Category: Plane

DC Day 3

(Apologies for the lack of photos…. see my Capitol Building 360 on Facebook!!)

So today’s post is going to be a short one…. Mainly as I’m writing it on a very short flight – 34 mins flying time to be precise. (More on that later!) but also as I’ve only really done half a day’s worth of interesting things!

This morning I headed out from the hotel to the Capitol Building where I had booked a tour! The Capitol building is the ~~American~~ equivalent to the houses of parliament where the Senators and Representatives sit making the decisions which govern the policies of America. (I did try to get a rule passed to have Trump removed but they said they’d let me know!)

The building itself is old…ish. As I found out in the Museum of American History, the history of America is not all that long! The Capitol was finished in the 1800s but has gone through a few changes since being “finished”…. both Senators and Representatives have moved where they sit as the numbers of each have grown. We got to go to the original halls for both groups as well as to go to the beautiful rotunda. I didn’t realise that the British were here first and that the Americans fought against us! (now I’m more than aware thanks to the wonderful video that played at the start of the tour!)

From the Capitol tour, I took a walk round to the front of the Capitol Building on the National Mall to take some more pictures, as well as to take in the reflection pool in front of the building… (DC loves a reflection pool!). I jumped in a cab and headed back to the hotel to pick up my bag before getting the Metro to the Airport.

Regan National Airport turned out to be great for people and plane spotting, as well as listening to the hilarious Southern Drawl announcements which were going on! (I’m not sure why as Washington DC is not south!) We boarded the plane and after pushing back and beginning to taxi, we found ourselves with a 40 minute delay. I’d made friends with someone in the know, who told me that it was due to a VIP being moved. This tallies up as in the cab earlier I’d heard trump was set to be leaving the White House for Airforce One in order to go on a lil trip. (I did ask him if he had room for a lift, but he declined… he just doesn’t want to chat to me!)

Meanwhile we’re nearly back already. The lovely cabin crew have handed out drinks and pretzels and almost instantly collected cups back in… Originally they quoted a flight time of 36 mins before changing their minds in a funny announcement where we were corrected to 34. Those two minutes made all the difference behind a 40 minute delay I’m sure!

The way these planes are back and forth between cities amazes me. I know they have Megabus here but it really is like the national Express coach service of the US. They call it the shuttle, and it’s no lie… This crew has another 4 runs today!

There’s going to be no update tomorrow as I’ll be chilling out, but plan to be back with something on Saturday from Iceland! “Cabin Crew, Take your seats for landing please.”

America America Trip 2016 Florida Plane Travel

Day 6: Down to Florida

Damn I broke with song titles… I’ll have to think of one for this….

So, after nearly 6 days in New York, Today, I got the bus back into the city and then the subway followed by the airtrain to JFK Terminal 2.
Let’s just say T2 at JFK made London Luton look pretty large and luxurious. All the same as long as you get screened and on the flight what gives!
At the bag drop I was told my bag was over weight by 3 Pounds. PANIC! As I took my case off the scales to repack the Check Agent said “You need to hurry, you have 3 minutes until Bags Close for your flight.” Frantically I looked for my key and unlocked my suitcase. Unclipped the baggage clip and unzipped. As I started taking items out, the Check in Agent said “apologies sir, I’ve got my flights confused… no need to stress”… I lifted out a Shirt and two pairs of Jeans… I was a little worried but thought I could probably manage to squeeze them in to my carry on bag…. as I was about to Zip Shut my case, Gate man said “That should do it… Actually, do you know what… Just stick it back in”.
Shocked I was like “Sorry what?” and he’s said “Just put your clothes back in your case” WEIRD!
Anywhos, I was checked in, and wandered through to security where I met two people who were snobbily upset that there was no Security Fast Track lane as they’d paid to be on the governmental fast track system at every airport. The entire queue was about 10 people!!! (Which was why, it turns out they shut the TSA Fast Track!)
Soon I was checked in, and I’m now writing this onboard A Delta, I would imagine nearly new Airbus A319. Very nice. Considering Delta are a budget carrier, you get more than you get at home!
A free drink, snack and a blanket! You wouldn’t get that on Squeasy or Ryanair!
Sitting here for an 2 hours I’ve had some time to reflect. (I also watched an episode or two of Big bang theory!). The biggest thing I’ve noticed here, since being in the USA is pride. They are SO PROUD. Nothing goes by without a Flag on it – Subway Train, Fire engine, bus you name it, there’s a flag on it. Everyone is Seriously proud to be American!! They are also proud of the state they live in. Last night on the way into town in the Traffic, while I was in the Lincoln Tunnel, I noticed that in the tiles on the wall, was the state boundary. The tiles were white, there was a line of black tiles and one side said “New York” the Other side said “New Jersey”… You just wouldn’t get that back home!
I’m sure I’ll write some more on this post… but for now we’ve just prepared for our final descent and landing. Tray table being stowed, and tablet keyboard isn’t great on my lap! Here we go Florida. I better get my Sunglasses out and prepare to drive… AAAAH!

***
So the flight was easy…. I arrived in Warm sunny Tampa and went to the car rental place. Got chatting to the lovely lady behind the desk who laughed so hard at my Driving Licence picture that everyone else at the Alamo Desk stopped working and came and looked. (I look 12. I am not 12. This always seems to prompt a funny reaction!) She managed to upgrade me to a Dodge Charger for a little extra. OH EM GEE.
It’s got a button to switch it on from the remote before you even get in…. need I say anymore? Driving on the other side of the road is a little bit of an experience! From Tampa I drove over to Orlando, and Checked into my hotel for 2 nights. Considering how much I paid for it… I’ve not done badly! Two double beds, a Fridge and coffee machine and a huge TV!
I popped out for a bite to eat and then into Walmart…. Wow! Hahah CRAZINESS!

Then off I went to bed ahead of a busy day tomororrw… Kennedy Space Centre!!!

America America Trip 2016 Jewish New York Personal Plane Religion Travel

The Flight & Day 1: Baby It’s Cold Outside

Post author By Steven
Post date February 13, 2016
5 Comments on The Flight & Day 1: Baby It’s Cold Outside

To say its cold is an understatement. Freezing piercing cold is probably closer… And its set to get colder still this weekend…!

Before we get on to today a quick run down on the flight….

Following a quick trip on the funky transit train from the main building to Terminal 5b, I was at my gate – as always it was the furthest gate in the building!

Boarding was quick and easy and soon I found myself in the middle of the plane in one of the middle two seats. Cozy…. And we were off.

I was ready with a TV plan – I knew I wanted to watch Adele at the BBC but couldn’t get the TV to work. As soon as the seatbelt light went off the guy in the row in front called the air hostess over for the very same thing….

Now, while I joke that “turning it off and on again always fixes the problem”… That’s exactly what solved it! Although that meant turning EVERYBODY’S TV system on and off… A process which took nearly 15 mins!

Eventually we up and running and Adele was singing! Breakfast was as good as a hermolis airline breakfast. You do the math. I did have a good game of “Catch the coffee” during some of the turbulence… No spills!

When the captain came on to say we were making our final descent and to prepare for some turbulence due to the 25-45mph cross winds, nothing could quite prepare me for what I was about to experience. At one point G forces were similar to that of a theme park ride! As it happened however, the actual landing part of landing was the smoothest I’ve ever experienced!!

Anyway… I arrived! The Journey to the city was pretty uneventful but I very early on learnt that the subway in New York makes our Tube look classy. It’s a bit more… edgy… 😉 Following some expert instructions, I made it to the bus station where the lovely Jemma was waiting for me! (With a Starbs, obviously!)

We went straight to times square for a look around. Wow! It makes Piccadilly Circus look amateur! People everywhere bright lights screens shops everything! Craziness!!!

So many Screens... so many lights! — So many Screens… so many lights!

From Times Sq. (with a quick stop at Cake Boss’s city shop) we got the bus to Montclair New Jersey where I’d be staying… had a mini tour of Montclair and I even go to go into Whole Foods (WOW!) before eventually heading for bed and sleeping in until 10!

This morning we got the bus and headed back into town! From the bus we got the subway to the Brooklyn bridge… and we walked across! Wow what a view!

From the start of the walkway.... — From the start of the walkway….

As we went further and further across the bridge the view got better and better! While talking about the view it’s probably a good time to mention that the weather today, while it looked sunny with blue skies, was actually around -8. BLOODY FREEZING.

Thankfully the bridge wasn’t too windy and I managed to get some nice photos and a panorama:

A little panorama from the Bridge. Spot the Jem!

Once we got to the Brooklyn side, we were a bit clueless as to where to go… and after a little walk Googled “Jewish Deli Brooklyn”… we followed google maps and turned up (Via a quick Shpruntz Round Trader Joes.. Noch) at Shelsky’s Of Brooklyn. WOWSER.

Food that I can’t explain. Sweet, Savory, Pickled, Gefitle’d you name it! We got some Rugalech and some Halva. OH MY. It was like a little corner of Jewish heaven had exploded in my mouth.

The owner came over and started talking to us explaining that he wasn’t supervised kosher as it was too expensive and there wasn’t a market for it – Lots of the Jews from Brooklyn have started to move out. While we were talking some Chabadniks came in, Wished us all Good Shabbos… Asked if we’d got Shabbat Candles / Laid Tefillin today, had a chat…so friendly!

From Shelsky’s we got the subway back to New York and went to Russ and Daughter’s. The wait for a table in the cafe was going to be 35 mins so we went for a walk and waited for them to text us! While we waited we walked up to Katz’s Deli. Very different to Russ… a Different sort of New York Jewish Deli. Quickly, the phone buzzed and we went back to Russ’s.

WOWSER again.

Food you just can't explain! — Food you just can’t explain!

What looks like simple latke, eggs and Salmon… I can’t even begin to explain how it tasted! SO SO SO GOOD. They smoke their own fish, and make their own latkes (Not so sure about the eggs!) but boy oh boy was it delicious! I took one of the latkes to go as I couldn’t finish it!

From there I was left alone in the Big Apple! (AH!) I went for a walk from the bus station to central park and then to the shopping mall – The Time Warner Center. Very nice! I had a little wander, found some free wifi, got a Cawfeee and made some calls home!

From there I walked back to Times Square as I’d watched it getting dark from Starbs! As amazing as Times Square was during the day… it was even more intense and immense at night!

For those complaining of the lack so far of selfies... here's one for you! — For those complaining of the lack so far of selfies… here’s one for you!

... and a Panorama of Times Square at night! — … and a Panorama of Times Square at night!

Then from Times Square, with achey legs, I made it back to the bus station, and found the correct bus back to Montclair! Thankfully the driver knew where to stop for me and soon I was back for dinner! I noticed at the Ticket Booth there was a certain musical at half price… on Broadway…. I might have to go and get a ticket… How do we keep our balance?

… and on that note… it’s 11pm here… or 4am at home so I bid you all night night…. or by the time you read this… a good Saturday morning!

America New York Plane Travel

Come Fly With Me….

I’m early. Very bloody early. Very very bloody bloody early. As a rule of thumb, us Phillips’s are never this early. When I say early… I’m checked in and through security and there’s still 1 hour and 50 mins until the gate is announced… Let alone boarded!

I’d guess this is earlier than any Phillips has ever been before.

Sadly it's a bit too early to do some serious damage in here!! — Sadly it’s a bit too early to do some serious damage in here!!

Thankfully due to a quick reshuffle just before check in, my bag went through at the right weight…. Also, I appear to have shaken off the Phillips trait of getting a good frisking! I sailed through security painlessly!

Sitting here in this “world class” terminal, looking at all the shiny metal and glass twisting and twining as far as the eye stretches I think back to stories grandma told me. When air travel was still fairly new. Things were a little different. As she said to me “the world was a simpler place”.

The terminals were tents or shacks and planes were a little different to the beasts that rule the airways today.

While grand and flash looking (apparently the largest free standing building in the UK) terminal 5 just leaves me feeling a bit…. Lacklustre. Everything shiny, everything nearly new….I’m yet to have a “wow moment”….

Perhaps I’m being a tough critic…. Currently the outside world is still “asleep”. Surrounding the edge of the building is darkness littered with the orange glow of some sort of lamp. Perhaps when things light up a bit the landscape will change and I’ll have a wow!

To me, this terminal suggests, as probably is true that we are out the other side of grandma’s flying stories…. The golden glamour age of air travel is over… This is now as mundane as getting a train or a bus. (Not for me it aint!)

Talking of the glamour of air travel. There is the odd whispery nod back in time – “The BA Concorde Lounge”. Now that was something I always wanted to travel on!

Sadly, the plane which was the fastest commercial airliner for 27 years, is no more. In an industry which moves as fast as air travel (see what I did there!) That’s an incredible feat. It amazes me that since retirement in 2003, no one has yet come up with a magical tin can which can break the speed of sound twice, while also carrying passengers like Concorde did.

Enough reminicing, back to the matter in hand…. Where in the world can you get sourdough toast and a coffee for £4? Weatherspoons Heathrow. Admittedly, its quite a snazzy spoons, but it’s spoons all the same! You can’t go wrong. Not even at 6am!

Opposite from me, I’m not sure if you’d call it art, but is a world map. The world map has cast upon it different degrees of light depending on where in the world is currently experiencing daylight… Some could say I’m literally watching the world wake up! (For a spoons that’s pretty impressive I’d say!)

On that note, toast has been eaten, coffee has been drank, it must be time to gawp aimlessly at copious amounts of Toblerone and alcohol as displayed by the duty free shop…. Does law require every airport in the world to sell Toblerone?

I can’t promise updates as in depth and regular as this… (I’m killing time here!) But I’d like to try and write something once a day!!

See you on the other side of the Atlantic!