Off on my travels

I'm off "on my travels" for the next month - 6 cities ((OK - 5 cities and 1 island)) in 4 weeks ... but should have plenty of chances to pop in here in the 'tweens. If you should see a car driving down the road outside your home on the wrong side of the road, it'll probbaly be me having forgotten which country I'm in on which day   

Have a fantastic time!

Have a great time Graham!  Can't wait to hear all about it!

Bon voyage!

Have a happy and safe trip, I look forward to hearing all about it when you have the time.

Have a good time, our modern-day Jack Kerouac!

Have a great trip G!

Thanks, folks ....

My first Transatlantic flight for a year.  London to Washington DC on the day that Dubya is being re-inaugurated as President.  I've read lots of comments here about more security, less security, searches, no searches, so wondered how we would find it.

UK, Outbound

Check in - a breeze. Security questions - routine.  Airport's own screening - "they've got so used to this it runs like clockwork" but perhaps we've got so used to it that we just know what to put in the hold baggage and NOT to wear *that* pair of shoes that always sets off the alarms!

A wee surprise at the gate - the airline was manually searching most (perhaps all?) passengers and quite thoroughly.  Had to do a demo of my laptop.  Turn on the digital camera (ah, now that was an issue as its batteries are dead; I knew this and need to buy more). Writing in flight (well - can YOU watch a movie in these conditions??) and awaiting our USA arrival to add my comments on that.

USA, Inbound

Also very VERY easy ...

Edit to add.

Very easy on way in to USA.  My first time finger printed/ photo'd.  Was sondering how I would feel about it, but it was done in such a matter of fact way that - well - turned out to be no big deal.

And back again, after 2 full days (and 2 part days) in DC, largely stuck in SIL's house due to the storm that went through.  Continuing my comments of security / flight.

USA Outbound

Quick and easy checkin and shorter lines that we're used to at security, but still their usual abrasive selves there.  I do feel like saying "hey - there's no need to be so agressive - we're the customers who pay your wages" but somehow when they have the power to choose to search you especially thoroughly and make your life a misery, I take the meek and mild way out.

Yep, our bags were opened, searched and non-too-neatly restowed resulting in a couple of breakages.  Not upset at this as it wasn't as bad as it could have been (indeed it was less bad than we expected).  Interesting to see that they were particularly interested in the spare balls that Lisa bought for her Perchinko machine.  Mind, I too am wondering why we needed to many ... and they do look like shot.

UK Inbound

Eeeeeasy. But it's the first time I've had my passport scanned on the way in, and it was noticable that there was a much higher presence of customes officers than usual, stopping quite a high proportion of people.

Wow that was a fast trip! Welcome back.
With all this bopping round here and there how do you deal with jetlag? When I was working for AA I used to fly to the UK on weekends but I would have to sleep all the way home so I could go to work on Monday night.

Good question (probably worth its own thread), but I think everyone handles Jetlag differently.   This trip was short (just one full day visiting and shopping, and one full day stuck at Sister in Laws's through a storm) that I didn't really get onto a US timezone.  However, I applied my own "personal" style ...

Westbound - late night, early morning BEFORE the flight means that by lunchtime takeoff from Heathrow I'm already a bit worn;  a can or two of beer (I know - using that alchohol drug  ) helps me sleep, though I can even be asleep before takeoff sometimes.  Hour or two's sleep and the films, reading, relaxing.   This time, I had a good charge in the laptop and I was working.   Coffees before arrival in the USA and I can usually keep going well into the evening so that my night will be early, but not unseemly-early.  I probably wake during the night, and I'm probably a bit tired the following afternoon, but that's about the sum total effect.

Eastbound - no preparations ahead and again a couple of beers and a good sleep.  I find Eastbound much harder if I haven't slept well - and the three terrors here are (a) child kicking from behind (b) Full recliner from ahead and (c) Elbows from left and right (with a special mention for staff who run over protruding feet with the duty free trolley!).  Following day can feel a bit long;   we landed at 8 this morning and it's now 6 - I'll be in bed by 8 and up again by 4, then doing a full day's work.

Up again early on Wednesday ... out again by 06:00 for the next trip.

More jetlag tips anyone?

Jetlag tips..
Here's what I did.
1. Always fly First class so you can have a bedseat   (this helps if you have flight benefits)
2. Avoid coffee!! and drink lots of water. Of course this will annoy the person you are sitting next to especially if youre stuck in the "friendship seat" (the seat between the aisle and the window) and have to visit the loo every hour.
3. Upon arrival at your destination..set your watch to local time and force yourself to stay awake till a normal bedtime otherwise you'll be up at 1 or 2am bright eyed and bushy tailed.
4. Try to get lots and lots of sunlight if possible. I read in my psych textbook that light therapy is really the only real treatment for jetlag.

My best jetlag tip is stay up really late the night before and get hideously drunk. You will sleep like a baby on the plane and be fully refreshed when you reach your destination and suffer no jet lag. I found this out quite by accident!

Hey, thanks for letting us know about your trip. Jon and I are going to America on the 2nd February for a couple of weeks. It's the first time back since we moved to the UK so I'm a bit nervous about all the extra security and stuff. It'll be interesting to see how Jon reacts to the fingerprinting, he's not very keen on it.

Did the fingerprinting rule take effect for incomers the first of the year? It must have, because Andrew didn't get fingerprinted when we went to the States (December 15). I've noticed another thing, too: If you can afford it (and it's well worth it for overseas flights), go business class instead of economy. The past two times we've been to the States, we've done that. It costs considerably more, but you get incredibly quick ("priority") check-in and check-out (i.e., this year was a first for having luggage checked for anything questionable, but customs left us alone). I couldn't make the flight (hipwise) without having the legroom you get in business, so it was the only option. Also, Andrew's 6'4"--need I say more?