The 10 phases of flight delays

My arrival time into Heathrow Airport yesterday was meant to be 6.55am. I landed at roughly 3.30pm. Enduring a 9 hour delay in Dubai, after a 14 hour flight from Sydney is not fun. Things happen, strange things, float-y out of body experience things, things cross your mind that, in your sleep deprived state, make perfect sense but you really just should not do. And coz I'm trying to fight jetlag at the moment and not sleep before 10pm, I'm going to tell you about them in the hopes they may help you maintain sanity should you ever experience a flight delay.

Taking it in your stride
You're a seasoned traveller, its fine, whats a short delay? You can live with that. Better they check out any issues on ground than when you're in the air. It'll be fine.

Breaking the unwritten rule of travel and speak to your neighbour
Its not fine. The engineers don't actually know whats wrong and might need to replace a part. It might take a while. You glance at the person sitting next to you, he doesn't look crazy and his smile is as incredulous as yours, maybe chatting will help pass the time? You strike up a conversation and find that it does really help.
*Or you could crack open that book you've been dying to read - I hope you packed one!

Despair and Resignation
Nope, that's not the part that had the issue, they need to replace another and it will take even longer. You groan internally as you realise you have already been travelling 20 hours and this is just going to be one of those flights.

Pleading and Relief
"Please, please, please let us off this plane for a while". You bargain with the travel Gods. "I'll do anything, I'll even go through the security checks again". Released from the confines of the cabin back into the departure lounge you could skip if you had the energy. Don't feel bad, skipping would look weird right now and you'd probably float to the ceiling if you left the ground.

Strategising
Meal voucher in hand, you are simultaneously not really hungry, would love some Maccas (McDonalds) and cleverly strategise to eat something so when you get back on the plane, you don't have to wait for the meal service and can just go straight to sleep. It doesn't matter what you do, your body will do what it wants and you will just go with it, but by all means strategise, it will pass the time and give you some semblance of control over the situation.

Weird thoughts
- In your sleep deprived state the floor will start to look alluring. "Come lie down, you can lie flat, not at a weird upright angle" it will call to you. Do not listen to its sirens call. Resist. Resist. Resist...but it looks so comfy...
- You get jealous of anyone who isn't travelling alone. They have someone to lean on/cuddle up to, a soft shoulder to rest ones head. You look at your neighbour and wonder if you could cuddle up with a stranger - don't be creepy. Just, no.
- You have never loved or missed your bed so much. You think of its softness, the pillows, the cosy quilt and the horizontal-ness of it. Its underrated & should have more recognition. There should be a 'International Bed Day' in its honour.

Fuzzy brain syndrome
As if the weird thoughts weren't bad enough fuzzy brain can set in at any time. You cant really think straight, coherency goes out the window, you cant remember what you were talking about a few seconds ago. If you are chatting with someone, this can be both hilarious and embarrassing. Focus on the funnier side.

Never, ever say, or be in the vicinity of, someone who says 'nothing else can go wrong'
These people should be shot. I mean, whats wrong with them? Haven't they heard of Murphy's Law? Why are they tempting the travel Gods? I blame my neighbour* for the additional delay back on board the plane because two passengers went MIA and their luggage had to be offloaded.

Disbelief, hilarity and pillow hugging
Taxiing to the runway you have to turn back to offload another passenger, this is one who has developed a heart problem. Better they get attention now than later when we're in the air. But you cant believe it, a combination of disbelief and hilarity combine to make the whole thing dreamlike.You regress to a childlike state and hug your pillow while rocking in your seat trying to maintain sanity. I blame my neighbour* for this too.

Landing at your destination at last
You survived! You made it! You'll celebrate in two days when you have the energy! No flight will ever seem long to you again. You bid your neighbour a farewell at the airport and pass out the second your head touches the pillow when you arrive home.


* I was actually quite lucky, my neighbour was really nice and honestly, having his good company during the delay made all the difference.

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Does it ever get easier to say goodbye?

No, it doesn't. I have been away from home twice now - three times if you count this recent period at home - and it doesn't get easier to say goodbye to your family, your friends or everything you know or have come to know.

Here is the thing. Even if you are leaving for a great adventure or opportunity, you are still walking into the unknown so it is hard to leave behind the familiar and the comforts of home. If you are leaving a great experience abroad to return home then its hard to say goodbye to those friends you've made, the life you created and that chapter in your life that will soon become but a memory. And if you are leaving home again, for the second or third time, you know what you are getting yourself into. You know about the struggle, the occasional loneliness, the things you will miss about being home, how hard it is on the people you are leaving behind and how much you will miss from each others lives.

Sorry if I'm rambling a bit, it is 7am Sydney time, almost 1am here and I'm on about 2 hours of airplane sleep. Probably not the best time to be writing a deep and meaningful post but I have the time.

OK, so how do you deal with saying goodbye? Here is what I think helps me.

1. Acknowledge your feelings, say what you need to say, feel sad, feel a bit panicky. But set yourself a limit or it might overwhelm you. If you don't think you can do this then just skip to #2
2. Focus on the positives. Why you are going? What is the long term/overall objective?
3. Figure out a communications plan and visits. This will not just help you, but those around you.
4. Distract yourself. Take silly photos, talk about anything but your leaving at the airport. Save that book you have been dying to read or movie you have been itching to see for the departure.
5. Remember that it isn't really a goodbye, you will see the people you care about again.

I have to say, some of these are hard to do and I'm always keen to hear how other people manage. How do you deal with saying goodbye?

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Day Trips from London: London to Windsor Castle

Hey everyone, I'm back for another installment of my London day trip series. As you know, last week I took you to the WB Studio Tour (also known as the Harry Potter studio tour) but this week I'll be taking you from Hogwarts Castle to Windsor Castle, home of the Queen. Did you know HRH refers to Buckingham Palace as "The Office" and Windsor Castle as "Home"?

The State Apartments and Quadrangle - Windsor castle

I have been to Windsor twice to visit Windsor Castle and explore the town. Both trips were enjoyable and a very comfortable day trip from London.

Windsor Castle

Like the majority of Historic Royal Palaces that are actually in use - there are only sections available to the public. Visit Windsor Castle and you will get a glimpse of the ornate State Apartments, Semi-State Rooms, St Georges Chapel and the grounds. Occasionally they open other areas, for example, they recently did a tours that allowed you into the Round Tower (the Keep) or the Kitchens. And lets not forget seeing the Changing of the Guard.

The Changing of the Guard at Windsor Castle

My favourite spots have to be:

• The Waterloo Chambers - this is a massive room with a beautiful ceiling
• The Grand Staircase - mainly a thoroughfare but its usually filled with light and has all sorts of interesting curios (the photo doesn't really do it justice)
• The North Terrace - If you walk past the entrance to the State Apartments (and are lucky) further down the terrace you can see the East Terrace which is where the Private Apartments are located - but regardless of that, its just so picturesque

The Grand Staircase (via)

The Waterloo Chambers (via)

The beautiful East Terrace of Windsor Castle

My only gripe with visiting Windsor Castle is the "no photos allowed" policy which is applied to all  properties in the Royal Collections Trust including Buckingham Palace. Surely security is up to scratch enough to allow this? And if they are worried about congestion, they have Wardens in every room that can help with the flow of people moving about.

The North Terrace and entry to the State Apartments - Windsor Castle

Around Town

Windsor High Street is full of cute shops, tea rooms, cafes, pubs and restaurants. You have to see the Crooked House of Windsor - I'm surprised it doesn't just keel over and that its still in use! But it does have a quirky charm about it. Church St, Church Lane and Market St near the main entrance to Windsor Castle are cute lane ways with restaurants geared towards tourists but still charming to walk through.

The Crooked House of Windsor

If you fancy a walk, you can walk alongside the river by Alexandra Gardens - maybe stop at the Chocolate Theatre Cafe on Thames St first? To really get away from all the noise, try The Long Walk. Just follow the High St to Park St and you will see the gates to the park at the end of the road...right near the Two Brewers Pub ;) You might not want to do the whole walk, it is seriously long, but you can do part of it and it does provide lovely views of Windsor Castle.

Windsor Castle viewed from The Long Walk

If shopping is more your style, the boutique shops and market stalls inside the Windsor and Eton Central Rail Station are good bet. Peascod St and Bridgewater Way are also full of shops.

A view of the Quadrangle and the Visitors Apartments - Windsor Castle

Tips for visiting Windsor

• Book your ticket to visit Windsor Castle before you go and skip the queue! You can book online directly through their website.
• To get there by train you will need to choose either Windsor and Eton Riverside (WNR) or Windsor and Eton Central (WNC) rail stations when purchasing your train tickets. Both train stations are within a few minutes walk of Windsor Castle - Windsor and Eton Central is bit closer though, and a prettier station to arrive into.
• Train trips are approx 30mins if you depart from London Paddington Rail Station (bear in mind that most trips from this station will require you to change elsewhere - usually Slough) and an hour if you depart from London Waterloo Rail Station which wont require you to make any changes.
• You can drive there from London - the trip takes an average of 40 - 50 minutes depending on your departure point. There are limited car parks but this is a good site which show where they are and how much they charge.
• Bus services to Windsor depart from Victoria coach station and other London locations - for a starting point, you can check out these companies: National Express, Greenline, First Group

The Norman Gateway and the Round Tower - Windsor Castle

• The Queen Marys Dollhouse is usually quite the attraction - its a 7 level doll house complete with working lights and running water. If its not your thing, give it a miss as the line is usually super long and inside it can be too crowded to actually see anything.
• Make sure you stamp your ticket before leaving the Castle as this will allow you free entry to the Castle for a year! You can usually find the Warden who does this in Engine Court when you exit the State Apartments
• Try not to take any oversized bags or sharp objects with you - you will be subjected to security screenings on entry. 
• Check the Opening Times to make sure you don't visit on a day when all or part of Windsor Castle is closed
• Useful links: Practical Information, How to Get There, Opening Times and Prices

Do you like exploring Historic Royal Palaces and Castles?

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Day Trip Series: London to Canterbury (Issue #1)

There are loads of places within an easy reach of London. I have done many day trips (Bath, Cotswolds, Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton to name a few) but I haven't always written about them. I'm missing London, now I'm back in Sydney, so I though it would be nice to create a "Series" of posts recounting easy day trips from London. So, if you are a curious traveller, a London expat or simply wondering what are some good day trips from London, keep an eye out for this series. Of course some of these destinations can be done as a weekend away too if you prefer. First up is, ironically, the last day trip I did while in London; Canterbury.

Day trip: London to Canterbury

Canterbury is the one and same mentioned in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. 

Arriving into Canterbury East station, I walked over the footbridge and was greeted by the old city walls, originally built by the Romans I just love that about the UK, ancient history is right in your face and part of the every day. Whats more, only a short walk to the left led to the Canterbury Castle ruins which were built in 1070 by William the Conqueror. Did I mention that entry was free?

Like any good coffee addict, I had made sure to look up good coffee in Canterbury. I made the Willow Cafe my  next stop for some seriously good beans that made this antipodean want to lick the insides of the empty cup when id finished. Honestly why do so many London cafes get it so horribly, traumatically wrong? But I digress.

All caffined up I began my wander around Canterbury. There was the charming and pokey Chaucer Bookshop, Canterbury Cathedral, the laneways surrounding it and the market square. I wandered as far as Canterbury College and St Augustine's Abbey before heading back to the center of town. 

The High Street was full of old buildings, restaurants, cafes and a small river running through it. The Westgate Gardens also with a river runnig alongside it were a nice place t be around sunset. Unfortunately I missed out on afternoon tea. I was planning to take tea at Tiny Tim, The Moat or Number 12 but they closed earlier than I thought. Instead I found a small pub in one of the lanes which served some very hearty pub food and worked well as a consolation prize.

After the pub, I was curious to see the cathedral lit up at night, and it was worth it. It was such a beautiful sight. There was no entry fee into the grounds (bonus!) and aside from one or two other amature photographers, the place was almost deserted. 

The only downside to the visit was that I came across a weird smell (think urine mixed with rotten egg) wafting through the streets in different places which made me gag. I could never figure out where it came from as there was no rubbish or open drains.

Highlights:

• Canterbury Castle
• Willow Cafe
• Canterbury Cathedral by night
• Minister Glass Studio (I bought myself a pair of earrings here after watching the craftsmen make all sorts of cute glass creatures.)
• St Augustine's Abbey

Travel Tips for London to Canterbury:

• Trips duration can be 56 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes depending on the type of ticket you purchase. As a rule of thumb, shorter trips will be slightly more expensive than longer ones.
• Canterbury has two train stations, East and West, both are within easy walking distance of the centre of town.
• If you want to visit the Cathedral, make sure you check it is open on the day you want to visit by checking the official website.
• Visit the lane ways first as they close earlier than the high street shops and restaurants
• In hindsight, I wish I'd taken a bit of time to explore the surrounding countryside.

Have you been to Canterbury? Have a tip or highlight to share? Just put it in the comments!

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New York / Boston Trip Recap

Walking down W34th Street with a view of the Empire State Building. That was was the first moment my feet hit pavement in Manhattan. It only took me a few seconds to see why people wanted to live here, and to see myself living here too.

Central Park

My posts about my trip to New York and Boston have been a bit all over the place and way behind schedule considering I was there in August 2013. So here is a recap just in case you missed it - or in case your new here (Welcome!).

Grand Central Terminal

Boston was actually the first port of call where I was shown around by my friend and local. He did scare the daylights out of me at one point but I did enjoy Boston quite a lot and, after the trip was over, found myself missing certain things about it, the cute buildings, the weather, the easiness and openness of it.

Boston - near Davis Square

New York City was next and it was both amazing and exhausting. I climbed iconic buildings, felt like I was in a movie at Grand Central terminal, sneaked photos in the New York public library's Reading Room and lazed in Central Park.

Empire State Building

But New York is not a place to be lazy, its bustling, energetic and exudes wattage like Time Square at night.

Times Square

So a full day in Lower Manhattan was offered up to the travel Gods including a bite to eat at Katz's Deli, and a sail-by hello to the Lady Liberty.

Lower Manhattan Skyline

I don't think it worked though because I found myself knocked out on my last day and having to drag myself out of bed to take in the view of the Manhattan skyline while walking across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Brooklyn Bridge

I could definitely see myself living in New York. Like many others, I fell in love with the city and I only saw a microscopic section of it. I would love to see so much more. I might have to plan another trip there.

Top of the Empire State Building

I hope you enjoyed the posts from this trip and, if you haven't been, are now inspired to visit this amazing city.

If you have been, what did you love the most?

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6 Highlights of Boston, Massachusetts

Before heading to New York, meeting Lady Liberty, enjoying the birds-eye view from the Empire State and Top of the Rock and chilling out in Central Park, I headed to Boston. My friend, a local Bostonian - minus the accent thanks to a Canadian dad - was going to show me around. Aside from the incident with the plane, I really enjoyed Boston, more than I expected.

Boston Library

Trinity Church

So here are some places to visit if you ever find yourself in Boston, in no particular order.

1 - Boston Waterfront
Its lovely and reminded me a little of Sydney Harbour. There is no Opera house or Harbour Bridge but the shape of it with the skyscrapers were similar enough to make me a teensy bit homesick.

Boston Waterfront

Charles River

2 - Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market
When in Quincy Market make sure you try the local speciality, clam chowder. Any one of the shops will be good (it wouldnt survive if it was bad) but its always best to go to one that has a lot of people ordering the dish. My friend  thinks the markets look a bit like Covent Garden in London and I can see why he thinks that, its a old stone market hall surrounded by paved open space. If you are a popcorn lover lover like me, take note, i bought the most delicious bag of popcorn from a stall out front...I was eating from it for days and it was still good!

Candy apples at Quincy Market

Clam chowder from Quincy Market

3 - Harvard University
You can take the metro directly to Harvard University from the centre of Boston. The university does run free tours led by students, but, unfortunately I didn't manage to go on one. They do have self guided tours or if you prefer, just wander around. During the day the gates are usually open and you can usually access the common grounds. Even away from the actual campus, the area around Harvard square has a nice vibe, is full of cafes, restaurants and ice-cream shops (try J.P Licks, such an awesome name for an ice cream shop don't you think?)

Houses around Davis square

4 - Freedom Trail
I confess I didn't do this, I saw parts of it like Paul Reveres House and Park Street Church, but I wish I had done more of the trail. The Freedom trail takes you around some of the most historic and key sites of the American Revolution. Even if you are not interested in American history, if you have seen National Treasure, you'll see the sites of some of the places they refer to in it.

Park Street Church

Paul Reveres House

5 - The North End
North End is full of restaurants, cafes, coffee and pastry shops. If your looking for a nice place for dinner, you cant go wrong here, they are really pricey but my local guide says you'd be hard pressed to get sub-par food or service. If your up for something lighter, try Mike's Pastry, it has all kinds of sweets and I can totally vouch for the custard puffs. Mmmm...custard puff...

Mike's Pastry cake counter

Mike's Pastry custard puff

6 - Top of the Hub
For a breathtaking view over Boston and an elegant dinner or lunch then make your way to Top of the Hub. I went for dinner and each dish was delicious. If you already have dinner plans elsewhere, you can just go for a drink and to listen to the live jazz. The restaurant is in the Prudential tower which is the highest in Boston and watching the twinkling lights over dinner or a drink makes for a very romantic evening.

View of Boston at night from Top of the Hub

I hope you find something that appeals in this list. Boston is only 4.5-5 hours by coach from New York and about an hours flight from JFK airport.

A special thanks to my friend and local guide for showing me around his home city. I had a great time :)

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A day out in Lower Manhattan - Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, Wall Street

When it comes to New York, the question is not "What to do in New York?", there is always so much, but "How do I see as much as possible?" I had three days there and in one of those days I fit in seeing the Statue of Liberty, the 9/11 Memorial, walking along Wall St and snapping a photo of the bronze bull before stopping for a bite at Katz's Deli.

Lower Manhattan skyline

Tips to see the Statue of Liberty

To visit the statue of liberty you need to book with one of the private ferry companies. Shop around as prices can vary from website to website and some include Ellis Island which was closed when i was there. Also, if you plan on climbing to the top (the crown) book well in advance.

Lady Liberty

The alternative (and cheapest option) is to take the Staten Island ferry, its free and goes right past the statue. I took the alternative because only tours of the pedestal were available and it would have take more time as well. Top tip - if you are taking the Staten Island Ferry, line up early and make a dash to the front right hand side of the ferry, it will give you the best view. On the way back opt for the front left hand side but note that you are further away from the statue on the way back to Manhattan.

The Staten Island Ferry and Statue of Liberty

Seeing Lady Liberty was as weird as standing in Grand Central. She was so familiar - and smaller than i expected, kinda like the Mona Lisa. I can now understand why she is an icon of freedom to so many.

Statue of Liberty - the visitors look teensy!

The Charging Bull

Once you are back in Manhattan, Wall street and the 9/11 Memorial are within easy reach. If you head up Whitehall street from the ferry terminal you will meet with the Charging Bull. You will notice that his horns are as rubbed as his testicles...people are odd. And yes I'm one of them but no I'm not sharing any photos of that!

The bronze Charging Bull near Wall St

Wall Street, Federal Hall & New York Stock Exchange

From the Charging Bull keep walking straight up Broadway till you find Wall street on your right. At the intersection with Broad street you will find Federal Hall National Memorial which originally was built as a Customs House and for a period used as one of 6 treasury buildings. It has a beautiful dome on the inside but the real point of interest for me was the locking mechanism of the doors to the vaults, it looked like something out of Gringotts! The Hall is built on a site loaded with American History. "Federal Hall, built in 1700 as New York's City Hall, later served as the first capitol building of the United States of America under the Constitution, and was the site of George Washington's inauguration as the first President of the United States. It was also where the United States Bill of Rights was introduced in the First Congress."*

Federal Hall meets Gringotts locks

A few steps down Broad Street will land you in front of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). You can also see this building from New street around the other side.

New York Stock Exchange, Wall Street

9/11 Memorial

How to get to 9/11 Memorial
The 9/1 Memorial is worth a visit. Its also super easy to get to from Wall street. Head back out to Broadway, take a left and the first right on to Rector street. Two blocks in, take a right on Greenwich street and after another two blocks you will be at the main entrance. There is no entry fee but they do take donations as you walk through. You can book visitors passes in advance but when I went (August 2013) I was able to walk in, possibley because it wasn't peak season. Bear in mind this is a memorial site for tragic events and you will be subject to security screenings.

9/11 Memorial pool

How it felt visiting the 9/11 Memorial
I walked inside and stood at one of the memorial pools. Surrounding the pool are parapets carved with the names of all those who lost their lives. I felt sad, pi$$ed off, helpless and hopeful. It was indeed a tragic event, all those live lost, all the people who loved them and having to get on without them, its very saddening. I was pissed off that it happened, and that it wasn't the only time innocent people have lost their lives. Syria is losing thousands upon thousands of innocent people in a harsh and brutal fashion. In fact there were so many wars, uprisings, senseless killings going on in the world that I was really very angry with it all, why are humans so brutal to each other? The scale of all of that left me feeling very helpless and yet, despite it all, hoping that the people coming to visit the memorial will be people of peace and understanding and will pass that on to future generations.

9/11 Memorial pool and the One World Trade Centre tower (aka 1 WTC or Freedom Tower)

And that's it for my day in Lower Manhattan. After the memorial, I hopped into a taxi and went on to Katz's Deli for a bite. However, there is no shortage of good places to eat in Lower Manhattan so feel free to explore and find a place that appeals if you fancy it.

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