During the meeting (dinner) we had with some fellow SQTalkers in Singapore, early August, I said at one point I really wanted to do the 744 before SQ phase them out completely. Actually I was scheduled to do FRA-JFK rtn late October / mid November to but plans were cancelled at the end of May this year due to the sick leave I had to take and the postponement (for a whole calendar year) of what I was going to do in the U.S.
As a result that night in Singapore I mentioned it to the guys and I remember kyo+ saying “you should do it now”. To be honest I had never thought about it seriously, as accumulated miles (I had about 180k at the time and had my trip to Latin America not been cancelled I’d have exceeded the 200k mark) are not to be spent lavishly. At work we fly Y, even the top guys (but not the ‘top top’ guys), so it wouldn’t be a bad idea keeping the couple of hundred thousand KF miles for the next couple of years. So yes, I could go anywhere now as long as there is availability but the miles could also be of great use once I have to go back to Shanghai and Bangkok in June 2010.
So we’re in the middle of August, and I’ve already been to a wonderful Greek island with my friends for vacation (in late July) but there’s this thing itching me inside to escape once again. Again? Yes, seems I either love so much traveling and going to places or I can’t just stay idle in a place without much action. In any case, I start thinking of possible trips, mind you it is 14th of August now and in a fortnight holidays are over and I start in my new position in northern Europe. I had visited my camera shop at the center of Athens, Greece earlier that week (went to buy some dSLR sensor cleaning equipment) and naturally ended up buying more (Billingham bag). In checking what they had in store and discussing with them I found out that for most items the retail prices are still dead expensive compared to the U.S. or Hong Kong. This applies especially to auxiliaries/consumables (e.g. tripods, heads, cleaning equipment, filters, small and large accessories, etc.)
With all that in mind, I slowly began at the end of the week to think of going to the U.S., see New York city and perhaps get a new dSLR. I checked the prices of cameras and related gear at B&H and Adorama, but you know, with these things the more you wait the better it gets. New models are released every now and then, so when the equipment you have does the job you really have no urgent reason to upgrade. Still, I could sell some of my old gear (have done that before) here in Greece, where I could get very good prices as I would sell high when I have bought low in Hong Kong or U.S. But to sell gear I needed time, and I had no time.
Still, I had never been to New York. I’ve done California twice (LA to SFO by rental car ten years ago, and SFO again last year), I’ve done North Carolina, but not NY. What made me take the decision this time was that I had days to spend. When you travel for work it is much harder to see places or do things, you have more pressure on checking out and going back or going somewhere else for business. Once you realize that, then you can appreciate that 10 or 15 free days you have now are essentially a gift (or privilege, if you like). So if you don’t use the miles now to go somewhere you’ve never been before, when will you?
Having no ‘gf’ (more about that later, you’ll laugh your ***es off with that story, believe me) I thought of asking one of my mates to join me in New York. They’ve been before, most of them. When I was in the U.K. studying (we’re talking about early ‘90s now) they rented a car in New Jersey and did twice the ‘coast to coast’ in the U.S. Now of course almost all of them are married, so the tolerance for ‘escaping’ is considerably less (if ever non-existent). For me, of course, this does not apply. The ‘gf’ thing I mentioned earlier is of course the ‘girlfriend’. I could ask a female friend to join me, but you know, I’m quite picky and when you want everything your way it is nice on one hand but not always possible on the other.
Interstate 280, crossing Woodside, on the southern outskirts of San Francisco. February 2000.
Anyway, the decision was made to visit New York, my sister agreed to come along with me (a first for her on SQ), and in two days we were to start our journey on LH of Athens International Airport.
As a result that night in Singapore I mentioned it to the guys and I remember kyo+ saying “you should do it now”. To be honest I had never thought about it seriously, as accumulated miles (I had about 180k at the time and had my trip to Latin America not been cancelled I’d have exceeded the 200k mark) are not to be spent lavishly. At work we fly Y, even the top guys (but not the ‘top top’ guys), so it wouldn’t be a bad idea keeping the couple of hundred thousand KF miles for the next couple of years. So yes, I could go anywhere now as long as there is availability but the miles could also be of great use once I have to go back to Shanghai and Bangkok in June 2010.
So we’re in the middle of August, and I’ve already been to a wonderful Greek island with my friends for vacation (in late July) but there’s this thing itching me inside to escape once again. Again? Yes, seems I either love so much traveling and going to places or I can’t just stay idle in a place without much action. In any case, I start thinking of possible trips, mind you it is 14th of August now and in a fortnight holidays are over and I start in my new position in northern Europe. I had visited my camera shop at the center of Athens, Greece earlier that week (went to buy some dSLR sensor cleaning equipment) and naturally ended up buying more (Billingham bag). In checking what they had in store and discussing with them I found out that for most items the retail prices are still dead expensive compared to the U.S. or Hong Kong. This applies especially to auxiliaries/consumables (e.g. tripods, heads, cleaning equipment, filters, small and large accessories, etc.)
With all that in mind, I slowly began at the end of the week to think of going to the U.S., see New York city and perhaps get a new dSLR. I checked the prices of cameras and related gear at B&H and Adorama, but you know, with these things the more you wait the better it gets. New models are released every now and then, so when the equipment you have does the job you really have no urgent reason to upgrade. Still, I could sell some of my old gear (have done that before) here in Greece, where I could get very good prices as I would sell high when I have bought low in Hong Kong or U.S. But to sell gear I needed time, and I had no time.
Still, I had never been to New York. I’ve done California twice (LA to SFO by rental car ten years ago, and SFO again last year), I’ve done North Carolina, but not NY. What made me take the decision this time was that I had days to spend. When you travel for work it is much harder to see places or do things, you have more pressure on checking out and going back or going somewhere else for business. Once you realize that, then you can appreciate that 10 or 15 free days you have now are essentially a gift (or privilege, if you like). So if you don’t use the miles now to go somewhere you’ve never been before, when will you?
Having no ‘gf’ (more about that later, you’ll laugh your ***es off with that story, believe me) I thought of asking one of my mates to join me in New York. They’ve been before, most of them. When I was in the U.K. studying (we’re talking about early ‘90s now) they rented a car in New Jersey and did twice the ‘coast to coast’ in the U.S. Now of course almost all of them are married, so the tolerance for ‘escaping’ is considerably less (if ever non-existent). For me, of course, this does not apply. The ‘gf’ thing I mentioned earlier is of course the ‘girlfriend’. I could ask a female friend to join me, but you know, I’m quite picky and when you want everything your way it is nice on one hand but not always possible on the other.
Interstate 280, crossing Woodside, on the southern outskirts of San Francisco. February 2000.
Anyway, the decision was made to visit New York, my sister agreed to come along with me (a first for her on SQ), and in two days we were to start our journey on LH of Athens International Airport.
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