Carper Diem » Travel

Virgin Trains

grumbler — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:28:53 +0000

I don’t seem to be having much luck with Virgin Trains of late.
Last time, all trains from Euston via Rugby got cancelled due to signal failure. This mean that I had to miss my connecting onward travel. Any information I was given was either incorrect or utterly useless!
This time, I missed the train by a couple of minutes (why aren’t the trains late when you need them to be!), and then the next train was cancelled. This meant a 2 hour delay to me. Needless to say I was not happy.
Mind you I bet a number of people will have far worse horror stories than mine. But do tell me about them. Let me feel consoled!! Please!!!

2 Luggage Allowance!

grumbler — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 22:23:17 +0000

Whoopee! Today they announced that they are now allowing some airports to have 2 hand luggages!! Big deal! The only question is why did they stop in the first place. And more importantly, is why are some airports like Gatwick still not allowing more than one hand luggage.

I remember a time where you could take? a hand luggage as well as:-

a handbag or briefcase
an umbrella
a vanity case
an overcoat
a hat box
a camera bag

Not that you would really want to carry all those pieces, but the point was you were allowed to. And now we should be grateful we are allowed 2 pieces of hand luggage.

America

grumbler — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 23:10:34 +0000

I am still in this quandary as to what to do. I would love to visit Chicago, New York, Washington, Seattle, California, Florida and other US States. But I have too much difficulty with the idea of giving them my finger prints. It also screws with my going on a cruise as some of the best cruises touch base with the USA.

I? mean what are they going to want next? A blood or urine sample? A stool? A swipe from my mouth?

Private Jets

grumbler — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 20:59:22 +0000

Gordon Gerstein is a director of Prudential Aviation. They are a charter jet company. If I won the lottery or somehow made millions, I would definately want to use them. It would mean a direct flight to where ever I want to go, at a time that is conveniant for me and probably without all the hassles that commercial airport securities inflict upon you. Oh and next to no danger of terrorism! That’s my idea of travelling well, unless I can learn to fly my own plane!

Finger Prints Required

grumbler — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:41:47 +0000

I felt sick to my guts when I found out that for me to enter the USA I need to have my finger prints taken. Perhaps the reason that I feel this way is that I associate having finger prints taken with loss of rights and criminals. I feel that it unjustified to request my fingerprints just to visit a country! I thought we were trying to make the world a smaller place and not create greater barriers.

What will the next step be? A urine specimen, a blood sample and a hair strand before access can be granted!

Driving Ban

grumbler — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 23:01:10 +0000

I was very surprised to read that 1 million drivers in the UK are just one conviction away from losing their licenses. How scary is that! Are we such bad drivers? Or should the law perhaps be a little more relaxed?

Passport Photographs

grumbler — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 21:54:20 +0000

As far as I was aware, the point of a passport photograph was to show a true likeness of a person. However with all the silly regulations, people no longer look like themselves.

Don’t smile or even express any emotion!
Hair back from your face (ie change your hairstyle)!?
Must be a certain size but cannot be trimmed!
Don’t open your mouth!
Look straight into the camera, only forward facing (after all its the only direction we move in!)
They even recommend removing your specs as you cannot have glare, reflection and frames must not cover your eyes!

And they don’t even allow Muslim women to have covered faces. Is that not offensive to them?

Yet recently a 5 year old girl had her photo rejected because her shoulders were visible and it might be offensive to Muslims?

Seriously?

BA feel the heat!

admin — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:00:42 +0000

It started already. Due to BA’s prices and new policy I recently chose to travel by boat and train rather than BA.

Meanwhile, coincidentally my mother also chose to fly another airline rather than BA due to their new prices and policies!

I guess BA it really is time to say Adieu!

BA competes with Ryan Air on Baggage Allowance!

admin — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 14:22:33 +0000

I travel frequently need to take a domestic and european flight. I tend to travel with 2 bags within my weight allowance as it is easier for me to carry. So if I had two bags, does this mean that I would be charged (£60+£120) x return – a total of £360 for having an extra bag? It will simply be cheaper to fly an alternative airline.

BA try to justify this by saying that Ryan Air already charges for checked in Baggage. You cannot compare Ryan Air’s charges for baggages as it is just £3.50 a bag if you are within your weight allowance, and this is acceptable as flight costs are actually often negligible.

If BA thinks it is trying to compete with other airlines such as Ryan Air, it is going about it the wrong way. BA – you lower your prices and NOT increase them!

Good Bye British Airways – It was nice while you lasted!

More Travel Silliness!

admin — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 22:17:21 +0000

Apparently BAA in Gatwick will NOT bring a buggy to the pier / the door of the plane for security reasons! I might have stored some water in the buggy?

It gets better and better!