Soon, on the BR

- Our mantastic (that sounds wrong...) trip to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
- Canada (oh, the leaves!)
- Growing tomatoes in Belgium (sexier than it sounds)
- Pictures, pictures and more pictures!
- This foodie's highlights (because food porn is always fun, and mostly safe)

Just giffing

Visited Countries Map from TravelBlog

Guiana travel log - part 2

Airport, layover, island paradise (Martinique), day 2

And here I am, once again, at an airport.  I spent nearly two hundred Euros on this little stop-over...  Two thirds, on simply getting from the airport to the hotel and back. 

Traveler’s tip:  taking taxis is expensive.  Taking taxis on public holidays is even more expensive.  Airport hotels may feel like you’re not even properly in the country, but when available, can be less hassle. 

Of course, there seem to be exactly zero hotels here within 20 kilometers of the runways.  I fervently hope my travel expenses here will be covered.  Guess we’ll see.  That plus the anti-tropical-nasties meds are starting to feel like the ransom for a minor Saudi prince.  Alright, maybe not quite.

On a more scented note, I get to sit in the mild but detectible aroma of my mosquito repellent.  Hope I’ve put some everywhere that matters (which is everywhere).  All while resentfully glaring at the locked door to the business lounge, at 7 am local time.  Clearly, it’s too early for business, as the lounge only deigns open its doors at the royal hour of 4pm.  Had I known no serious businessman hangs out at the airport before then, I would’ve at least taken the morning to look around.  Of course then I would’ve missed my next flight, which leaves in an hour and a half.  Thus completely messing up the rest of my trip, as a bonus.  At least now I know why there’s no business class on this flight.  It all makes sense now!

In a completely unrelated grumble, the duty free shop doesn’t seem to sell neckties.  Serves me right for forgetting to pack any.  Whoops.  Some business traveler I am.  Though I suppose with it being around thirty degrees Celsius and humid as a Turkish steamer, the detail may be overlooked.

On to South America!

Guiana travel log - part 1

Airport, pre-departure, Paris

Pleasantly warm after a silky shot of quality cognac, I feel it is far past time to rekindle this traveler’s blog.  So here goes.

It’s been… far longer than I expected, but I am once again on bye-bye-bed regimen.  This consists of no more than two consecutive nights spent in any single bed. I am sitting at Paris’ southern airport, Orly, in the business lounge. One of life’s small pleasures, this one is a bit sparsely stocked, but the spirits, as mentioned, are present.

Boarding has just been called, but the hostess at the entrance has kindly advised us to remain in the comfortable exclusivity of the lounge – the French call it “salon”, a far more civilized name – until she calls again. I surmise in order to advise us that it’s time for Business travelers to board.  For indeed, I have reached that point in my life where I’m being ferried around in business class.  At least, for trips going to such distant locales.

Today, I head off to Fort-de-France, Martinique, where I will spend a whopping twelve hours before moving on to scenic (I hope) French Guiana. I look forward to many photo ops, long hours, and few mosquito bites.  I’m just about fully equipped with all manner of vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and sprays.  It’s amazing how dangerous those little buggers are.  A wonder the US hasn’t declared war on mosquitoes.  But then the locally grown variety is considerably less deadly than their tropical cousins.

Next stop, the Caribbean!

Swiss Travel Log

Day 1.

I've finally arrived in Switzerland.  The best part?  Land.  The flight out of Brussels was an unusually harrowing experience.  Not only were we the last flight to leave the airport that night, but there were only twelve of us on the plane, plus the crew.  As night flights go, this one was particularly turbulent.  All in all, I couldn't sleep, I barely ate, and I spent the entire flight wondering whether when we crashed, my body would be found burned up, mangled or not at all.  And how the headlines might read - Swiss Air crashes in the mountains.  Thankfully, only 16 dead - but no survivors.

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Quick, quick, must catch the train!  My thoughts after calming down at Basel Euroairport. This place has exits into three countries (Switzerland, France, Germany).  Not sure how they pull that off, but the bus awaits!

Fun with google maps

Here's a breakdown of the main stops for the current long trip I'm on.  I'lll be on the road from the 15th of November to the 8th of December.


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Swiss cheesy road trip

Here's a breakdown of next week's stages of my switzerland trip.  We'll be spending a LOT of time in the mini-bus.  Whoo (not so much).
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