What is genuine travel? Travel is fundamentally about experiencing life in the shoes of others. That means that those who seek refuge in airline lounges and western hotel chains fail to experience the essence of what it means to...
A Heartwarming Homecoming At LAX
Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love. -Hamlet, Act II, Scene ii Just watch the video below. I really don’t think any...
Woman Thrown Off AA Flight Due To Cello, But Was Captain’s Gesture Racist?
We live in a race-conscious time in a race-conscious world. And a story about a woman thrown off an American Airlines’ flight due to her cello has me thinking about race. I want to be a peacemaker in this...
Remembering My First Trip To Europe
Today is my birthday…I’m 32 years old. As I look back over the last 12 years of flying, I cannot help but to be incredibly thankful. In 2006 the only countries I had ever been to outside of the...
Should I Cruise Or Fly To Europe?
I’m looking ahead to Christmas travel to Europe this year and seriously considering a ship over a plane. Little Augustine (who’s running circles around me and starting to put sentences together) has reached the age in which flying is...
My Lonely Evening of Flying On The Fourth of July
Flying from Burbank to Seattle via San Francisco yesterday evening left me feeling, well…sad. Independence Day has been one of my favorite U.S. holidays since I was kid. One of my fondest childhood memories was the year that I...
Life Lessons From The Death Of A Smelly Passenger?
Earlier this month, I covered the story of a Transavia flight which diverted to Faro, Portugal due to complaints about the ghastly stench emanating from one passenger. The odor seemed to get worse as the flight progressed, causing some...
On Anthony Bourdain, Travel, and Suicide…
When news broke last week that CNN star Anthony Bourdain had taken his own life, I was saddened but not shocked. Not because I personally knew Bourdain was struggling, but because I know how hopeless life can feel sometimes. I’m...
I’m Taking a Break in Hawaii
After nearly two weeks of being away from my family, it is good to be back home. I was hoping my son would still recognize me when I walked through the door and he did…in fact, he came running...
An Update on the Way I Post Trip Reports
I’m listening to you, my daily readers. While most of my traffic comes via Google searches, a big part of why I write is for those of you who come back every day to read what I have to...
The Encouraging Tenure Of United’s CEO, Oscar Munoz
My friend Ben at One Mile at a Time wrote a thoughtful but critical piece on the tenure of United Airlines’ CEO Oscar Munoz. While normally spot-on in his analysis, I view the matter differently. I’m not going to...
The Flight Attendant Bubble
The internet, social media, and technology in general has allowed us to more easily live within our own bubble, a world of confirmation bias and groupthink. My conversations lately with flight attendants have been quite revealing in that respect....
Why I Cancelled My Trip to the East Coast Last Night…
Not that it’s a big deal, but since this is my long-term travel blog I think it’s somewhat interesting to gauge how my travel patterns have changed over the years. I need to meet with a key partner in...
Sobering: “My” Helicopter Crashed into East River in NYC
A sobering reminder of the fragility of human life: the helicopter that crashed in the East River in New York City yesterday was one that I flew on last year. I heard about the crash on Saturday via several...
In Eliminating NRA Discount, United and Delta are Taking a Stand
United Airlines and Delta joined rental car companies in eliminating discounts for National Rifle Association (NRA) members over the weekend. This, folks, is taking a stand. It is not a neutral position. Whether you want to celebrate this move...
I’m Disgusted by First Class Travel for Government Officials
Whether you are Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative, Alt Right or Communist, ask yourself this: do you really want your government leaders traveling lavishly on the taxpayer’s dime? U.S. President Donald Trump made “draining the swamp” a central...
Charlatan Kenneth Copeland Flaunts His New Private Jet
Charlatan televangelist Kenneth Copeland has purchased a new private jet with the financial gifts of desperate and confused dupes. How’s that for an unbiased opener? Why not live and let live? Why not just let this go? If people...
Was SWISS First Class Worth It?
It has been nearly two weeks since my trip from Zürich to Los Angeles in first class. Many have asked me, now that I’ve had time to reflect, was it worth it? Let’s put aside the lawsuit for a...
The Tranquility of Snow and Resolutions for 2018
Running though the woods is a gentle reminder of how fast time flies by. My wife and I have a favorite activity whenever in Germany: running in the forest. There are beautiful trails near her parent’s house and the...
Reflections on a Christmas Eve Hug
A very Happy Christmas to you from Germany. Sometimes we find life in the least expected places. Last night I attended a late-night candlelight church service, a cherished tradition. But what struck me was not the familiar lessons and...
