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Travelling into a new world

Travelling will change forever.

Or not?

People are more aggressive, that is for sure.

I was standing at the counter waiting for my sandwich. The server put on the counter on the left side of me, 2 feet away. A man approached the counter and stand just on my left side almost touching me. He was wearing a mask but completely ignored the 6+ feet social distancing rule and any polite behaviour toward other people. He had no respect.

I asked him, if he would like my sandwich.

Then he just started calling me names. Whore was one of the friendly ones. I stood there in disbelieve. I told him this is not acceptable and he should better talk normal to me. He kept on calling me names and made assumptions on how I wanted to be handled by him. The server walked out from behind his protective environment. At this moment the guy just took off. I would love to say that this was a single incident, but unfortunately not.

Generally everybody is missing respect.

No sense for the space they are invading. No sense of respect for the people working in the new environment. Everybody is focused on themselves and forgetting that not everything is about them.

On the plane more people ignoring the rules for storing away laptops. Also just making someone aware that you are about invade their space, an (does not even need to be friendly) “excuse me” …  All of this gone.

Scary new world.

At the beginning I thought the pandemic will teach people to look out for each other. But instead everyone is more focused on themselves.

I feel sorry for the people who have to work in hospitality or other direct customer facing environments.

Also customer service. I called a call centre. After the call the representative said thank you as I treated him as a person and talked to him in a polite manner.

I do not like this new world. Please start respecting each other again.

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Travel during COVID19

Due to an illness in my family I had to fly during the pandemic.

And it was surreal.

On a normal very busy day, the airport was empty. Barely a person to be seen.

Only a couple of flights were scheduled and the gates were announced far apart, to allow social distancing.

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Dropping off my suitcase, I did not know how to behave. There were marks on the floor, but no one seems to be caring. Protection were up for the employees, but how do you get your boarding pass to them?

At the end, the procedure was easy. You tried to stay out of their space and as much as possible behind the marks. When you had to drop of the suitcase, I did it without breathing out, and when she checked my passport, I forgot to take off the face mask (which I was wearing to protect her, just to be sure – I am aware of the fact, that this will not protect me).

I was wearing a facemark to be polite, even though I did not (and do not) have any symptoms, and to make the life of the employees at the airpot and on the plane less stressful. Some of the employees at check in, security and on the plane were wearing masks, some were not.

Going through security, the guards told me that I was inconsiderate and stupid and should have stayed home (would have love to, but my husband had to go to hospital). The same usually coming from the passenger making assumptions without knowing the story.

A lot of people were insecure on how to interact with other people, all kept their distance.

As soon as boarding started, all bets were off. You saw people in full gear, getting close to friends without a face mask and other passenger, even though earlier they made a point of staying away from everybody.

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I have now lived through the pandemic so far in 2 countries.

I have to admit, that Germany is highly respected in the UK. But my experience is very different. I was told from friends (with whom I just talked via Skype) that they were in Ischgl and were home very ill, but were not tested. Neither by the doctors nor the German health agency and were told by their employer to not do it on their own, unless required by a hospital if they would be submitted.

On the street and in big supermarkets people did not care about social distancing. On the street, you had to be careful not be run over by couples walking side by side, as well as mothers with their strollers. From my experience only if it was a small shop and the owner told the customers how to behave and what to do, they followed the rules. Other than that – no.

In regards to human interaction – almost not existing. No calls to see how you are doing, or scheduled calls just for a “sofa crawl”. Maybe I do not have the friends I though I have.

In the UK the opposite. My experience (except mothers with strollers) people are considerate for other people, call each other up, mean the question “how are you?”. We have a lot of contact via FaceTime, Zoom, with different people (old friends and new ones).

My personal advice for travelling during this time:

  • be considerate
  • look out for the people around you
    you might be carer or they might – you do not know
    you do not know their story
  • be kind
  • take your time
  • breath
  • wear a mask
  • wash your hands
  • try not to touch your face
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Puzzles

Question: if you need to enter a non isle seat on a plane, why do you stand just in front of the isle seat, so the person sitting there, cannot let you in?

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Bags and suitcases

I am travelling with a suitcase, which is the Maximum allowed size on a plane as hand luggage and a messenger bag.

The best one I ever had was a cheap one from target … took me ages to destroy it. Tumi: great bag, but zippers were constantly broken or wheels fell of. Now I have a rimova and I love it. Little size wonder. Am amazed how much goes in there. Additionally I have not been able to destroy it (till now).

Important is that the luggage can be easy stored, checked in if possible.

The handbag should be big enough to hold the electrics and stuff, but is easy enough to carry, so one does not get a bad back or muscle aches.

I have a messenger bag with a top handle. Just fits on top of the suitcase and can be easily carried over the shoulder.

Back packs … I had them your years and I have to admit, for me they are like the Bermuda Triangle. I always chuck stuff in and never take it out. After a couple of weeks they are so heavy to lift … and my suitcase has barely any weight.

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Boarding

Sometimes boarding is like a slapstick comedy.

I love the British though. They queue no matter what and are friendly.

Most horrific are flights from Germany. They seem to try to test how many people can pass simultaneously through a single file door.

Currently some airlines have a strikt “board by group ID” policy. If these are called, all English try to get in the queue with the appropriate number. The Germans just go to group 1.

Then you have people who see how long the queue is and try to get on the plane first.

And all of this because the luggage policy has changed. One now needs to pay quiet a lot of money for checked in luggage. Which results in everybody trying to bring on board as much as hand luggage as they possibly can. Which again results in no space in the overhead locker if you board after the 20th passenger.

Besides that a lot of people are very self centred and put small bags and coats which could go under the seat in front of them in the overhead locker. And they have a pretty bad reaction if they are asked to move it. I was once flying and a guy (even though no luggage in the overhead locker) insisted that this is his space and it must remain empty.

Then there are the people once on the plane, they take ages to get into their seat so that no one can move ahead for felt ages. Airlines calculate 30 minutes for boarding, but with Lufthansa from Frankfurt they usually need at least one hour.

Boarding – it is very entertaining if you just watch people and try to stay calm and friendly.

There are people who get very annoyed if someone bumps with their bag into them. The conversations sometimes are hilarious “Why did you bump into me?” – “Because you have to brake lights”.

There are the young consultants which will board with all force even ahead of mothers with their children. (I have rarely seen that anyone is helping them, even though they can board first – but if you have to take a bus from the terminal to the plane …).

Which is another thing, have you noticed that if at Frankfurt the plane is at a field position that it feels like they are driving you to your destination?

And then the tourists which are totally overwhelmed with the whole situation.

Anyhow, my recommendation:

  1. Check in your luggage
  2. Be at the gate early
  3. Try to leave frustrations from work at work. It is already stressful enough.
  4. Try to pack your Hand luggage in a way that you can easy access the thing you will need to take out: toiletries, electronics
  5. Have you passport close at hand
  6. Smile
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The lounge

Every traveler who does not have access wants access.

It is like the golden light at the end.

Once you have access you want the first class access. But unfortunately due to the amount of travellers, this is out of reach nowadays. Already the queues for silver and gold memenbers at the boarding process are longer than the one for “normal” travellers.

The airlines changed the rules that you pretty much need to travel business class for 6 month straight to reach gold status and a year to go further.

My father was an hon at Lufthansa back in the days. I still remember the limousine picking us up at home…. luxury!

I have seen the rare bread at airports in the Far East – why am I not invited?

Anyhow back to reality, today you are on the hunt for the less frequently used lounge at an airport. One of the most horrific ones is the Lufthansa lounge Terminal 1 in Frankfurt. Usually you are not getting a seat. At certain times there are a lot of antsy travellers (non business) which think that they have bought a business class ticket and therefore are entitled to a seat and a good meal … oh well, this lounge will destroy the dream … and the mood of companion travellers.

But the potato salad ….. oh boy, it is good.

The nicest ones are virgin or Air New Zealand (never been into an Emirates one, but other than that have been to a lot of them). The cow shed in London actually made me once arrive 3 hours early for my flight.

As a business traveller you check which membership gives you access to the best lounge, which you are able to book. In the old days you checked for the most miles you could use against flights. But this is so expensive today (fees on a free flight are usually higher than if you buy the ticket). Therefore you use the miles for upgrades. Which again gives you access to THE LOUNGE.

Every lounge has a big plus for them: you can have a free coffee or drink and a seat at non-peak-times.

I love my status at the airline. I would not change it, as I can have a drink at the lounge going home or a breakfast flying out.

Best Breakfast: BA: porridge with honey and cinnamon at their Heathrow lounge.

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Food – Curry Wurst

For me Food (besides of people I love) is home.

Food makes you instantly connect to a place or person. Even though in case of a person one might argue drinks will do the trick no matter what.

Anyhow, Food.

The moment you taste a certain food it will automatically take you back. It is not necessarily the food itself, but actually taste. And nothing is nicer than being instantly taken back home, to mum, putting her hand on your head, checking if all is ok.

My mum was envied by all neighbour mums, as she was the only one who could get vegetable into us kids. Her tick: she pureed the vegetable soup and put little sausages in – we all loved it.

And this is why it is called comfort food i guess.

For me that would be Curry Wurst Schränke or rot weiß (Curry Wurst with Chips (French Fries), ketchup and Mayonnaise).

One time after I spend 3 month eating of lobster and oysters in the north east of the USA, I came back and someone offered me a good meal, I said: could I have a curry wurst and a Joghurt as desert?

For me the best one can be found here:

Curry Wurst, Hohe Strasse 4-8, Cologne, Germany

Or

Curry B., Breite Straße 120, Cologne, Germany.

These are not fancy ones with different levels of heat or restaurants. Just decent good German junk food, table outside, ordering at the counter, etc. Only bad side: they do not understand “Curry Wurst Schranke”.

Unfortunately this can only be found in the Ruhrgebiet or Cologne.

Even though I found one place in London which does a decent one.

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Travel entertainment

When travelling you can always watch people. If you spend endless hours in airports, train stations and especially planes, it can be quiet entertaining.

On my last flight I had a blogger sitting beside me. Cute girl, writing frantically, occupying the whole seat between us with all kind of stuff.

She actually got asked by the stewardess repeatedly to put the stuff under the seat in front of her and all she did was looking at her like “I am gods gift to the world, you must worship me”. (By the way this facial expression makes you look stupid)

Interestingly these girls all look a like. Blond messy hair, nerdy glasses, skinny jeans, boots, heavy make up (even though it is supposed to look like none).

Why are people doing this?

Then the young successful consultant. Busy with his computer. I always think that these boys probably just started their jobs and think they are on top of the world. Then they marry, cheat on their wife and loose everything.

Then the fight for the armrest. No matter where you put your arm (I usually try to be nice) they alway, poke you with their elbows. How do they do that? An armrest is an easy concept. Stick to it!

Thank good here comes a G&T

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Starting to travel – ancient history

I started travelling for business almost 3 decades ago (oh boy, am I really that old?).

It was a different time then.The budgets were still available to stay in decent hotels, flights and rental cars. On the other side a lot was more vacation oriented, which made you selecting a Hotel closest to customer and availability of a telephone (yes, normal telephone).

One thing which has transpired over the time was: there is nothing better than the food of your home country. And I do not mean the good stuff – I means the junk food.

For me: Curry Wurst!

What I have traveled around… but the best is still in Cologne.

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First Entry

Usually I am looking around the web to find information on what to do, enjoy, love and hate (I am easy to influence). But I am a consultant and therefore travel a little and missing a blog or information on business travel. No matter if short or long …