Cologne, Germany


Little Boy and Snow Man with Cello

Brot/Food Stand

Costumes...

Beer Stand

Another Beer Stand Picuture

The Cathedral

Me and the Cathedral

So with my health kick I thought I would try BIMActive.com to track my progress and running. It is pretty cool. Pretty simple, I just downloaded an application to my cell phone and use it while running. The application uses the GPS device built-in to my phone and automatically uploads the route, elevation, speed and other stats to a website.

Walk around Georgetown, Washington, DC

6.86 mile run from Georgetown

Now with my gym membership, training plan and diet I ought to be able to meet my goal of meeting the requirements to enter the Boston marathon and look OK in a Speedo!

Ticket Seller Ben

The end of this week I am working the TSSAA Girl's State Tournament in Murfreesboro, TN. So far it is fun as it is campus and Michael brought his WiFi enabled laptop and the campus is 100 percent WiFi. We are jammin' to XM Radio Online and looking people on Facebook and MySpace.

Michael and I have Tennessee State trooper protecting us from these evil crazy middle and high school kids. One kid snapped his fingers at me when he did not get his change quick enough I guess. Last year my friend worked the event with his girlfriend and the trooper spent a lot of time in the ticket booth 'protecting' them. This year it is just me and him and the trooper does not spent much time at all. His girlfirend was 'looker.'

A group in the afternoon made a mess in the bathroom when they were painting themselves with paint to cheer for there team. The police was yelling at them and got there group leader. They were forced to clean up the mess of blue and yellow paint.

Free food and soda are included in the deal and the pay is good so it is a good gig overall.

Funny thing - This morning this older gentleman came into the ticket booth. Comes to find out that the ticket booth is his office. He seamed mad that during this week and next week his 'office' was to be used during the day.

Video of my ticket selling skills
I made the sign above the spells 'Tickets' with the ticket I was selling. We pimped the ticket booth with the iPod, laptop and speakers. Click the video to play in QuickTime.


Working hard - Busy night


Mike working


The Murphy Center - where the basketball games are played

Dinner and Chat

Had a pretty good day yesterday.

Went to my friend Isaac and had dinner. I has been gone for seven months in South-east Asia and Isreal. Well while in Thailand he took a cooking class. He made some great Pad Thai with chicken and tofu. Had a good talk with him and his family.

When Isaac was in Isreal we used Skype to talk and instant message. Worked quite well.

Came home and had a talk on AIM with a classmate.

Watched Food TV and they mentioned Zachary's Pizza in Berkeley and Oakland, CA. They make earth and tastly pizzas. Certianly on the list to try next time I am out there!

Today I relaxed and did some ground on the multi-engine aircraft. The MTSU Women's Basketball team won he SEC Sunbelt! Go Go Blue Raiders!

Singapore Airlines 22 Newark, NJ to Singapore

Block at 18h35m
Actual Time 17h46m

Now is all I can say. One would think traveling 9535 miles would be unbearable but I enjoyed the journey; possible one of my favourite flights yet.

I guess my trip starts at Washington Dulles IAD. I needed to get to Newark Airport for my flight. So I thought I would take the 3:10 PM depart from Washington Dulles to Newark. Well as Decker pointed out in his trip report, the weather in the northeast USA was bad on 04DEC. My 3:10 was delayed to 3:50 PM and when I went to have the Captain sign my jumpseat request form, he said the release time to Newark was after 5PM but I was welcome to join them. So I decided to take the delayed 3:00Pm flight to New York-LGA as its posted time was now 4:05PM. As the captain about the release time and it was 4:17 PM so that sounded like a plan. We push back and as reached spot 80 at IAD ground called and said our release time is now 5:03PM. So we took off then landed on Runway 22 at LGA, thanked the crew the ride and took the ETS Shuttle for Newark Airport at 6:30PM.

At 7:45PM I arrived at Newark. As it is a 11PM departure, there was no line but they were prepared as there were about eight checkin desk. Check in was preformed by a ground contractor, maybe SAS. No problems but got the 'SSSS' on my boarding card, possible because I changed my dates twice.

I got some food at Villa Pizza and got a quick tour of the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Newark.

Then I went pass security and found that there was not much to do. I was traveling in economy and did not lounge access; or so I thought. Being one who believes that it never hurts to ask, I went to in the air side lounge, operated by SAS and ask if my Virgin Flying Club Card gave me access. The agent did not know but as a one-time favour she let me. Pretty nice place but the First Class area was full. Have a wine bar, Swedish meatballs, sandwiches and soft drinks and a telephone/computer area.

The flight was called so I went to gate 63. No line to board. WOW! The aircraft was had Christmas stuff all over the place.

Well up to this point I was sorta scaried that the aircraft would be cramped but I was pleasantly delighted. The 2-3-3 config. was great. I sat in 44G which is an aisle in a block of there seats. The middle seat was empty but noticed that there were not any air vents but only lights. There is plenty of overhead space as the aircraft only seats 181 people. The captain came on the PA and welcomed everyone and said tonight's routing. Seamed surreal to me, honestly.

Pushed back and after a long take off roll, we were airborne off to Singapore's Changi Airport.

After fifteen minutes, drink and meal service began. One important point drink service occurred at least every 30 minutes during the flight with water and orange juice all the time with apple juice sometimes added to the mix.

I started my flight to Singapore with the classic, The Singapore Sling !

Then was time for meal service.

The Menu in Executive Economy

"Refreshing Beverages for a more Pleasurable Experience"

-Aperitifs
Gin Fizz
Screwdriver
Bloody Mary
Campria
Dry Vermouth

-Sprits
Cognac Otard VSOP
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Gordon's Dry Gin
Absolut Vodka
Bacardi Carta Blanca
Cointreau
Bailey's

-Wines
French Red Wine
French White Wine
German White Wine

-Champagne
Heidsieck Hertiage
Brut Non Vintage

-Beer
Tiger
Budweiser
Stout

-Fruit Juices
Orange
Pineapple
Apple
Tomato

-Cocktail
Singapore Sling

-Soft Drinks

Tasty Beginnings
-Gravadlax with pickles and leafy greens

The Main Event
-Seared chicken with wild rice, dried cranberry-apple and walnut
or
-Stir-fried beef Szechuan style, leafy greens, cauliflower, red capsicums, and egg noodles

The Cheese Corner
-Cheese and crackers

Sweet Overtones
-Ice Cream

From the Bakery
-Roll and Butter

Also there was a nice note about that there is a snack bar in the back of the aircraft that you can go to. They had Lay's Potato Chips, many king size candy bars, quarter sandwiches, rolls, and always water and orange juice.

So I had the beef.

While watching some movie, I fell asleep. Normally I feel poorly after sleeping in economy but this is really premium economy. After about six hours I woke up. The taught came in my mine that normally at this point, seven hours into the flight, I would be landing at Heathrow.

Out of the blue, person a few rows up opened the window. The cabin was black as night and with the seat recline was perfect. With the open window about a third of the plane stirred. She closed the window quickly.

So I went back to the snack bar and got some orange juice and three sandwich things and started to watch everything in Wiseman 3000 under TV Comedy (Sex and the City, Ab Fab (yea), Joey, The Office etc.) Funny thing is that I have seen most of the shows. Pointer: When starting a show on Wiseman, fast-forward ASAP about 2 minutes or watch an advert for the Inter Continental in Sydney.

So after this I look to my left and talk to a nice lady from was born in Japan, moved to the USA and became a citizen, and currently is married to an Australian and is working in the education field in Singapore. Wow! She was not old and might I say a life full of big life changes.

So we start ordering from the KrisShop. I bought a model Airbus 340-500 in Singapore Airlines colours. It is medal and all.

Now I only have six hours to go. Over the half way point. Yea. I thought I would see where I am in this great planet. Well no luck as that part of Wiseman is INOP. I really wanted to watch the flight, especially because of it's lenght.

So I went and got some warm instant noodles and water to have a snack with my movie.

Then sleep. Then breakfast.

Menu

Began Your Day With Fresh and Wholesome Pickings

Fresh fruit with cottage cheese
Fruit yogurt (Strawberry and Banana)

French toast stuffed with orange cream and Grand Marnier, blueberry syrup and sausages
or
Braised egg noodles with roasted pork and Chinese greens
So we arrived at Changi Airport about 30 minutes early. Funny that we were early on a flight that goes the good bit around half of the world but two day prior I was about 100 minutes late into New York.

Back the soul train up. "Two days prior." What the h@ll happened to 05DEC2005? I want it back.

So I arrived safely into the airport halls. First things first; CALL HOME! Saw a booth for free overseas calls. Worked like a champ and free.

Went to passport control without any line or problems. My one bag was waiting for me.

I took the SMRT into town. Good set-up but if you are going to Orchard Road you have to change at Tenah Merah and then at City Hall. Found the Hilton without delay.

A great flight and really could not think of a better way of doing it. Only problem was the flight tracking system but oh well. Food was wonderful but I ate too much. Now I have flown on the world's longest flight and look forward to the return. Will try to get pictures up in Sydney.

Questions warmly welcome.

BTW-SQ's is longer than VS' (never mind, bad joke, I know)


Benjamin

One Chapter closes, One opens

My internship is coming to an end. I have enjoyed it and learned a bunch about how an airline operates as a whole.

I am so excited about my upcoming holiday to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Sydney, Australia. This trip is special for many reasons.

• I will be on the world's longest flight (Singapore Airlines Newark to Singapore, nonstop)
• Complete my boyhood dream of going to Sydney and Australia
• Going to Asia
• Traveling on two new low cost carriers (Virgin Blue and Impluse) and one of the world's best (Singapore)
  

I have great thoughts of Australia and only have heard good things. I have read Bill Bryson's book 'In a Sunburned Country' and about every Lonely Planet book about Australia.

Singapore looks neat too. I have always enjoyed city-states and areas of crazy growth. Southern Asia's yearly GDP growth is huge! Singapore looks to be a prefect society where everything is cheap (compared to the USA and UK). Also the airport is one of the best so I hear.

Kuala Lumpur. Well really I just want to see the towers and the Hilton. I want to stay at a hotel with a plasma flat screen TV and thought I was going to in New York but got switch to a room without. I was traveling with my parents for the New York City Marathon in 2004 and need a room with two beds. The Kuala Lumpur Hilton has 42 inch plasma flat screen TVs in each room so I am happy.

So read my blog as I will post about my trip during my trip! :)

Benjamin

Las Vegs Baby!!!

I went to Las Vegas with my fellow interns. We took DH from Washington's Dulles to Las Vegas McCarrin. Pretty good flight, especially as I got a row to myself. Prior to depature I helped an Asian gentlemen get a tag for his stroller. He was happy. Anyway, we pushed back on-time at 7:40 PM and noticed the Virgin flight (7:15 PM depature) to Heathrow was still there. Take-off, climb and put the iPod headset and break out the "East Coast Australia Lonely Planet" guide to plan my upcoming trip.


Me onboard (seats 2ABC on the Airbus 319)


'Meal Service'


A DigiPlayer (not in use on Independence Air anymore)


Me, Michael, and Ryan (the interns)


Crazy Me!

So we got to Las Vegas safely. A fellow intern rented a car and drove us to the strip. We walked up to the Luxor and then started back. The streets were pretty busy as the U2 concert just let on. Played a slot at each casino at an overall loss. Not too much happened but neat to see Vegas by night. After the other two interns left to drive to the Grand Canyon for sunrise, Michael and I walk the rest of the strip.

After all that walking we were hungery. We met up with Pete who was in town for the First V-Flyer Conference. I must say it is cool to meet someone in person after meeting them in a forum. Anyway the champagne buffet at the Wynn is well worth the money as there is simply everything on it and everything is top notch.

After a great breakfast, Pete gave us a ride to airport. Very kind of him. Michael and I were off to Washington Dulles. The fight deck let the cabin know when we were over Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon.

Yet again, A great time in Vegas!




Michael and I with the Horny Toad at Las Vegas Airport