Flyover Friday: When a Picture is Worth 1000 Miles

 

With a very few exceptions, all the travel photos I use for this blog are ones I've personally taken.  I don't travel with a fancy camera, or use many filters.  The world as I am lucky enough to see it simply doesn't need enhancement.  I think it's about time for some gratuitous travel photos, because Friday.  Also because I'm trying to convince myself it's still a good idea to get up at 3am and head to LAX for another same day turn to ORD in the morning.

Let's see if we can go 'around the world' in ten pictures or so.

  

While we're on the topic of Chicago, just reminding myself that Oak Park in the Fall isn't a bad choice.  It also gets about 3,400 qualifying miles from LAX.

 

Up next, taking it South, to the lakes of Panama, surrounded by thick jungle and mangrove. 

 

 

Meanwhile in Europe, meet one of my favorite travel photos of all time- A bike ride through Deer Park just outside of Copenhagen.  I'll explain in more detail in another post, but I'm hoping to go back to this region next Summer, since Finnair has released some impressive partner business class award tickets for next year.

 

And a stop in Tuscany between vineyards.  On our first full day in Italy, we got lost in the hills outside of Florence on bikes.  It was gorgeous, but our legs were very tired once we finally found our way back to the villa.  For the record- just because you didn't get lost biking in Berlin or Copenhagen....does not mean you won't get lost further South. 

 



 

From old to new - Doha's harbor, now dominated by ultra sleek and modern architecture, while fishing boats still dock beside.

 



 

 

Then go East.....Far East.  One of the most beautiful sunrise approaches I've seen, going Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur (top) and the staircase to the Batu limestone caves, Kuala Lumpur. (bottom)

 

 

On the home stretch, go a bit north, for a look at Shanghai from the Bund....

 

 

.......And the beautiful ceiling of Tokyo Station, before crossing the last ocean for home.



 

 To finish out, a reminder that sometimes you don't have to go far at all for beautiful sights, and good memories.  Back on the West Coast, Mrs. CruisingAltitude & BabyFlyer enjoy a Summer day in Langley, Washington taking in the Cascades in the distance.

 

In other news, as I said in a recent entry, I'm excited to now offer travel help, advice, and consulting through Altitude Consulting!  Altitude provides personalized assistance planning your next trip, finding the best redemptions for your air miles and hotel points, as well as consulting on any topic you've been wondering about the world of loyalty programs.  This is a new endeavor, so I'm still building out the site, but please check it out & get in touch.  I'd love to help you Travel Well!

 

~CruisingAltitude

 

This post is part of Budget Traveler's Sandbox' Travel Photo Thursday, and Life In Wanderlust's #FlyAwayFriday.  Go check out both these great collections of posts for some amazing travel info and ideas!





Over 2013.....

Happy New Year!!  Hope it was as good of a 2013 for everyone else as it has been for me.  Aside from making the big 100k miles, the rest of life has likewise been memorable to say the least.  As I take the first few steps into another year (and admit it really is time to get back to the gym....and on a diet that includes less processed cheese snacks) I thought it would be fun to relive 2013 'from the sky.'  To that end, here are my top 10 favorite shots from seat 6A (or 15F...or...well, you get the idea).

10- Sunset over the Southwest, ABQ->LAX

9- Maui hillside & wind turbines, HNL->OGG

8- Snow patterns over the plains, DFW -> SEA

7- Stars above, lights below, DFW->LAX

6- Southern Japan and Islands, PVG->NRT

5- Cascades, DFW-SEA

4- Boston from final approach, DFW->BOS

[Photo credit- Mrs. CruisingAltitude]

3- Path of the snowstorm, DFW-BOS

[Photo credit- Mrs. CruisingAltitude]

2- Lights from above, PVG->NRT

1- Mount Ranier & dome cloud, DFW->SEA

Honorable mention- This lightening storm, DFW->BDL

And, as always, it's good to make it safely home again- LAX sunset from Terminal 4

Happy 2014, enjoy the ongoing adventure & fly safe!

~CruisingAltitude

On The Twelfth Day....

I don't know why, but for some reason last night my brain decided, instead of trying to rest and get a good night's sleep before work, that it should instead make up a convincingly sing-able (or at least hum-able) 'Traveler's 12 Days of Christmas.'  Yeah, I don't get it either, but here we are.... so just go with it. 

"On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, My Travels Gave to Me.....

Twelve OneWorld Lounges,

Eleven Hours on GoGo,

Ten Across In Econ,

Nine Upgrades Clearing, 

Eight Tight Connections, 

Seven Times Through PreCheck

Six Weather Re-Routes

!!!Five Years Elite!!!

Four Pre-Flight Drinks, 

Three Mileage Runs, 

Two Rollaboards, 

And a Handful Of Club Candy!!*

Anyone else's snapshots of the qualifying year look like mine??  Happy Holidays everyone, and best wishes for clear skies, and plentiful bonus miles in the new year!

~CruisingAltitude

*Photo courtesy of Mrs. CruisingAltitude on her way to DFW this afternoon.

Mileage Running: "Oh my God, why would you do that?"

So....this is what comes up when you google image search 'lounge dragon.'  Okay, now you KNOW you have to read the rest of this post to find out what the little guy's doing here, don't you??

The following is because it’s Monday, and because ‘why not?’.....

A few months ago, while cruising around flyertalk.com for some travel gossip, I came upon this YouTube video wherein the author reenacts through animation himself trying to explain mileage running to a coworker.  I know, I know, it's dated as Continental no longer 'exists' as such, and the new United/Continental mess has basically eliminated mileage running with their oh so painful 'revenue requirement,' but still... (link also here- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFO0HSxJYWM )

  

I laughed, I laughed a lot.  Then I promptly shared the link with friends, most of whom did not laugh….well, maybe a polite chuckle here and there, but that’s about it.

After reflecting on this, and possibly while trying to decide whether I have the nerve to try and get the rest of my 100k miles on AA this year by flying to Dubai and back (twice...maybe...it's a great deal, promise) without leaving the airports (insert ‘oh my God, why would you do that’ here),it occurred to me that a little insight, and definitely levity was needed.  So I thought the best way to do this, was to try to find a little common ground with others who might share my affliction.  So, without further delay- weather, mechanical, or otherwise, I give you…...

“You might be addicted to travel status if:”

-You’ve started to believe that your trifecta of chosen airline, hotel chain, and car rental companies really says something about ‘who you are as a person,’ but you have no idea what that is.

-You watched “Up in the Air” and took no issue with Ryan Bingham's goals or compulsions, just the fact that no one in their right mind carries their rollaboard up that circular staircase in the Admiral’s Club STL when you know there’s a perfectly good elevator around the corner.

-You get a little thrill from hitting ‘Find Flights’ or similar buttons on ticket search engines, akin to spinning the roulette wheel in Vegas.  

-Being denied TSA PreCheck leads to a microcosm of the 5 stages of grief, especially the anger and bargaining ones as you (somewhat politely) stomp off to the regular screening line.   

-When someone asks for advice on what credit card to apply for, and you solemnly reply that that’s a complicated question, and start asking them about their life goals, travel patterns, and astrological sign before offering an answer.  

-You’ve ever wished your airline’s website offered an ‘at LEAST __ stops’ option on the search page.

-You know what a ‘lounge dragon’ is, and it has nothing to do with comic books or multi-sided dice.**

-You know the difference between a TATL, TPAC, and a Transcon and can estimate the CPM for each when given a price.

-You revel in the minutia of airline and airport trivia, and will explain 'fascinating' things like the difference in seat plan between a 767-200 and a 767-300 until someone aggressively changes the subject. 

-You sometimes feel you’re the only one who adequately respects the sanctity of shared overhead bin space.

-You have very, very strong feelings about the metaphysical and psychological differences between preference for ‘window or aisle.’

-Simply hearing the word ‘upgrade’ in just about any context raises your pulse at least 5 bpm.

-You honestly consider a ‘destination airport’ to be a legitimate draw when planning a vacation, as in- “Sure I’m looking forward to going to Sydney to see the opera house and maybe pet a kangaroo, but what I really can’t wait for is to check out the Qantas First lounge at SYD.”

-The thought of checking luggage causes an immediate and uncontrollable facial tick.

Well, did it work?  What did I miss?

Okay, maybe that didn't come close to explaining the whole ‘flying for the miles’ thing….but it was fun anyway, right?

~CruisingAAltitude

PS, I have some legitimate and hopefully informative trip reports on the way….so bear with me.  

**For those still wondering about the cute lizard up top, 'Lounge Dragons' are the agents at the front desk of airline clubs in airports who make sure you're entitled to enter.  They're not known for their rule-bending or compassion about your 8 hour layover if your membership isn't current.