Intro In May 2022 I finally experienced the world’s longest flight aboard Singapore Airlines flight SQ23 New York’s JFK to Singapore SIN. This is by a technicality, the true longest flight in the world. It is a couple of miles longer and about 5-10 minutes on average longer flying time than Newark EWR to SIN….
24 Hours in St. Barths (St. Barthelemy)
Following my quick but wonderful stay in Anguilla, I ventured to St. Barths. This is not at all the Caribbean I am used to. St. Barths is basically Europe, and France to be specific. No “island time” here, everything is run more on a laidback European time. Euros is the currency and French is the…
Review: Coolest Airbnb in Anguilla
Anguilla, a relatively flat and long Caribbean island a few miles off the coast of its larger neighbor Saint Martin. It is known for its soft white sand beaches, voted among the best in the world, handful of upscale resorts including a Belmond property, and supposedly its food too. I did not really now about…
24 Hours in Athens, Greece with Culinary Backstreets
At the end of March 2022, I decided to take advantage of shoulder season pricing and nice spring weather and headed to Athens, Greece for a weekend. It was my first time in both Athens and Greece. Athens has long been on my travel list since I was a child, largely due to a phase…
Diving and Swimming with Whales in Salt Cay, Turks and Caicos with Salt Cay Divers
I had been wanting to visit Turks and Caicos for quite a few years now, especially after I learned that it is well known for its diving. At the end of February and into March 2022, I finally had the chance to go. I did a lot of research on possibly dive adventures in Turks…
Weekend in Bermuda
In March 2022 I decided to fly out to Bermuda for a weekend to check it out. The island has been on my radar for a while. In part for the association with the Bermuda triangle but also because its geographic location in a sort of odd mid-Atlantic zone. Some consider it Caribbean, others do…
24 Hours in Barbados
My first international trip in 2022 took my to the recently fully independent Caribbean island nation of Barbados. All I really knew about Barbados was that it is the birthplace of Rihanna and that it was a British colony. But I learned that it was a crucial island for sugar production and has a thriving…
Review: Emirates “Game Changer” First Class Suite on EK 231 DXB to IAD
As mentioned in my prior post covering the Gulf Air Falcon Gold Business Class experience, for Christmas 2021 I managed to secure a last minute award booking on the Emirates “Game Changer” fully enclosed First Class suite, unlocking yet another aviation bucket-list item. So began my whirlwind Christmas journey to Dubai. Worth it? Live up…
Review: Gulf Air Falcon Gold Business Class FRA-BAH-DXB with 24 hours in Bahrain
For my 2021 Christmas holiday I managed to find a last minute award availability on Emirates Game Changer First Class Suite from Dubai to Washington D.C. on Christmas Day. I then needed to find a way to position myself in Dubai. It also was a good opportunity to visit the Dubai Expo which was happening…
Coffee and Adventures in Concepcion de Ataco, El Salvador with El Salvatours
Over Thanksgiving 2021, I traveled to El Salvador in Central America. El Salvador is the least visited of all the Central American countries and was the last one that I had yet to visit. It has become one of the favorites. The country has had a turbulent past to say the least. Having come out…
Review: SingleThread Farm and Restaurant, Healdsburg
In November 2021 I headed out to Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California. Not only to explore a bit of this wine country but for the main event: a dinner at Singlethread Farm – Restaurant – Inn. I honestly could not believe I managed to get a reservation, given my normally rotten luck with Tock reservation openings…
Quick Guide to Healdsburg, Sonoma County, USA + Valette Restaurant
Northern California. What a wonderful place to visit. Food, wine, outdoors, and all within fair and easy reach from San Francisco. California wine country is vast and diverse. You have the most famous one, Napa Valley, its more quaint but equally great neighbor, Sonoma, and the many other dotting the entire state like Paso Robles…