Skip to main content

WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE PLANET EARTH

We're in the Plumeria Lounge of Hawaiian Airlines.

Next stop, Haneda Airport.
 
It's alway so exciting to anticipate the coming of a global adventure.  
  • Now, I want these trips to be as secure and comfortable as possible.  Thus, we are traveling business class, except for the Bangkok to Dubai to Munich leg being on Emirates first class.  
  • I never asked, but I assume they don't practice Ramadan on their flights and airport lounge. In 2022 we caught an Emirates first class from Bangkok to Dubai.  Unlimited caviar, with showers on the plane.  Fabulous experience.  
  • So we thought we'd double the pleasure.  It is 3000 miles from Bangkok to Dubai, but 3700 miles from Dubai to Munich.
  • And a big plus.  Washington D.C. is reaching peak cherry blossom blooms now.  They said it's due to climate change.  Tokyo and D.C. are very similar in terms of weather.  Certainly, too, our first few days then will feature a surprisingly early Sakura season.
So here is our entire around the world trip:

Stops in Tokyo, Singapore, Bangkok, Munich, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Barcelona and New York City.  Three cruises:
  • 8-day Tauck Spirit Tulip cruise from Amsterdam to Brussels.
  • 10-day Regent Seven Seas Voyager Mediterranean from Barcelona to Athens.
  • 7-day Queen Mary II from Southhampton to New York City.
Our first stop of four days in Tokyo should offer some Cherry Blossom sights, for they are blooming early this year.  The Tokyo Westin is across the street from Robuchon, so we'll return there for dinner.
Not sure why we're stopping Singapore, but it's a particularly safe city with a variety of sights and scenes.  Four days in Bangkok for me to make my final series of vests.

I haven't been to Munich for a long time.  Love the city.  Not sure what is planned.
Copenhagen has Noma, which is soon to close, so a reservation is impossible.  Never bothered to check.  Will spend a day at Tivoli Gardens.

Will have a couple of days in Amsterdam, always a joy.  The tulip cruise departs from this port.
A few days in Barcelona.  Nothing particularly planned.  The Regent cruise departs from here.

Then on the Queen Mary II to America.  We have six days in New York City because the plan was to catch Amtrak to DC for three days.  However, the hotel does not hold any luggage so we skipped DC.  A couple of Broadway shows.  Perhaps a Yankees game.  Went to one the last time I was here.

On Day 52, fly from JFK New York to Honolulu via Seattle.

I haven't been around the world for more than a decade.  I remember another sakura and tulip combination in 2012.  I think my last one, though, was My Ultimate Global Adventure, in 2013, 51 amazing days. Click on any day to read the whole posting.

-

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

THE ENIGMATIC PHIL SPECTOR

The first presidential debate of Donald Trump and Joe Biden ended up in a near tie.  Both lost.  However, it was an unmitigated disaster for Biden, who just might be too old to win this re-election. For Trump, it was a reinforcement of what he does all the the time, lie.   There will be significant calls for the Democratic Party to work out "something" to replace Biden as their presidential candidate.  Suddenly, Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom and Michelle Obama are added to the spotlight.  But what can "legally" occur at the August Democratic Convention? The situation is different on the Republican side, as Trump is the Republican Party, and no matter if he gets 4 years at his felony sentencing on July 9, or even if the Supreme Court determines he is not immune next week or later, he will be the presidential candidate. Trump is a damned boastful liar and convicted felon, but that is the only option for Republicans.  His vice-presidential choice now become...

ON THE MATTER OF PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

Hawaii today celebrates King Kamehameha the First Day as a public holiday.  Next Monday, June 19, or  Juneteenth,  is a Federal holiday.  However, 22 states, including Hawaii, do not recognize this as a public holiday.  Four of these will begin to honor this day next year, not Hawaii.  Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery.  Here are the Hawaii holidays, and note three that only we have: New Year’s Day: 1st day in January Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: 3rd Monday in January Presidents’ Day: 3rd Monday in February Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day: 26th day in March Good Friday: Friday before Easter Easter:   Calculating Easter Memorial Day: Last Monday in May King Kamehameha I Day: 11th day in June Independence Day: 4th day in July Statehood Day: 3rd Friday in August Labor Day: 1st Monday in September Veterans’ Day: 11th day in November Thanksgiving Day: 4th Thursday in November Christmas: 25th day in December There are  11 paid Fede...

THE TRUMP ENERGY PROGRAM

From  Time  magazine, I begin with a slew of Trump topics.  You can read the details. The unpopular Big Beautiful Bill is now in the House . The only truly effective anti-Trump person:  Elon Musk. The Trump Gaza ceasefire proposal . The July 4th Free American Anti-Trump Protest planned across the USA . This site began as a renewable energy and environment blog, and has evolved to just about any subject.  I try to keep Wednesdays for sci-tech, with perhaps a monthly focus on energy.  More recently, I've drawn from the  Energy Matters  info sent to me by the American Energy Society.  I'm inserting direct quotes this time to eliminate my predilections for more credibility. This service starts with some broad topics. - Fossil fuels: Helium is locked in a supply crunch, and prices are surging. - Renewables: Congress will probably pass new renewable fuel standards for 2026 and 2027. - Policy: President Trump is now focused on Califor...