Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Back in the UK

The weekend in LA coincided with Australia's loss to England in the World Cup quarter finals. Followed quickly after by NZ's loss to France. Could a weekend be any worse? And after the semis we now have a South Africa v England final and France v Argentina in the third-place play off. The worst part is knowing that we have to wait 4 more years before the next Rugby World Cup.

LAX airport proved to be much better than Heathrow - especially since the nonsensical one-bag-rule does not seem to be in place there. And Lufthansa had complimentary alcohol unlike their scrooge partners at United.

Now that I am back 'home' I can start to think about catching up on Korea stuff and perhaps even blog on that topic - it is, after all, the supposed theme topic of the entire blog.

Friday, October 05, 2007

Los Angeles

I have had to take valuable time from watching the Rugby to make a quick trip to LA. Although no London to LA trip is really 'quick'. Long and tedious is a more accurate description. I flew on United Airlines. Could an airline be anymore cheapskate? Instead of hand towels before the meal we got one ply wet paper, one ply toilet paper in the restrooms, and worst, they were charging for alcohol!! No free drinks on international flights. I can only hope that other airlines are not going down the same tight-fisted, miserable path.

I now officially HATE airports, especially heathrow. Could their staff BE any more surly? I have yet to discover how putting my unchecked toothpaste in a clear plastic bag does anything except add to global garbage pile of plastic bags. And the latest weird idea is the 'one bag rule' which seems to state that a traveller can only have one bag. So even though I might have a handbag and a laptop I have take my laptop out of its bag and carry it outside the bag so that I only have one bag! Regardless of the fact that other people will have one bag that is more than twice the size (and weight probably) of my two small bags. Not to mention that once through customs I am free to return the laptop to the bag and have my two bags. The only purpose of the one-bag rule is to really piss people off. Especially when you ask the security the reason for having to carrying a laptop outside a bag as opposed to inside a bag and they have NO answer.

Currently reading:

"Hell" by Yasutaka Tsutsui