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Driving to Bristol earlier, we were extraordinarily luck to see The new A380 fly past as it flew over the city – One of two fly-pasts it did near plants where it was constructed before flying on to Heathrow, where they’re testing the specific facilities for the aircraft.

It was a magnificent sight. Even though I’d been watching it on the news flying over Wales about 40 minutes before, nothing gave any real warning about how simply vast this plane is until you see it in the air, seemingly defying a select number of gravity laws! It’s wing-span is massive, and there was a real air of grace about it as it banked above us. The dark and stormy clouds ensured the white aircraft was starkly visible in the sky.

I’m still in two minds about it though. It just seems too big to be viable (I get nervous enough on 747’s), and whilst there are ‘green’ arguments (less fuel used per passenger; better engines), it’s still a lot of fuel to shift a heavy piece of metal about for a few heavy bags of water to get somewhere warmer than where they were, and such. It’s also intriguing that whilst Airbus’s strategy has been to build bigger aircraft, rival Boeing has built smaller – longer distance – aircraft. In a sense Airbus is going for the ’spoke/trunk’ approach (a few key routes, with spoke airports feeding it with smaller aircraft), whilst Boeing for regional airports opening more direct flights.

In that sense, I suppose the Airbus approach in perhaps better, as increasing demand for air travel is slowly being met with more resistance by people living close by, as well as the green lobby campaigning for a curb or even a reduction in the number of flights.

That all aside, we’re still delighted to have seen the aircraft. It’s a small moment in history, busy making the headlines today, and it made a trip that was otherwise rather worrying all the more enjoyable (we were taking my father in to the Bristol Royal Infirmary for his scheduled heart-valve operation: More on that later).

Openguide is an interesting new Wiki-based idea aimed at providing information on cities for residents and visitors alike. It’s only Scottish cities so far, with Glasgow as the flagship guide. I think it’s a great use of a wiki, and hopefully it’ll catch on quite quickly as a great way of finding out and sharing information and tips.

OK, so today has been a bit pants, but the one thing that almost always cheers me up is recalling our three month trip. What’s scary is it’s now over two years ago since we left these shores. Indeed, two years ago we were admiring the Cherry Blossom in Japan.

Something that comes close to that is reading about other peoples travels, which help either give ideas for future trips, or encourage you to think back to travels of your own. Roger Darlington trip, with his wife, to Indochina are in the former (if only I can pursuade Frances to go for it), and Natalie and Steve’s travel journals are in both.

Natalie and Steve are currently in New Zealand, and their Photo’s at flickr bring back plenty of memories. You also get to play spot the difference, with an almost identical picture of the view down into Doubtful Sound. Here’s mine, and Here’s Steve and Natalies. This is helped somewhat as the bus stops in the same place: It’s a stunning view, giving a real sense of the grandeur of it all. They’re keeping an excellent travel log, which I highly recommend reading to help take you to far off places.

So, the prize for cheering me up go to Natalie and Steve. And they weren’t even trying. Probably in bed, as it’s four in the morning over there right now.

Ryanair have announced they intend to charge to check-in luggage. “To reduce airport handling costs” says the article.

I don’t know why Ryanair continues to succeed. In every experience I’ve had with the airline, whilst I’ve saved money, I’ve become hugely irritated by their mode of operation (See my most recent experience, flying from Glasgow Prestwick to Dusseldorf Weeze), and count my flight experiences with them as amongst the most miserable I’ve had (and I’ve had a few bad ones along the way!)

Give me Stelios and easyjet any day. Ryanair just seem to be going for every possible cost-saving they can, from even more remote airports, to ruthless boarding policies. Easyjet does a lot of this, but seems to have drawn a line. In comparison to Ryanair, they’re positively plush and up-market.

Charging for checking in luggage? Sure it might save some money, but I fear it’ll simply encourage people to try and squeeze ever more into their hand luggage (already taken to extremes by many people, to the detriment of everybody else trying to squeeze a regulation sized bag in the lockers), and further undermine – in my mind at least – that this airline has gone too far in cutting costs, to the extent they risk making the travel experience even more miserable than it already is with them.

Imagen 021a,
originally uploaded by steven_chilt.

Interesting pictures courtesy of Natalie and Steve as they visit Argentina. Plus plenty of penguin pictures. More at natandsteve.blogspot.com

Strange goings on in Germany, where Weeze airport could be closed down. It seems a provisional decision has been made by a court, but is not yet final, so flights continue. However, the new airport could see operations closed down due to these legal goings on.

I get a fair few hits from Ryan air passengers researching the best way to travel from the airport to “nearby” Dusseldorf (see plenty more here). A few very useful comments from others have been added. There are the beginnings of a wikipedia entry too.

Given the number of flights is very low by any airport’s standards, it seems surprising that it’s a noise issue, especially as the airport is a former military one (with at least five control towers, it might still be in active use by the British Army of the Rhine). All that said, it’s a very quiet and distant airport, with only the most basic of considerations for onward travel. For more, see my other entry, but things don’t look so good for the airport.

A former colleague when working in London has recently announced she is off travelling for an amazing 11 months with her husband. I’m very excited for them, although I have to say even 3 months was a long time to be away from family and friends and the home comforts, so I’m impressed they’re taking 11 months!

I’d suggested they consider setting up a travel-blog, much like I used this site for when travelling (The availability of internet terminals was a surprise). It saves writing lots of e-mails to folk. Let them come to a single location updated as you can. So I’m pleased to see that Natalie and Steve have done just that, and I look forward to reading about their exploits!

All of it of course makes me feel very envious! It seems so long ago that we were travelling ourselves (It’s almost exactly 18 months ago we set off). But I’m excited to say we’re already having thoughts about some trips in the near future, including Iceland (inspired by Dave and Sharon), China (inspired by my parents two trips), and returning to Japan. I’ve also become somewhat intrigued by Russia, particularly St. Petersburg.

I’m also trying to encourage Frances to consider South America – a sub-continent I’d not really considered until recently – my friend Stew visited Peru a couple of years ago, and reading descriptions such as Roger Darlington’s evokes a fascinating place full of interesting people, places, sights and history. Frances isn’t particularly keen, but then neither of us were keen on Japan until we found a company that gave us the right mixture of freedom to do as we wanted, with the comfort of knowing where we’d sleep that night!

I’m a free agent this weekend, and I might (finally) make an attempt to write up our trip to New Zealand. I keep saying I will do, but never do. Thankfully our photographs and my travel diary help immensely, that it’s easy to recall particular days!

We’ve recently returned from a trip to Düsseldorf over the recent bank-holiday weekend. We were very fortunate to travel out and experience a gorgeous break in the weather.

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Approximately ten years ago I accepted a job with American Management Systems (AMS) that was based in Düsseldorf, Germany. I spent around two years living in the city, and made some great friends and had some great experiences.

Despite all the travelling I have done in the last few years, I’ve not returned to Düsseldorf since I left in April 1997. I’ve often thought about returning, but just didn’t really find the time to arrange the trip.

By sheer coincidence, a relative of Frances has recently taken up a TEFL position in the city. He’s been there just over a month, and in order to ensure he gets a few supplies, and gets to see a friendly face for the first time in months, Frances and I are booked to fly from Prestwick to Düsseldorf tomorrow where we’ll then spend the long weekend.

I’m really looking forward to it. It’s a great city, with a lot going for it. It’ll also be a huge amount of fun to revisit some of the bars, restaurants, parks and sights that this city has to offer. Whilst almost everybody I knew whilst working there has left for pastures new, it’ll still be interesting to see how the city is. Needless to say, I’ll be writing more when we get back.

The Independent yesterday had an excellent supplement on Japan, much of which is available online.

It brings back many memories of our own trip to Japan last year, and a recent e-mail exchange with somebody in Chicago planning a trip of their own has caused me to collate a few notes and thoughts on travel tips for Japan. So watch this space…