I’m off to Disneyland in Anaheim to meet my old pals who I last saw in Walt Disney World a couple of years ago. Donald still keeps in touch, sending me a thank-you card after I got back from Orlando.
You may be experiencing some turbulence. And don’t worry if the Statue of Liberty looks a bit too close, I’ll endeavour to bring you all down safely.
Oops!
What does this button do? Murty at the wheel
I am behind the wheel on my maiden flight in the Turkish Airlines simulator at their headquarters in Istanbul and it is set for New York JFK.
Thankfully the experts at TA HQ have it all covered, flight training, safety drills (chutes that they look to be having great fun sliding down and water pools).
Wheeee: This looks fun
I’m just back from Istanbul where I got the chance to see the spanking new Istanbul Airport which has the capacity for 200 million through passengers. Of course as varied as the charms are in Istanbul you don’t need to be in any rush to pass through.
Turkish Airlines Business Lounge is legendary and, of course, my golf game needed some work on it, so I gave it a swing at the simulator (not any use at that either) and had a whizz on the model toy racing cars too.
The TA Business lounge puts on the best spread I’ve seen in any airport in the world in their award-winning lounge with the best entertainment too, a cinema and numerous TV screens. And showers and beds.
Don’t fall asleep though or you’ll miss your flight back home. On second thoughts!
Economy class Dublin to Istanbul return with European Airline of the year Turkish Airlines from 325 (including taxes). Return business class from €1035 (including taxes). Business class includes the services of flying chefs, 337+ movies, 414 TV series, 756 albums and 17 games cartoon movies as well as wifi and live TV.
Iceland has been at the top of many a travel list, probably since Gwyneth Paltrow endorsed it although I’d still recommend it in spite of her.
Icelandair is making it even more attractive. It has Dublin to Iceland for €78 one-way this month (based on return fare of €155), Saga Premium class €300 one-way (based on return fare of €599).
And now for the history bit…. it was an Icelander who discovered America, sorry Brendan and Chris! So, it’s good to see that it is a popular hub these days through which many of us now visit the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
So who’s the Icelander? Well, Leif Erikson, of course.
Leif established the Norse settlement of Vinland in the early 11th century, or wine land, and we like him already for that, on the northern tip of Newfoundland in modern-day Canada So that counts as North America for us, in the days before the States existed.
And Icelandair are keeping those links going with special offer prices for travel between August 26 and March 24.
Dublin to New York from €158 one way (based on a return), Toronto from €175 one way (based on a return), Boston from €193 one way (based on a return), Chicago for the same, Washington DC from €198 one way (based on a return), San Fransisco €225 one way (based on a return).
And many more, including Saga Premium class tickets to North America including a stopover for no extra wairfare. Visit http://www.icelandair.com or contact +44 (0) 20 7874 1000.
And when you’re in Iceland you can pay your own homage to Lief by popping by his homestead in Eiriksstadir farm in Haukadal in the western part of the iceland.
Flying by the seat of my pants
Read all about it: Murty in the Dead Sea in Jordan
No excuse necessary for printing a picture of me lying back and doing nothing in the Dead Sea in Jordan.
All courtesy of British Airways who I flew business class with recently… and I’ll tell you all about it in a future review.
Suffice to say I was in a similar position in their magnificent reclining seats on-board with an in-seat massage putting me well at ease too.
You been digging out your foreign phrasebooks, si?
Aer Lingus has up to 20% off on a number of destinations from Dublin, Cork and Shannon to sunny climes.
Starting from Split (Dublin only) from €52.99 with Palma (Dublin and Cork) at €56.99 and the gorgeous Malaga (Dublin, Cork and Shannon) from €65.99 with many, many others, it’s worth thumbing through the offers to see which one suits you.
Fares are one-way including taxes and charges. Travel between June 17 and August 31. Book by May 27. Visit http://www.aerlingus.com.
Toulouse to win
That’s France below: Ryanair
Sometimes I’m just too generous for my own good. But then some people deserve treats.
One such is the inimitable Muriel Bolger whom I sent away to Toulouse for the Irish Daily Mail to check out Concorde, the home of the iconic aeroplane and also Europe’s aviation centre, and also known for its culinary excellence.
You want to go now too. Well, Ryanair has a new flight from Toulouse to Dublin, due to launch at the end of October.
Because it’s not been done before.. or at least I haven’t seen it in the literally minutes I’ve taken to check… I designate this Friday Flyday. So that’s all the great flight deals for you to browse over at the weekend.
So, let’s get off to a flyer (there’s much, much more of this, don’t worry).
In the week that’s in it with the funeral of the legendary Billy McNeill who captained the first British team to win the European Cup, in Lisbon in 1967, today and the passing of Stevie Chalmers who scored the winning goal, let’s kick off with the Portuguese capital.
Aer Lingus has 20% off your summer holiday, travelling May 13-July 31 which means Lisbon 39.99, one-way from Dublin and Cork. Visit http://www.aerlingus.com. Sale ends Monday.
If you’re really confident (or foolish) you might think that Liverpool or Spurs might follow in Celtic’s footsteps this year. The final is in Madrid (53.99 euro). Sale ends Monday.
Worth mentioning here too that North America (with pre-clearance is from 169 euro each way, as part of a return trip, though, of course as much as the game is growing over there, they still insist on calling it sawcur.
Full of grace: Lourdes
SAY A LITTLE PRAYER
So your sports team needs a miracle… or you need something special in your life. Our Lady is always there to intercede, especially in Lourdes.
I’m planning on visiting Lourdes next month and the Pyrenees. It’s been 15 years since I’ve been to the famous mountain region – they’re Basques there and their culture is fascinating,
Ryanair has up to 20% off a million seats, travel May-March. including the holy site, among a bundle of others. From 27.53 one way. Visit http://www.ryanair.com.
KUALA BOOLA
Glittering: Kuala Lumpur
Spring cleaning can turn up the most unexpected of things, particularly if you’re a hoarder, such as old address books (ask your parents).
Chow was an early flat mate in my first digs living away from home in Aberdeen in the north-east of Scotland. He was naturally a little blindsided by the snow coming from hot, exotic Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
Now I’m no longer a wage slave and am free to TravelTravelTravel I might even surprise him… on my way of course to digging up those Aussies from my much-storied Munich Beerfest trips who dropped in for the weekend in Aberdeen and stayed a year.
Emirates has a host of great deals to the Far East and Australia. Visit http://www.emirates.com. I found Economy Class return for Kuala Lumpur, fly out of Dublin. Until May 5 from 620 euro.
CAPE CRUSADER
Table setting: Cape Town
Travel is food for the soul, but the problem is that it just leaves you like Oliver Twist, wanting more.
I dipped my toe into the Eastern Cape a couple of months ago, now I want to go and see Cape Town, Johannesburg… really, all the regions.
Ethiopian Airways is all over Africa. Dublin to Cape Town return from 512 euro and Dublin to Johannesburg return from 457 euro return (not including taxes and other charges). Visit http://www.ethiopianairlines.com.
Apropos that Eastern Cape trip, I can still hear the old Toto song Africa which was played in my hotel in Port Elizabeth morning, noon and night.
As those old rockers urged us: ‘Hurry, boy, she’s waiting there for you.’
