Bologneasy

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Joel

What is it with Italians and fire? Sure, stereotype says that they’re passionate people who love to live life through lots of hand gestures and a sense of fatalism, but New Year’s Eve is slightly crazed. IED-sized bangers and boxes of fireworks are set off among the crowd before midnight is marked by the burning of a perfectly nice 40′ sculpture of a deep sea diver. Still, better that than a night on the drunken, vomit-strewn streets of London.

We got to walk home, too, to the charming Da Peerie Hoose. It’s a warm and cosy garret within the old city that’s a great base for exploring and relaxing. And the welcome gift of pannetone and sparkling wine was a lovely and swiftly abused gesture.

Bologna’s a beautiful city that was ripe for our return trip. Go visit!

Around the world in 54 flights

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Joel

So, 2011 started in Sydney, ended in Bologna, and I flew 108,881 miles in between – my carbon footprint is getting slightly smaller and the frequent flyer miles still teeter around the million mark. Most of those were on the (admittedly comfortable and welcoming business class) treadmill, with no particularly memorable trips aside from long delays for sandstorms and the plane that was fixed with a hammer.

I’ve no idea what travels the year ahead will hold, but there’s a good chance it’ll involve more of my own piloting again this year in a rather different aircraft. And, while the world of long haul flying to exotic destinations has its attractions, I do miss being in the left hand seat, albeit PuT, for a bit of this in the South Island.

My year in cities 2011

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Joel

View Cities 2011 in a larger map

A few days later than normal, a brief recap on my travels in 2011. After a long period of intense travel things were a little more normal last year with a better sense of balance. Once again I was out of the country for almost a third of the year, but more than half of that was for fun. More time was spent exploring Europe (Germany, Austria, lots of time in Italy, a perfect summer holiday in France and a first trip to the Arctic Circle) and less time spent in far-flung places.

Lots of beautiful hotels, apartments and homes stick in my mind from 2011, from a castle in Somerset to a mansion in France via apartments on the Cinque Terre. Probably the oddest residence was a night in the ‘penthouse’ of a Mittenwald guesthouse (it had a kitchen in the wardrobe), and definitely the worst night was spent on a wooden chair in a Middle Eastern airport Starbucks after a Kafkaesque trip through the bowels of aviation security. Never. Again.