MetaBatty

Turkey before Thanksgiving

Big week ahead.  I fly out tonight for my first visit to Turkey.  I will be in Antalya Sunday through Wednesday for a company meeting, after which I stop over in London for a couple of days before flying back home.

And then I go to Nebraska for thanksgiving.

A little quiet lately

Due to a hectic travel schedule I have not been able to post here in a couple of weeks.  I have several ideas teed up, I just need to get all of these trips out of the way first.  I have been on the road almost non-stop since April 28, and will get back home for a nice, long stint on Friday, May 19.

I can't really complain about the travel.  First I was in Annapolis to see friends and family.  Then I went back to one of the best cities in the world, Washington DC, for a work event that was both fun and successful.

And I just returned tonight from a week on the island of Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands.  I was there for the wedding of two very close friends, Eric and Jacque, and it was my first time in the Carribean. Now I understand what all the hype is about.  Words, photos, poetry and prose still can not prepare you for the beauty and serenity of this place - you have to go and see it for yourself.  I finally did just that and, as I told Eric, "I get it. Now I get it."  Truly a trip that changed my life, and one I will never forget (watching one of your best friends marry an amazing woman, in the company of your closest friends and their families - as well as some great new friends - probably has something to do with that, too...!).

If you are ever interested in hiring an upscale charter service to sail you around the Virgin Islands, I highly recommend Tachyon Yachting. They are based in Tortola, and are head and shoulders above their less-sophisticated competition in the islands.

Anyway, just wanted to check in, and get something in print.  Looking forward to getting back to a more frequent cycle of posts in the very near future.

Plane Truth

I'll make this one quick - airlines are in big, big trouble.  I know that's not news to anyone, but this holiday weekend has brought to light additional problems in the airline industry, outside of the things we have already been hearing: bankruptcies; the threat of low-cost providers; and businesses cutting back on corporate travel - the industry's sweetest plum. 

So, in the last few days, US Airways lost luggage on many of their flights, and some people have been waiting as long as four days (and counting) to get their things back.  Comair, based out of Cinci, where the serious storm was stopping traffic over Christmas, canceled almost all their flights, and their computer system crashed in the process.  And Northwest Airlines stood up some nice folks in Huntsville, Alabama tonight, forcing people to go home and spend more time with their families.  ;-)  Anyway, people are going to get fed up with all of this poor planning, shoddy management and bad labor policies very soon and...continue to fly.  But it will be on airlines that are better organized, more in tune with the customer, and have fair prices coupled with good management, reformed labor policies and expense/cost control.  And hopefully force some of these other providers to get in that game or get the heck out of the way.