I love walking the streets of New York.
Boston is comfortable, with real history on every corner.
DC is kinda sterile.
But NYC has real depth. Texture.
Sure, you can occasionally step in some of that texture if you're not careful.
I'm not sure what gives me that impression. I think it has something to do with the movies.
So many movies were made or set here. So many buildings are iconic. So many street names live on in our psyches.
42nd Street isn't just a musical. It's the street where you'll find Grand Central Station.
Times Square really does have all those neon signs.
Broadway for theatre.
Madison Avenue. The advertising capital of the world.
Wall St. for finance.
7th Avenue for the clothing trade.
And so on.
For some people, LA is probably the same, but not for me. Sure, they make more movies there, but they are more vapid and saccharine as a city than this place. New York is real. Go to the suburbs and find much more reality than any of us would be comfortable with, but here in Manhattan I love it.
Boston is comfortable, with real history on every corner.
DC is kinda sterile.
But NYC has real depth. Texture.
Sure, you can occasionally step in some of that texture if you're not careful.
I'm not sure what gives me that impression. I think it has something to do with the movies.
So many movies were made or set here. So many buildings are iconic. So many street names live on in our psyches.
42nd Street isn't just a musical. It's the street where you'll find Grand Central Station.
Times Square really does have all those neon signs.
Broadway for theatre.
Madison Avenue. The advertising capital of the world.
Wall St. for finance.
7th Avenue for the clothing trade.
And so on.
For some people, LA is probably the same, but not for me. Sure, they make more movies there, but they are more vapid and saccharine as a city than this place. New York is real. Go to the suburbs and find much more reality than any of us would be comfortable with, but here in Manhattan I love it.
Early up.
Sarah miscalculated. Suddenly there was not a lot of time to catch her bus.
While she is getting dressed, I go to the deli next door to get her some breakfast, and something for the trip.
I wonder how many of you have heard of a guy called Dean Friedman. He had a one-hit wonder decades ago, but he is better than that. He's just not very commercial. Anyway, one of his songs is called "The Deli Song", and that's where it takes place.
Behind the music, there is a lot of dialogue from customers and deli workers. Being in this deli, I was right there, in the song video. Freaky, man!
As it happened, Sarah can get ready very quickly with an incentive. We were at the bus station at 0640, 20 minutes early. Found the right bus, and she was ready to go. I met an English couple going on the same tour, so Sarah now had somebody to talk to.
There was another guy there as well. Weird hair, man! Is that hair or is that mop part of his hat?
Looks like Wayne Hall having a mid-life crisis.
While she is getting dressed, I go to the deli next door to get her some breakfast, and something for the trip.
I wonder how many of you have heard of a guy called Dean Friedman. He had a one-hit wonder decades ago, but he is better than that. He's just not very commercial. Anyway, one of his songs is called "The Deli Song", and that's where it takes place.
As it happened, Sarah can get ready very quickly with an incentive. We were at the bus station at 0640, 20 minutes early. Found the right bus, and she was ready to go. I met an English couple going on the same tour, so Sarah now had somebody to talk to.
Looks like Wayne Hall having a mid-life crisis.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Noo Yawwick
We took the train to New York. Not the most interesting ride, but hey.
The hotel wasn't too far, so we decided to walk. Why do we always do this on a hot day?
Remember not many weeks ago, the snow in NYC was all over the news? Not any more.
We arrived at Penn Station. We are staying near Grand Central, so that Sarah would be near where she is catching the bus tomorrow.
She is going on a bus trip to Philadelphia, and on to visit the Amish people. She has wanted to do this forever, so we extended a couple of days for that.
Once we settled in, we were off to find Century 21. No, we are not buying property in Manhattan. This is a store we heard about down by the WTC site. It is a department store/ outlet store in one. Lots of brands, dirt cheap.
Took the subway south. Very busy. Sarah is not letting go to me on the get on or get off.
Got off at Fulton Street Station. Not quite the architectural edifice where we go on the train. Up on the street, and Century 21 is right there. 20m away.
Spent a couple of hours at the store, and bought a few things.
The hotel wasn't too far, so we decided to walk. Why do we always do this on a hot day?
Remember not many weeks ago, the snow in NYC was all over the news? Not any more.
We arrived at Penn Station. We are staying near Grand Central, so that Sarah would be near where she is catching the bus tomorrow.
She is going on a bus trip to Philadelphia, and on to visit the Amish people. She has wanted to do this forever, so we extended a couple of days for that.
Once we settled in, we were off to find Century 21. No, we are not buying property in Manhattan. This is a store we heard about down by the WTC site. It is a department store/ outlet store in one. Lots of brands, dirt cheap.
Took the subway south. Very busy. Sarah is not letting go to me on the get on or get off.
Got off at Fulton Street Station. Not quite the architectural edifice where we go on the train. Up on the street, and Century 21 is right there. 20m away.
Spent a couple of hours at the store, and bought a few things.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
More mindless Drivia
Apparently Thomas Jefferson introduced French fries to the US of A.
Unfortunately, he was wrong. They were invented in Belgium.
So the land of chocolate and Poirot has another claim to fame.
Speaking of French Fries...
Apparently there is a prize for the person who looks the most like the Capitol Building.
This one gets my vote
Muffin, anyone?
Unfortunately, he was wrong. They were invented in Belgium.
So the land of chocolate and Poirot has another claim to fame.
Speaking of French Fries...
Apparently there is a prize for the person who looks the most like the Capitol Building.
This one gets my vote
Conclusions about DC?
We like the town. Lots to see. Tick.
It is amazing how many restaurants are either closed or don’t open before lunch on weekends. Cross.
Hotel. It’s in the damn desert. There are parts of this town that are not designed for tourists. Beware. Cross.
Food. I’m sure if you are in the right parts of town, its great. If you’re not, it’s not. Cross.
4th of July fireworks. Perfect view. Big Tick.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Isn't a pedophile somebody who rides a bike?
A few years ago, Sarah and I were in Singapore. My first trip, I think.
Anyway, we stepped out of the hotel to explore the neighbourhood a little. Just a walk around the block. We aren't the most adventurous tourists.
No sooner had we set foot onto the pavement, we got bombarded by one of these rickshaw drivers. Just like in the photo, a 3-wheeled tricycle.
Normally we would say no to street hawkers, but for some reason we decided to rise to the challenge. Maybe it had something to do with feeling sorry for him. He was about 127 in the shade (and there wasn't a lot of shade in Singapore).
So we got onto his rickshaw. A tight fit would be an understatement. I distinctly remember my left ass cheek being wedged onto the mudguard. And we are off. This is a 30-minute tour of the interesting hilights of the neighbourhood. We see parliament buildings, the merlion, and a few other nice buildings. They have a really weird-looking opera house. It makes the Sydney Opera house look like a state house in Waltham.
At one point, the path goes down an incline, under a bridge, and back up an incline on the other side. This is a single-lane walking path, with a sign next to the underpass saying no bicycles. Anyway, he starts barrelling down the path, picking up as much speed as he can, parping his horn to get some unsuspecting pedestrians off the pedestrian walkway. Whoosh! Through the underpass, and UP.... the other side. I now see why the speed going down. He needed the momentum to get up the other side.
OK, that was interesting.
A little later we are on a road that starts to rise gradually, but over quite a distance. Just a little steeper at the end. We are getting slower and slower. Almost at the top. Almost ground to a halt. Are we going to roll backwards?
Then a jogger, a pedestrian, steps out onto the road. And PUSHES US UP THE HILL!!!
I KNOW!
Now THAT was embarrassing!
But wait. There's more.
We are finishing the tour. The hotel is in sight. We are just pulling up to where we got on. Literally 6 feet from the end, and...
Pfffsssshhhh!!!
A flat tyre.
Alright, then. Thanks for the ride. Here's your money. Thanks again. See ya.
Scarper.
Part Deux
Came back for a rest and a pizza, and I went back alone. Went for a wander towards the Capitol Building. Jeez I wish these people would learn to spell!
There’s a lot going on down the mall. Interestingly, a big chunk is taken up by the Hari Krishnas. Didn’t bother trying to get inside the Capitol. Too many people there, so I headed down Constitution Ave towards the other end of the mall. When we did our walk earlier, we tried to get to the Lincoln Memorial, but it was blocked off down the middle. In fact, the reflecting pool isn’t even there any more. It’s been ripped up to be replaced. It appears that it was leaking, really, really badly. It was built on landfill, and was settling. What you can see now is a series of posts peeking out of the dirt.
They have been driven down to bedrock, and the new pool will be built on top of them. It will also have the water circulated from the river, and filtered like a swimming pool. It will be about a year before the new reflecting pool is done. So, as a park ranger told me, it was a cement pond, it will now be a swimming pool. It amused me to hear the term “cement pond” outside of The Beverley Hillbillies. Worse, the pronunciation was exactly the same as used by the Clampetts. Tee Hee.
The WW2 memorial is between the Washington Monument and the once-reflecting pool.
On my second attempt, I went down Constitution Ave, the only way to get to see Lincoln today. It was worth the effort.
A very impressive building, overshadowed by the imposing presence of the man inside. It’s an odd feeling, climbing the steps with that massive sculpture looking down at me. I can feel in the worn depressions of every marble step I take, the gravitas and solemnity of the place. I can’t even imagine what these steps have witnessed over the years. For one thing, the “I have a dream” speech happened right here. This is the one place I wanted to see in DC, and I’m glad I did it.
Made it back to Sarah unscathed and we had a quick dinner. Up to the room, we watched the Independence Day concert on TV. Yes, I know, it’s going on downstairs in front of the Capitol Building, and we are watching it on TV. Sarah doesn’t do crowds, and I don’t disagree with her. Getting out of CHC after a public event is a bitch, so something on this scale would be too scary for words.
The reason we chose this hotel, is because we wanted something within sight of the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building. And that’s what we got. From our balcony, we had the perfect view of the fireworks. So in that regard, we got exactly what we wanted.
AssWipes!
I know, I know, that’s what Sarah calls everybody. But that’s not what this is about.
We went out walking today. It’s July 4th, and everybody is getting The Mall ready for the festivities today. It’s a hot day. Not the 35 degrees we endured the day we arrived. It’s overcast, but probably close to 30. Muggy, sticky, but not quite melting. There are water stations everywhere, so people can rehydrate whenever they want.
These 2 photos are more for Steve's benefit.
I can't believe that they would fence off an area like this for people to throw cans into. Perfectly fine from a recycling perspective, but what about the poor schmuck who has to empty this into a skip in the morning? Why not just put the skip there from the get-go?
Anyway. Water on tap for the great unwashed.
Great idea, and I’ve got another one.
I can't believe that they would fence off an area like this for people to throw cans into. Perfectly fine from a recycling perspective, but what about the poor schmuck who has to empty this into a skip in the morning? Why not just put the skip there from the get-go?
Anyway. Water on tap for the great unwashed.
Great idea, and I’ve got another one.
Wouldn’t it be great to have wet wipes to freshen your face and exposed body parts? Like they give you on the plane, but not the hot ones. Cool ones.
OK. That’s no brilliant idea. I’m sure they are available everywhere. Wet wipes have been in KFC for years. But there is a problem with those. Before we left on our walk, we put on sunscreen. Wipe down with a wet-wipe (baby ass-wipe) and remove the sunscreen. Then either re-apply sunscreen, or risk burning.
So that’s my idea. Have wet wipes with sunscreen impregnated. Even insect repellent as well. Sarah says there is already a wipe to apply tanning lotion, but that is not what we want. We want to be able to refresh in the heat, and also reapply suntan lotion. How cool would that be?
Some sunscreen would resist being wiped off, but many don't. Also, it makes a great applicator. Easier to apply to kids. Just like the tanning wipe Sarah knows about, these would be fast and give even coverage.
AND BE REFRESHING!
Some sunscreen would resist being wiped off, but many don't. Also, it makes a great applicator. Easier to apply to kids. Just like the tanning wipe Sarah knows about, these would be fast and give even coverage.
AND BE REFRESHING!
I know, it’s probably been done. I just wouldn’t mind some right now. They should be for sale everywhere in this heat. Serious profits to be made. Serious.
What if there were wet wipes with your favourite perfume impregnated? Or aftershave?
Stay refreshed in summer without losing the cologne from this morning. So many possibilities.
Tour Map
Had a look at the map we got from the trolley, and then compared it to the map downloaded from the website when we bought it. As I said, we went to where we thought the closest stop was. Actually, that stop was another 200m further along the road, so we can’t blame the guy for not stopping. Interestingly, the stop where we eventually got on wasn’t even on the downloaded map. Oh, it’s on the printed map. Apparently there are a lot of new stops on the route now. Will try to figure out if the out-of-date map is on the operator’s website, or on the Viator site, the people we bought the tour from. Will update when I know. We don’t have access to internet here, so will do that in NYC.
Just checked the Viator site, and they now have the new map.
Go figure!
By the way, this sign is on the building where we get onto the trolley
Just checked the Viator site, and they now have the new map.
Go figure!
Tour
Today we finished the tour. This included the National Cathedral. Absolutely astounding! This is massive. The 6th biggest cathedral in the world, it looks centuries old. Oddly, it was built in the 20th century. It was only finished in the time of Bush Snr.
Drove through Georgetown. Sarah likes Georgetown. Nice houses. Nice shops. Nice.
Sarah got lost at least once in the crypt. That’s cathedral-speak for basement.
There are chapels everywhere in this thing. There are even elevators to 6 floors of offices and an observation deck on the 7th. One of the best places to see the city and beyond.
The amazing thing is that from the outside, there is no way to tell that these modern things are inside. As I said, it looks like it is centuries old.
Drove through Georgetown. Sarah likes Georgetown. Nice houses. Nice shops. Nice.
There are embassies up the wazoo in this town, and most of them in the same street. This is referred to as embassy row. During the tour, the driver makes your head spin while reciting the list. On our left is …, on or right is …, on our right is …, on our left is …. Yikes! One driver even asks for nationalities onboard before we hit embassy row. He then adds details about those embassies during the “recital”. Impressive. Very Gilbert and Sullivan!
Because we are stranded in the desert of business district Washington, we are stuck with doing dinner at the hotel. So far we have tried both hotel restaurants, and each one is slightly worse than the other. Actually, as we wander around town (the real bits, not the Sahara south of Independence), we cannot believe how many restaurants are closed.
OK, it’s the weekend. I get it. This is a Government town, so is shut down over the weekend. I get that. But, hey, it’s a tourist town too, people! So much opportunity lost. Do you really make so much money during the week that you don’t want any on the weekends? Really?
We found this on our first trip to Amrika in ’02. We went to San Francisco for a few days, and took a day trip to Napa Valley. As you know, this area is world famous for it’s wineries. Cool! We’ve been to Marlborough, where every winery has a really nice restaurant. So off we go, to do lunch in Napa Valley. D’ya think? They don’t do restaurants! They do tastings, but that’s it. Again, maybe they make enough money from the wine sales, not to need the extra squillions they would make by having wanky food to go with their wines. Actually, there was one winery that did the whole restaurant thing, and it was great. Spectacular!
So. Where was I? Restaurants in Washington. Found a place, called Emmett’s Grill. Very nice, and VERY busy. It was probably the only place open for lunch on a Sunday in central Washington. About one block from the White House, so can’t get more central than that, huh?
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