"Roses are red, my Gold Level was extended, KLM Flying Blue, I love you."
Our Chief Mobile Opinionist, Matteo, is thankful for the extension to his Flying Blue status.
I’m a really bad poet, I know. I have butchered a classic children’s rhyming poem here, and my only excuse is that I really want to thank the people at KLM and Flying Blue.
Roses are red,
My Gold Level was extended,
KLM Flying Blue,
I love you.
(Matteo Doni, January 2021)
A whole month before Valentine’s Day, I received a lovely message, via electronic mail, from Flying Blue. Flying Blue is the frequent flyer program of Air France-KLM, which other airlines take part in as well. Those who follow Tech Travel Geeks will probably know I’m quite a loyal customer of KLM and participant in the Flying Blue program.
My Gold Level (status) has been extended and my XP (status points) from 2020 have been carried over. Thank you Flying Blue!
MY KLM Flying Blue status is renewed for 12 months. Thank you KLM Flying Blue
KLM’s wonderful people gained my loyalty after having provided excellent service in multiple occasions. Not only did they solve complicated travel problems for me on multiple trips, but always served me with a smile and an excellent sense of humour. This amazing level of service really won me over. It wasn’t the Tinykens™ in the Crown Lounge at Schiphol and all the other Skypriority benefits, though those may have been a contributing factor.
A Tinyken™: a small glass of self-serve Heineken in a KLM Crown Lounge at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
The renewal of my Gold Level, the status level which grants me many benefits when I travel, just reinforces my loyalty to KLM and the Air France-KLM group.
2020 was a devastating year for the travel industry. It was heart-breaking to see not only my favourite airline, KLM, but the industry as a whole deal with the impact of the covid-19 crisis. I’m an optimist though: the ripples of the social and economic impact of the crisis will be felt for decades to come at this point, but the lessons learnt will hopefully help us navigate future challenges better.
As a frequent traveller, it is now almost a year since I have been on a flight. We all know it is the right thing to do, and I will continue to avoid any non-essential travel until it is safe to pack my bag, go to the airport and walk down that SkyPriority lane at the gate. I would be lying if I said I haven’t had dreams of this recently.
Rest assured that as soon as it is appropriate I will be back on a KLM flight somewhere and might bump into you at a Crown Lounge in Schiphol.
Stay safe, dream of travel and be ready to take off when we can do so safely.
Again, many thanks to the KLM and Flying Blue teams.
Flying International During a Pandemic
The empty flight departures reader board at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) on Tuesday, June 16, 2020.
Editor’s note: This essay was written based on the author’s experience traveling internationally between Europe and the USA in June and July 2020. Since then, airlines have made vast improvements to the in-flight experience while keeping the safety of their passengers top-of-mind. Country entry requirements have also changed drastically since then and continue to do so as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Flying during a pandemic is not recommended. All non-essential travel is not recommended.
But what counts as essential?
For anyone living a global life – with friends spread around the world, in a business that depends on face-to-face contacts, or anyone who recharges from hopping on an airplane and exiting somewhere new – isolating in place for over 100 days is rough. On so many levels.
One of the joys of living abroad and being a frequent international flyer is, in 16 hours or so, I can be reunited with my closest family and friends. And pretend I’m a high-roller while becoming best friends with flight attendants as they bring drinks directly to my seat at 30,000 feet.
This year, the pandemic put a pause to our global life.
I felt a sense of panic when I flew from Dublin to Geneva via Paris during the last week of February, before the virus fully spread throughout Europe. We all thought, “Well, at least it isn’t here, yet.” Wandering through Paris-Charles De Gaulle seeing people in masks, smelling the aroma of hand sanitizer (that will eventually be calming), my heart rate increased. I tried to focus on calming breaths: it’ll all be okay, don’t panic, it’s not here, yet. And then, the world shut down.
Outbound Flight: Europe to USA
In the middle of June, after 95 days of confinement lockdown in Switzerland, I hit a wall emotionally and mentally. For lots of reasons, amplified by isolation, the depression was deep. The only way out was to go back to the US and be with family for a bit.
The CDC advises: “Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.”
But some trips are necessary. And essential.
I pulled up my favorite website and booked a roundtrip economy ticket with Delta from Geneva, Switzerland to Seattle, Washington, USA. And held my breath.
A 30+ hour journey with three plane changes and an overnight layover in Los Angeles lay ahead. All while wearing multiple N95 masks and with my good friend, a 300ml bottle of hand sanitizer.
My outbound flight from Europe to America was scheduled to depart Geneva, Switzerland (GVA) on Tuesday the 16th of June 2020 – roughly 13 weeks after most nations around the world closed their borders to anyone other than repatriating nationals. And one day after most European Union and EU member states reopened their borders.
In June, airports were still empty. Flights and routes were still minimal. And the anxiety around travel was still there, but with an odd calm on top of it. Not like the videos Americans posted with their experience repatriating to the US from Europe in mid-March.
GVA > AMS
I’m a highly anxious flyer. Even in normal circumstances and despite being three-quarters of the way to Million Miler Status with Delta, I can’t sleep the night before a long-haul and my pulse increases on the way to the airport. A friend recommends giving myself more time than I usually need. This morning, I leave my house 4 hours before the flight, haul my luggage onto the train to the airport with an N95 permanently latched to my face. US-based airlines recommend arriving 3 hours early but the bag drop for inter-European flights only opens 2 hours before. Even during a pandemic I’m early. Severely early.
Only 8 flights are departing from GVA–most of them between 10:30 am and 12 pm, then a small handful at 5 pm. That's it. It’s 9 am. Bag drop stations for most of the airlines are unmanned. I never thought the Geneva Airport could be so…big. There’s someone organizing the orange stanchions around the infinite EasyJet queue to direct one-way traffic around an escalator in the far end of the terminal. EasyJet’s not flying to GVA at this time.
There's something to celebrate about getting to the airport 3 hours early. Especially an empty airport. I haul my luggage through the orange stanchions and up the escalator to a small collection of restaurants outside of security -- McDonald's is the only one open. A friendly woman wearing a mask greets me: "Are you dining with us?"
"Oh, can I?" I say through my mask, looking past the sparse tables and see people on the terrace — I didn't even know there was an outdoor space inside the airport. "Yes, and can I sit outside?"
"Of course," she says. "Please disinfect—” pointing to the hand sanitizer dispenser, “—and here is your number. I will bring it out to you."
I do exactly as she says and sanitize again after using the touch screen to place my order.
Outside on the terrace, the air is fresh and warm. I sit down. Take off my N95 and put it in the protective plastic it came in. Mask etiquette is complicated. But there is no one around me and I am outside. Should be okay. The McDonald’s employee comes with my tray. Seeing her brings me comfort. And the best McChicken of my life.
While I eat, little birdies surround me; they don't understand social distancing.
Back off, birdie, you’re less than 1.5 meters!
I sit there until the bag check opens. About a half hour. I read. Breathe deeply. Embrace the pause in hopes of preventing anxiety.
I check my bag and head to security. It's strange to see all the staff wearing masks and sitting behind Plexiglass. My playful banter and jokes fall flatter than usual. I blame the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
There’s no line at security. They want me to remove things out of my pockets and a belt, if I have one. They don't care about electronics or want to check liquids.
"Just leave it all in your bag," the security agent says.
I keep my phones, passport, hand sanitizer, and headphones in my jacket pockets and I put my jacket in the bin. I read somewhere a recommendation to keep all of your personal items tucked inside your hand luggage or coat pockets instead of laying them directly on the tray as it rolls through the x-ray machine. This is to avoid your potentially exposing these items to contact with any virus lingering on the bin.
The terminal is a ghost town. The generic Swiss souvenir shop immediately on the other side of security is open. I buy some chocolate for my parents. Duty Free is open, but you walk up to a counter and tell them what you'd like. No joy in browsing. Hermes and another high-end shop are open. Oh, and a specialty chocolate shop. It’s Switzerland, after all. I buy more chocolates. My dad will appreciate them. I wonder, who and how they decide which shops to keep open and which ones to shut? But I don’t ask anyone.
Every other seat around each gate is roped off. I wonder how families deal with traveling and not being able to sit by each other. I don’t see any families though. I take some selfies—not for the internet, but for me. I put on my glasses and learn how to breathe so they don’t fog up the lenses. I sit and practice breathing into my mask.
When it’s time, I make my way to my gate.
While on the moving walkway under the runway between the main and outer terminals, four airport police pass by. I hold my breath. They’re the only ones in the whole airport not wearing masks.
Upstairs at the gate, passengers sit in clusters. I go to the opposite end of the terminal where a 30-something man takes a business call in English on speaker. His accent is American. He is not wearing a mask. I hate him immediately and put my headphones on.
My throat is dry. I need water. The kiosk has a full bar with bottles of Campari, spirits, and beer for sale. Flights during COVID-19 don’t have alcohol on board. This goes against my usual flying rituals that start in the Sky Team lounge. I want an adult beverage, but I don't buy one. It’s 10 am, but that’s not the reason. Hand sanitizer, masks, and full-Plexi-face-coverings take up the impulse purchase real estate by the register. I expected these to be sold out inside the airport. I buy a bottle of water and stand at the back of the gate area not near anyone. I pull off my mask, drink quickly, and put my mask back on before swallowing.
KLM staff calls for boarding. Instructing all passengers to put on their masks before inviting the first section to board the aircraft. The staff asks all passengers to give extra space between each other and patience.
We board an Embraer 190. Everyone walks up the air-stairs in clusters up the stairs into the aircraft. Everyone is patient. It’s a new feeling. It’s…nice.
Once at my seat, I wipe everything down with an alcohol wipe. I’m the only one doing this, even though I don’t look around to be judged or congratulated. I almost forget to wipe down the seat belt buckle. (Naomi Campbell would be proud.)
A man stores his bag above my seat and sits down next to me. The Embraer has a 2-2 seat layout. I thought KLM had a policy to leave every other seat empty, but that’s okay. It will be okay. We’re both wearing masks.
After takeoff, the flight attendants deliver a boxed sandwich with a sealed Stroopwafel and water. They ask us to keep our trash and toss it as we exit the aircraft to reduce contact with the flight staff. Before deplaning in Amsterdam, I toss my rubbish in the bin – one flight down, two more and a border to go.
AMS > LAX
Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) is empty. If it wasn’t daylight, I’d think I had just rolled off of an overnight flight from Asia, waiting for the lounge to open at 5 am. But it was close to 1 pm and broad daylight. There might be 50 other passengers connecting with me in the terminal.
Throughout the terminal are eight monitors, usually full with departing flight information. Today, only one and a half monitors are full and half of the flights have CANCELED as their status.
Passport Control between the Schengen and non-Schengen zone is usually the most chaotic place in AMS. Usually because it’s packed with obnoxious Americans who all want to cut the line to make their connection, especially if they have over 50 minutes to spare.
Today, some of the obnoxious Americans are here, but they’re on their best behavior. The line has maybe 20 people wrapping around every other stanchion to enforce social distancing. Ahead of me, is a woman wearing a backpack draped with shoes, her airline pillow, and an empty water bottle. She looks like she’s been traveling nonstop for the past few months. There’s also a family of four with two young children—one a babe-in-arms and the other able to walk on his own. Both parents are in active wear and Nikes, wearing overstuffed backpacks. These are the only young children I notice in the airport.
Border officers sit in every other booth with extra Plexi-plastic over the front so when passengers are asked to remove their masks, officers can compare passport photos and spittle won’t spread. This causes travelers’ voices to bounce off the plastic and back to the rest of us in line. I listen as an American tries to explain why his ticket doesn’t return to the US and is told to “follow me this way,” by a border officer. Border officers inside and outside of the booths aren’t wearing masks.
I walk up to the booth and hand over my passport and Swiss residency card, removing my mask when asked, and smile. The Dutch border officer stamps my passport, passes my documents back under the Plexi-plastic, and motions for me to walk on. He asks me no questions.
Relieved, I book it to the KLM Crown Lounge. I rarely get this much time – 2 hours – in the non-Schengen zone, so even if it’s closed, I’m not missing out.
The lounge is open. With fresh hand sanitizer at the door. I’m learning how to sanitize and let it dry for a moment before grabbing the handle of my roller bag. This is new travel choreography. Elbows are involved.
There are maybe 20 passengers in the lounge. Every other booth and table was roped off or vacant. I snag a prime couch near the windows overlooking the terminal. Drop my luggage to claim my space. And waltz – still wearing my mask – to the bar.
I ask the bartender for a Tinyken™, which is a glass of Heineken beer only available inside KLM Crown Lounges that you drink with pure delight and take a selfie with, posting to the internet to Matteo’s attention. Even during pandemic travels, some traditions must be honored.
I arrive at the gate as boarding starts. Fresh mask on. With my status, I can board the plane at any time. Advice from the internet says that to reduce the risk of potential exposure, it’s advisable to be one of the last to board. Especially if your seat is in front of the plane so as not to ‘breathe’ passengers as they make their way back.
This KLM flight will take us from Amsterdam (AMS) to Los Angeles (LAX) on board a Boeing 777-300er aircraft. Around 200 people are at the gate ready to board a plane with a capacity of 408 passengers. Usually when flying from Europe to America, the gate is filled with Boomers wearing Kirkland Signature jeans and a blazer surrounded by colleagues traveling together. You know the types—overly anxious travelers that rush to the front of Priority Boarding to floss their status. I prefer to sashay towards the front when Diamond Medallion is called. Today, there were no business travelers to cut in front of. Passengers were all single travelers or adult families. No young children. There was a sense of calm anxiety in the air; everyone had a reason to be flying.
I’m greeted at my seat by a 2-gallon-Ziploc bag filled with snacks. It feels like I’m on a school field trip. Inside the bag is a bottle of water, a can of Coke, a sandwich, two clementine oranges, and so much candy and sweets. In duplicate. And, of course, one package of Stroopwafels. This is all I get for the entire flight. Glad I had that Tinyken™ in the lounge.
On my seat is also a blanket. No pillows. I clean everything that I might potentially touch with an alcohol wipe and use a second one for the middle seat. Including the seat buckle, the TV screen, and window shade. When I checked the seating chart online during check-in, I had a seat buddy. But the single snack pack confirms—there will be no sharing of food or seats for me on this flight.
The seats and the floor are clean. Very clean. As in: I-have-never-seen-them-this-clean-before-in-my-life clean. As in there-is-no-way-a-child-has-ever-flown-on-this-plane. Ever. Kind of clean.
I call my mom as the cabin doors close. It’s 3:30 pm in Amsterdam and 6:30 am in Seattle.
I put my phone in airplane mode. The plane pushes back. The captain thanks us for flying with KLM during these odd times. The purser follows, with the calm and cheerful voice that I expect from the Dutch-based crew. She asks us to keep our masks on for the duration of the 11-hour flight and discourages us from lingering in the galley or around lavatory doors. And, in the rare case of a decompression, we’re reminded to remove our masks before putting the oxygen masks on our face.
I made it on the airplane that will take me to America. I am almost-almost there. I cry as we take off.
LAX > SEA
Early on in the flight, the crew delivered landing cards and health affidavits to every passenger.
Upon exiting the aircraft in LAX, we are greeted by public health workers. One for each passenger, handling about ten passengers at a time all standing about 6-feet from each other. They motion for me and the man behind me to go to the same official.
“We’re not together,” I shout from behind my mask.
“It’s okay,” the health worker shouts from behind her mask and visor.
It is not OK. I tiptoe sideways to put more distance between me and the man who was probably directly in front of me during the flight – with my filtered-breath on him the entire time.
She checks both of our questionnaires and asks us the same questions: Have you experienced any COVID-19 symptoms in the past 14 days? Do you have a fever? And so on.
Then: “You are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.” She hands us each a CDC flyer with symptoms and a hotline to call in case we have symptoms. “This is your ticket out of the airport; keep it with you.”
I smile throughout all this and focus on my breathing. Just in case “panic attack” is the latest symptom.
I walk through LAX’s Tom Brady International Terminal, gripping the CDC flyer for my life. LAX is—you guessed it—empty. Vacuuming starts around the empty gates below the overpass quarantining arriving international passengers from the departure gates. We might be the last international flight arriving today. It’s 5:30 pm on Tuesday. Just like Geneva. Leave it to a global pandemic to make the world’s transportation hubs adhere to ‘regular’ business hours.
At the US Customs and Border Control, the electronic landing machines are open. All I can think about is using one finger and sanitizing as soon as the receipt pops out. Every passenger is routed to talk to a Border Officer for questioning.
“Does Switzerland really make the best chocolate?” the officer asks me, looking at my documents.
This feels like a trick question. It’s been over 18 hours of quiet, anxious-ridden travel with little sleep due to feeling like I’d suffocate between my face and eye mask—what does chocolate have to do with possibly coming into the country with COVID-19?
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Except reminding me of my favorite thing about returning to America – jokes and American sarcasm.
I collect my luggage and, with border receipt and golden CDC flyer in hand, make my way to the last checkpoint. No one asks me any questions or takes my temperature.
Outside, mask still on, I feel the Los Angeles sun on my face. Holy fuck, I made it. They let me in the country.
I make my way to an airport hotel to wait out the 8-hour overnight layover. Tomorrow morning, the third and final flight, a short, 2.5 hour connection from LAX to Seattle (SEA). Home, sweet home.
Voluntary COVID-19 Test After Arrival
The biggest fear about traveling during the Coronavirus pandemic is the potential risk of catching the virus while in-transit and bringing it home to my family. This is a risk I discussed with my family before purchasing the ticket as they could be impacted.
Five days after arriving in Seattle, I took a COVID-19 test. 24 hours later, my results came back negative and I could enjoy my time with my family without fear that I brought the virus to them from Europe. Even with a negative test, there’s always a risk of contracting the virus and developing symptoms. For the duration of my trip, I kept minimal contact with those outside of a small bubble of family and friends, plus good hygiene and mask etiquette for the duration of my trip.
Return Flight: USA to Europe
During my last two weeks in Seattle, I watch rumors unfold about Europe blocking American travelers as of July 1st. This is to allow freedom-of-movement between EU member states by preventing tourists from high-risk countries, like the US.
My heart panics. Before purchasing my outbound flight, I had conversations with my boss at work and made extra arrangements to care for my cat in Switzerland, knowing full-well that the situation could change at a moment’s notice or I might develop symptoms and be stuck.
I was not ready to end my trip early and make a mad-dash to the airport.
Body shaking, I refresh the IATA COVID-19 Travel Advisory Map and go deep on the entry requirements of every country I will transit through; cross-checking with local country sites to ensure that my documents will allow for transit and entry. Requirements such as a valid residency permit in the country I am returning to, Switzerland, and health declarations.
Checking and re-checking these sites and news sources – what’s official and what’s speculation? Fielding texts from friends worried that I didn’t see the news. Do I change my return flights or not? Processing the fact that I will have to say goodbye to my family and friends – too soon. The support system that I severely missed during confinement – we all did – and their grounding power that helped heal my mental health. I am not ready to say goodbye. Not yet.
SEA > DTW
The best part about wearing a mask is, if you’re an ugly crier, no one can see your face. And the trick to pretending like nothing is wrong is to squint your eyes and perk the sides of your mouth up. This will give the illusion that you’re smiling. While on the inside of your mask – and your heart – you are a mess.
My parents drop me off at the curb at 5-in-the-morning. I hug them tightly. Tears flowing. Not knowing when I’ll see them again. Not wanting to let go. But knowing I have to put my mask on and walk myself into the terminal and try and return to Europe.
The wonderful woman at the Delta check-in counter doesn’t notice my tears. She takes my US passport and Swiss residency card, scanning both into the system. My get-out-of-America cards. She sings about how she enjoys working during the pandemic, sharing stories about the diversity of customers who chose to fly during this time. A lot of them, it’s their very first time flying. But doesn’t go into detail beyond that.
It’s Sunday the 12th of July. It’s a minimum 22-hour journey departing Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) at 8 am and connecting via Detroit (DTW) to Amsterdam (AMS) then Amsterdam to Geneva (GVA). Three long flights again.
The TSA security line is long, but not outrageous. Everyone is wearing a mask. I do my best to toss death stares through my tears at those with noses poking out. No TSA pre-check or Priority Access line. We are all the same walking through this.
Going through security at TSA Checkpoint inside Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Inside the terminal, things look a little different than a month ago. The reader board is full, but not too-full. There are people in the terminal but not as many as there would have been on a Sunday morning during summer peak travel season.
Boarding the plane in SEA to DTW, the gate agent scans my Swiss residency card again. Even though the first leg is a domestic flight, they will not let me on the plane unless I have proof that I can complete the journey.
I snag a first class upgrade. On the plane, the masked flight attendant hands me an alcohol wipe. By this time, I’m a professional. Once in the air, he presents me with a tray of beer in cans and plastic cups.
“Oh, this is new,” I perk up from behind a fresh N95 mask.
“When did you last fly?” he asks.
“About three weeks ago.”
“At this point, that’s an eternity,” he says. Accurate.
We speak about the pandemic and canceled vacation plans to Europe. He had a holiday coming up and planned to spend three weeks in Italy. I was supposed to spend two weeks in Portugal with my best friend, an American who lives in the US and only has a US Passport.
We talk about how President Trump doesn’t believe the pandemic exists and how irresponsible our fellow Americans are in ‘other parts’ of the US. Florida records 15,000 new cases that day, its highest-number of new cases to date.
DTW > AMS
The world has been waiting for you. So has Delta.
To board the flight from DTW to AMS, the Delta staff ask all passengers to complete a health questionnaire as required by the Dutch authorities. If we don’t already have this form with us, there are extras at the check-in desk at the gate.
While waiting to board, I check out my fellow passengers hovering around the gate in a socially-distanced way. Two Asian men in their 20s who look like college kids. I can’t make out which country their passports are from. Are they heading back to Europe after studying abroad from their dorm rooms all year? Or are they simply traveling in the US prior to Stay at Home orders and decided to go home? A short man with superior muscles and tattooed arm sleeves – I assume a military contractor on his way to Germany. I try to eavesdrop on a pair of 50-something men speaking a different language, but can’t make out the origin. Again, no children at the gate or anywhere in the terminal.
Onboard, more supplied alcohol wipes, more thanking us for flying during these challenging times.
I get an entire row to myself again, but no business class upgrade. The familiar drink trolley comes down the aisles. Hello, old friend. We are given a choice of two meals for dinner service. And a secondary drink service. It’s almost as if we were flying during normal times. The flight attendant refills my wine glass. Twice.
I am an expert at sleeping on a plane during a pandemic – sleep on my side with my knees tucked in to avoid the beverage cart; use my hood to cover my eyes, instead of an eye mask; and remove one ear loop off the face mask, holding the loop with my hand under my head to keep my mouth covered. This avoids the feeling of suffocation caused by wearing an eye mask and a face mask. 8-hours pass quickly. But lack of sleep the night before, wine, and an aching heart helps with that.
AMS
It’s always nice when you watch your own luggage roll into the belly of the airplane.
Landing in Amsterdam at 8 am the following day is disorienting. AMS is busier. Masks are still compulsory, but every single person wearing an official Schiphol staff uniform is not wearing one at all. Including terminal personnel, construction workers, and border officers. It’s weird.
With just over 2 hours before my final flight, I head straight to passport control with my health declaration, passport, and residency card clutched in my hands; fearful that I’ll lose one of them and be stuck in non-Schengen purgatory. Or worse—have to get back on an airplane to America.
The line between the non-Schengen zone and Schengen zone is long. Perhaps 100-feet into the main terminal. I can’t see the beginning to know if I’m in the correct line or not.
It’s okay. Deep breath. Plenty of time.
The line moves fast. Every other stanchion is skipped again in an attempt to dictate social distancing. But the 20-something man behind me has his nose peeking out of his mask is absolutely closer than 3 feet (or 1.5 meters). I put men-who-don’t-tuck-their-noses on the list of travelers I hate. He’s in good company with the Kirkland-Signature-jean-wearing business travelers. But I might trade him for the business traveler right now.
I reach the front of the line and hear a woman with an American accent arguing with border officers. She has a manila envelope thick with papers. Is she trying to negotiate her way through?
It’s my turn. I walk up to the beautiful, tall, tan Dutch border officer on the other side of the extra plastic barrier. I hand him my documents. He motions for me to remove my mask. I do so and smile brightly. He stamps my passport and passes my papers back through the opening beneath the window and stares at me. I smile through my re-attached mask. He motions for me to move on. He asks me no questions. He does not take my health questionnaire.
AMS is a little busier in July than it was in June…
AMS > GVA
On the final flight from AMS to Geneva, KLM staff pass out a new health questionnaire to every passenger as required by Swiss law. It’s similar to the one required by the Dutch authorities and includes more details about our individual flight path including any connection and detailed contact information in the unlikely case of someone on the plane testing positive for COVID-19 after this flight.
As of July 6th, the Swiss government announced mandatory quarantine for persons arriving in Switzerland from high-risk countries. The list of high-risk states are updated every two weeks based on the number of new cases of COVID-19 that are reported based on the population. The US is included in the list.
I hand my health declaration form to the Swiss official waiting on the jetway as I leave the plane. I collect my luggage and head straight to my home in Lausanne, Switzerland and stay there for 10 days. I experience no flu-like symptoms.
When will I hug you again?
When my parents dropped me on the curb at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, I hugged them tightly. Tears flowed. Not knowing when I’ll see them again.
Before the pandemic, we could hop on an airplane for a short or long weekend and exit the fuselage and end up on the other side of the world. It was easy to maintain friendships and lovers in other parts of the world and with passports that were different from our own. Zoom was a verb, not a formal noun. It was a privilege we took for granted as we racked up the air miles and marched towards Million Miler Status.
The pandemic changed this. For me, it made me acutely aware of how not-physically-close I am to those that I love. Yet at the same time, emotionally connected because we are all in this together. Even if we are further apart than ever. When in our lifetime has everyone in the world shared such a similar experience?
Be it good or bad, it’s something.
This year, the pandemic put an end to the ease of the global life we led before.
And, hopefully, it’s only a pause. And we will emerge from it differently somehow. Somehow more connected. Somehow more thankful for the moments and the miles that connect us, not keep us apart.
Sea-Tac, you so punny
Samsung Galaxy Tab A + S-Pen - A Hidden Gem?
Android Tablets seem to be dead in the west. Even the most ardent androidians seem to have an iPad. Apple is constantly pushing its iPad lineup as a “laptop replacement”. But that still hasnt stop stagnantion of sales. They are slowly creeping into the enterprise sector, but this is often in addition to a “company” laptop. So not really a replacement then.
A lot of us tech nerds are often looking out for the “perfect” device. Whether it is a phone, tablet, laptop, pc etc etc. My own journey for the perfect laptop and the best value work laptop have been discussed here in detail.
I am one of those guys that really likes stylus input. Its why I have had a couple of Galaxy Notes and a Lenovo Miix convertible devices (basically a Microsoft Surface clone). I find these very useful for my work. (This was before my Redmi Note 8T)
Now I would love to have an Android Tablet with that kind of functionality. Android tablets have generally dwindled in the West and apart from a few Samsung and Huawei devices, and are predominantly for content consumption. The Amazon Fire Tablets are another good example. The Windows tablet/convertibles are very good for productively, but suffer from the limitations of Windows 10 in tablet-only form
However, in other markets, especially in India and SE Asia, Android Tablets are still doing well. These are price sensitive markets, and often these may be the main computing platform for many. A quick look around Google and eBay shows that there are many other tablets out there that arent easily available in the UK. My cousins in India and the Middle East seem to have a much wider range with different funcitonality. One such relative told me of a Samsung Galaxy Tab A which included an S-Pen. This was available in both 8in and 9.7in form factors. That too at good prices.
After the theft of my Note 9 (have i mentioned that before?) I thought “why not?” I think I might have uncovered a hidden gem that works great for productivity and as an on-the-go content consumption device.
So ordered the device, and it came pretty speedily from overseas. I went for the 8in model (as I already had a Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7in somewhere). On unboxing, its clearly made with polycarbonate materials, there isnt evena suggestion of premium here. But thats ok, at the price point, its perfectly reasonable, and if you want to subject to constant on-the-go use, well then plastic is going to be more durable then metal slabs or glass sandwiches.
The aesthetics of the device kind of what the love-child of a Nexus 7 and iPad Mini would be. Its tall with a 16.10 ratio, which makes it like a big phone. But then in landscape its a widescreen 1080p resolution. A good choice i thought.
A full spec sheet is below.
Exynos 7885 Octa Core
Android 9 + One UI
Internal Storage 32GB + MicroSD
RAM 3GB
S-Pen (non-Bluetooth)
DIsplay LCD TFT 1920x1200
USB - C Chanrging
3.5mm (Courage) Headphone jack
Mono downward speaker
8MP rear camere/5MP selfie camera
Non-removable 4200mA battery.
So the specs arent going to set the world alight….but then this doesnt need to.
A wise man allegedly said that “the right tool, is the tool that gets the job done”.
I go.to a lot conferences and courses as part of my work. I also am doing some theology classes (another one of my non-medical interests). My Lenovo Miiix seemed to be “ok” ant handling stylus input and making notes/taking pictures of slides etc. But it was heavy, slow, kept having wifi issues. No deal-breakers, but just sub-optimal.
But when I had bought my Note 9 (did i mention it was stolen?), it was like a revelation. Samsung have really optimised Android for a more productive (if bloated) experience. It was just so much easier and convenient. If only the screen was bigger and i still had all those features.
Thats were this Tab A + S Pen comes in. Its form factor, durability and price means I can throw it in my bag without worry. It has good battery life, the stylus input is great especially using OneNote or the Samsung Notes apps. I have the full library of Android apps to choose from and if i want on a train its easy to watch something on Netflix etc.
If i want to type something out, it has still small enough to type on for a device of this size without the need of a separate keyboard.
The cameras arent great, but then the only thing id use it for is to scan documents. The sound is also a bit meh، but the headphone jack helps.
“But its just a big phone!” I hear you cry (or was that the neighbours?)
Well if you havent noticed, phones are getting bigger and bigger. A decade ago the HTC HD2 was 4.3in. The OG Note was a massive 5.3in. The latest S20 Ultra has a 6.8in display. The Note 10 has a 6.7in display. Both of these are much much much more expensive.
For my needs, this form factor, small tablet/phablet/big phone, whatever you want to call it works for me.
Im just disappointed that you have to go so much out of your way to get a device like this.
The Doctor recommends
We were on the back of the ferry to Kowloon. It was like a ferry-tail...
The back of the Star Ferry from Hong Kong to Kowloon.
We were on the back of the ferry to Kowloon. It was like a ferry-tail...
I'm not apologising to anyone for this terrible pun. I can hear you all groaning from behind The Great Firewall.
Hong Kong Skyline as seen from Kowloon at night
Our day trip from Shenzhen to Hong Kong and back was a great experience: we went up Victoria Peak and walked around the hill, took the tram back down and then the ferry to Kowloon.
Hong Kong skyline
I had some great fun with the cameras of the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and the one on the Google Pixel 3 XL too: from zoom, to wide-angle selfies and night shots inight sense shots.
We will be going into this in a bit more depth soon, but here are some samples to wet your appetites.
Primera Air Goes Bust!
Primera Air is declaring bankruptcy and ceasing operations as of October 2nd 2018.
Primera Air, the Danish leisure airline owned by Primera Travel Group is to declare bankruptcy and cease operations as of October 2nd 2018.
Primera Air is expected to declare bankruptcy and cease operations on October 2nd 2018.
As widely reported and confirmed by the airline in a message to their customers, all operations cease as of tomorrow.
As Jason Rabinowitz (@airlineflyer) advised on Twitter if you have any flights booked on Primera Air flights you are best to start looking for alternate travel arrangements as soon as possible. You are also probably best to contact your tour operator or credit card company to see what refunds you are eligible for.
The statement from the Primera Air website: https://primeraair.com/about-us/corporate-news/ceases-operations/
9/30/2018 9:00:00 PM
Dear Passengers,
Airline Primera Air and IATA codes PF and 6F have been suspended as of today, October 2nd, 2018.
On behalf of Primera Air team, we would like to thank you for your loyalty. On this sad day we are saying Goodbye to all of you.
Please visit primeraair.com for further updates in next few days. Tour Operator passengers are kindly suggested to address their Tour Operators and Agents for further information and actions.
Kindly understand that the usual options for contacts (via email or phone) can not be offered any longer.
Sincerely yours.
Primera Air team
The Tech Travel Geeks Podcast - It's A Thing!
The Tech Travel Geeks Podcast has launched and is now available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Pocket Casts. We also announce our first guest: Myriam Joire (@tnkgrl)
Here at Tech Travel Geeks we like listening to and watching netcasts (also known as podcasts). We like them so much, we decided to go and make our own: The Tech Travel Geeks Podcast.
The Tech Travel Geeks Podcast is a netcast where we will have guests join us to talk about their travel experiences, tips, tricks and accessories they use to make travel more pleasant and enjoyable.
Lukasz and I plan plan to host the netcast weekly, though may not always be streamed live at the same time every week as we will be as flexible as possible to bring you the best guests we can find.
Speaking of guests, we will be hosting our first one this week: Myriam Joire, the host of The Mobile Tech Podcast.
You can now subscribe to The Tech Travel Geeks Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Pocket Casts as well as to our YouTube Channel.
You will be able to tune in live on the Tech Travel Geeks YouTube channel for the live and unedited recording at 19:00 BST (11:00 PT). After the show is over, you will be able to listen and watch here on Tech Travel Geeks, download the edited audio from our site or through your podcast client of choice.
We hope you enjoy the Tech Travel Geeks Podcast. We are just at the start of our journey, but have great things planned for the road ahead.
Microsoft Surface Book 2 Review - Best Travel 2-in-1 Laptop?
Lukasz Suliga, Chief Aperture Officer at TechTravelGeeks, reviews the Microsoft Surface Book 2: a 13.5" multi form factor laptop.
Hi there, it's Lukasz for Tech Travel Geeks. I'm currently on a 6-week-long round-the-world trip, and I wanted to share my experience with the Microsoft Surface Book 2, the latest flagship laptop from Seattle released in the UK in November 2017.
Let's go through some of the key features of this laptop, touching on other available models as well.
Screen
Microsoft Surface Book 2 laptop
There are two main versions of this laptop - one with a 13.5" screen, and the other with a bigger, 15" monitor. Both are top-of-the-class panels, with 3k 3:2 resolution (3000 x 2000 or 3240 x 2160 pixels), very bright screens, great colour reproduction and viewing angles. I have the smaller version of the laptop and I've had no problems using it in the bright daylight in Fiji and Australia, so I'm sure it will be good enough for any location.
The screen, as is common nowadays with most flagship laptops, is touch-sensitive. I've found it to be very responsive and easy to use when needed. In addition to that, as with other Surface products, it supports the Surface Pen, which is fantastic for anyone who uses it as a creative tool. Unfortunately, unlike the previous model, this one doesn't come with the pen included, so it's required to purchase it separately. Since I don't do much drawing or handwriting, I haven't purchased it yet, but based on reviews online, it looks like a good product.
Build
Surface Book 2 build quality is fantastic
The main selling point of the Surface Book 2 (and its predecessor) is the fact that the screen is detachable. In order to detach it, you have to press a button on the keyboard (the laptop has to be switched on for that though), and it removes very easily. The screen is connected to the rest of the device by a very interesting hinge, which has so far been great - after almost 6 months of use, it's very stable and convenient to use. The screen can go back to around 135 degrees, so it can't go flat, but you can turn the screen around and use it flat, or detach it completely and treat it as a large and powerful tablet.
What's very interesting is how the components are distributed. Everything that's needed for it to function is in the screen, including the hard drive, processor, built-in graphics card and all the other components. The keyboard part, on the other hand, has an additional battery and a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, so for more taxing purposes it's better to use it in the laptop mode, but for anything else, using just the screen is perfectly fine.
Furthermore, the build quality of the laptop is fantastic. The silver metallic look is great, with the hinge making it a very unique and easily-recognizeable laptop. The single Windows logo on the top adds to the premium look. The keyboard is very responsive and a pleasure to type on, I believe it's one of the most convenient ones available. The touchpad has been very good as well, allowing me to edit some videos without any problems. And it all easily fits into my bag, which has been fantastic for travels.
Performance and battery life
Surface Book 2 performance is great, including modern games like Fortnite
When it comes to performance, the laptop supports a number of CPU variants. It starts with the Dual Core M5 processor with an Intel HD Graphics 620 integrated graphics card, but it's quite low-end, so I wouldn't recommend it for content creation. There are also Intel Core i7 models available with the 8th generation Kaby Lake R processors. I picked the i7-8650U CPU clocked at 1.9GHz version to ensure the best performance, but the i5 should be good enough for most casual uses like browsing the internet or some basic gaming. It also comes with a few memory options, up to 16GB, and up to 1TB hard drive.
When it comes to graphics cards, this is where it differs between the 15" and 13.5" versions of the laptop. The bigger laptop supports a higher-end graphics card - Nvidia Geforce GTX 1060 with 6GB of video memory, compared to GTX 1050 with 2GB of memory on the smaller model. However, Geforce 1050 is still one os the most powerful mobile graphics cards available, allowing you to play most games on medium to high settings, including popular games like Fortnite.
I personally don't play too many games, and my main focus is on content creation. It's here where the Surface Book 2 delivers - it's even capable of editing 4k video in Premiere Pro. This has been a key consideration for my purchase, and I have to say I'm very happy with it. I have so far edited a number of videos on this laptop, including the "What's in my bag" video and the one you're watching just now for this channel, as well as a "Shark Tale" video from Fiji on my personal channel, so feel free to check them out. This laptop has now replaced my older desktop with an Nvidia 1060 graphics card, and I've never looked back.
When talking about performance, I can't forget about the fantastic battery life. As mentioned earlier, there are two batteries included - one in the screen part, and the other in the keyboard part. The former, on its own, can last a few hours, so it's not that amazing, but when attached to the keyboard, the laptop is one of the best ones available, allowing you to use it without charge for a full day. This comes in handy especially during holidays, when you want to take it with you or just don't have an outlet around.
Connectivity and cameras
Surface Book 2 cameras are actually great quality for a laptop
The laptop includes a number of very useful ports. The key one for me is full-size SD card reader, since I spend a lot of time downloading footage from my main camera. It also has two full-size USB 3.0 ports on the left, as well as a USB-C port on the right. The latter, however, is where one of my few issues with this laptop lies - it doesn't support Thunderbolt 3, so it's not possible to connect a separate dedicated graphics card to it, connect more than one 4k monitor or use other Thunderbolt accessories. And while it supports powering the laptop through this port, it's really slow and it will barely maintain the current battery status instead of actually charging it. Still, it's good that it's included in the first place.
For charging, instead, you should use the proprietary charging port. On the plus side, it's reversible and magnetic, similarly to what's found in MacBooks, so I've been very happy with it. And there's an extra bonus as well - two additional USB outs in the power brick itself, which allow me to charge my phone and camera without the need to bring additional USB chargers - small thing, but makes a big difference while travelling.
On the screen part, you will find the power button and the volume rocker at the top and the headphone jack on the side. At the front of the screen, there's a front-facing camera, which takes photos of up to 5 megapixels and records video in FullHD. The front facing camera is actually great and really clear, amazing for video calls with family while you're away, so it definitely deserves props for it. It's best feature, however, is that it supports Windows Hello, which is a very quick way to unlock your screen with the camera, using facial recognition and near-infrared imaging. I have to say I love it, it's very fast and just works every time, I can't praise it enough. There's also an 8MP back-facing camera which also records FullHD video, but let's be honest, who's going to use it as a camera?
Conclusion
Surface Book 2 is a great, yet quite expensive, 2-in-1 laptop
So, is the Surface Book 2 worth it? As a premium device from Microsoft, it comes with great build quality and top specs, and has deservedly been called the best 2-in-1 laptop available by many reviews. However, it comes at a premium price. It's definitely not cheap, starting at £1500 for the dual-core version, and going to £3149 for the top-specked model. The model reviewed was 13.5" with Core i7-8650U CPU, 16GB of RAM, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 GPU with 2GB of VRAM and a 500GB SSD, priced at £2499. You will be able to get cheaper setups from Dell or HP, but you'll sacrifice either build quality or access to top specs.
What this laptop is meant to do is to compete with Apple and give an alternative to Macbook Pro. If you prefer to use Windows software or aren't a big fan of the closed system of Apple, then this is a fantastic alternative. I personally grew up with Microsoft software, starting with DOS and Windows 95, so using Windows 10 is second nature for me. If you're a fan of Apple, well, I guess you've made your choice.
To sum up, having been using this for almost 6 months, and being 4 weeks into a round-the-world trip, I couldn't be happier with my purchase. If you want one of the best laptops on the market, with great specs, fantastic battery life, excellent screen, build quality and a unique approach to 2-in-1, and you don't mind spending a bit more to get the best that's available, go for it!
Thanks for watching Tech Travel Geeks. If you enjoyed this video, please give us a like and consider subscribing to see more videos like this. Cheers!
This Week in Mobile - This Fortnight in Mobile
Matteo sums up the last couple of weeks and rants about Ryanair.
Welcome to This Week in Mobile (TWiM), Tech Travel Geeks' weekly column covering what has happened in the world of mobile. If we haven't covered it on Tech Travel Geeks we'll link to the best content on the web.
Spring in Edinburgh, shot on the Meizu 15. #Meizu15
We skipped a week of TWiM as we have been busy. Lukasz is bouncing around the Pacific doing sightseeing and extreme sports, while I’ve been busy in Edinburgh.
Today I started early and flew down to London on Ryanair, and I’m now judging myself harshly for saving a few pounds and having a horrid travel experience: flight was late in taking off and landing and when we finally did get to St Ansted (that’s Stansted if you didn’t know) we had to wait over half an hour for the doors to the aircraft to be opened. I didn't know it was possible, but on Ryanair you can have a window seat without a window. Next time I will spend a few extra pounds to fly to London City and have a better overall experience as well as actually arriving in London. Luckily I'm feeling fresh, with the confidence a roll in my hand luggage brings...
Honor 10
The Honor 10 as seen in China. Will there be any surprises at the global launch in London?
So, mini-rant over, today I’m in London for the Honor 10 launch event. The Honor 10 shouldn’t be too much of a surprise because it was announced and released in China a while back: based on the Huawei P20 (not the P20 Pro) the device looks as shiny as its predecessors (the Honor 8 and Honor 9) with some awesome gradient paint jobs. Keep an eye out for the full coverage of the Honor 10 global launch and device first impressions here on Tech Travel Geeks.
LG G7 ThinQ
"Notch notch!" "Who's there?" "Who do you ThinQ?" "Why the LG G7 ThinQ of course!"
LG launched the LG G7 ThinQ recently. There has been a lot of criticism of the product in the tech press, despite the device being a good all-round release on paper. I haven’t had the pleasure of playing around with one yet, but Myriam and Nirave have and discussed it in depth on the Mobile Tech Podcast. I really enjoyed listening to the episode and ironically did so on my LG G6 (still one of my daily use phones).
Xiaomi Expanding in Europe
Big news from Xiaomi: the Chinese smartphone company has partnered with Hutchison, the parent company of Superdrug in the UK and the Thrtee networks in Europe and will be selling their products here soon. I’m looking forward to seeing how this works out. The whole Xiaomi range is affordable and excellent value for money, and if they can deliver on support and after sales service we may see very rapid growth of their product in European markets.
Speaking of Europe, it is GDPR Day next week. I have popcorn, beer and a bit of schadenfreude while I watch all the update emails from companies come in. The brands that bring value to me will be the ones I continue to engage with, all the rest will be a good riddance.
We are going to start posting more (and better)content in the next couple of weeks because our setup process is in a good place. Remember to check back here on Tech Travel Geeks and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
How Matteo Rolls - Packing Tip
Matteo, our Chief Mobile Opinionist, shares a packing tip on Tech Travel Geeks. Today he shares a video about rolls, more specifically rolls of underwear which can easily be packed in hand luggage or maybe even a coat pocket.
I tend to travel relatively frequently, and whether it is a short trip to London from Edinburgh, either on a plane or train, or a longer trip to another continent, I carry a roll. In this short post with video I hope to explain how I roll. To clarify, this post is about how I prepare a set of underwear to carry in hand luggage or even a coat pocket.
While travelling I like to feel comfortable, and sometimes my comfort levels can be improved by just popping into an airport or train station toilet and changing my underwear. To do this I always travel with a roll: t-shirt, underwear and socks rolled up so as to take up as little space as possible and carried easily in hand luggage or maybe even a coat pocket.
Matteo's Roll being set up.
In the video above I walk through the process of preparing a roll. Depending on how thick the material of the underwear is and how long the roll is it may be more appropriate for hand luggage or a coat pocket. Obviously this is very subjective to your bag and your clothing style.
Coming up soon we will have a post on packing cubes and how they can benefit your packing for travel.
Do you have a packing tip for us? Would you like more or different travel tips on Tech Travel Geeks? Let us know in the comments to this post.
Please do also subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
This Week in Mobile - Meizu 15 in China
This Week In Mobile is a bit late this week because Matteo has been in China at the Meizu 15 launch event. Lukasz has managed to show us what is in his bag too…
Welcome to This Week in Mobile (TWiM), Tech Travel Geeks' weekly column covering what has happened in the world of mobile. If we haven't covered it on Tech Travel Geeks we'll link to the best content on the web.
A rainy Wuzhen, Zhejiang, China. Shot on Meizu 15 #ShotOnMeizu15 #Meizu15
This Week in Mobile is a bit late this week (again) because I was travelling in China while Lukasz is still on his epic journey around the world with a very densely packed bag.
Motorola G Series Launch in Brazil
Motorola, also known as Lenovorola, have refreshed their popular G Series of Android powered devices, announcing the Moto G 6 Play, the Moto G6 and Moto G6 Plus. I haven't had enough time to look at these devices in depth or follow the launch closely, but luckily our friends at Android Central have and did a great breakdown of the announcement and launch over on their site. Below you can find Daniel Bader's excellent explanation on video too.
Meizu 15 Announcement in Wuzhen, China
The Meizu 15 Launch stage, as shot on a Meizu 15...
As Chief Pixel Density Enthusiast at Coolsmartphone, I was a guest of Chinese technology company Meizu for their Meizu 15 launch event in Wuzhen, Zhejiang, China. You can catch all coverage of the event and the products on Coolsmartphone.com.
The Meizu 15 series, which is comprised of the Meizu 15, Meizu 15 Plus and Meizu M15 is a delightful range of devices. Hardware is well built, has excellent specifications and good ergonomics. Meizu's new version of their Android-based operating system, Flyme 7, has been refined and improved. Overall the Meizu 15 is a pleasure to use and I'm enjoying using it as one of my main devices.
China is on the path to being the first cashless society from what I can see, and AliPay and WeChat are the most used forms of payment. The occasional outlet also accepts UnionPay, but Mastercard and Visa as accepted forms of payment are a rarity in my most recent experience. We had to try hard, but finally found a place for dinner which accepted MasterCard (my Monzo card) in Shanghai. We set to order a quick meal before heading to the airport. Thanks to a misunderstanding using Google Translate we even managed to over-order dim sum, but it was definitely worth it.
We also managed to catch a Maglev train from Shanghai to the airport. I would definitely recommend doing it if you happen to be heading from Shanghai to Pu Dong Airport (PVG).
What's in Lukasz's bag?
Lukasz has finally published his "What's In My Bag" for his round the world trip he is currently on. As expected there is plenty of tech. He is a Tech Travel Geek after all... We look forward to getting more updates from him #soon.
That's all for... last week. I'll try and get back into the weekly TWiM rhythm from Sunday onwards. Safe travels everyone!
What's in my bag - Round The World edition
Lukasz is on his amazing round the world trip. In this post he enlightens us on what tech he is carrying with him on the epic eastward journey.
Welcome to a new section on Tech Travel Geeks - What's in my bag. We'll be talking about the tech we love and carry with us on our travels. First off, Lukasz.
And it's a big one. This year, I got extended annual leave at my full time job (I work at Skyscanner, the travel search website), and I will be using it to fly around the world in just under 6 weeks. Below, you will find a map with my itinerary:
Around the world in 41 days
Bag
The challenge with this trip is that I hate checking my luggage in - extra time wasted before the flight, risk of losing the luggage, and you need to wait for it to show up after the flight. So I'll be trying to pack all my camera gear, productivity equipment, as well as clothes for the whole trip into one carry-on bag.
My choice of bag is the Hugger 30l Black Camo bag by Douchebags. I've been very happy with it so far, but I've only used it on two short trips, so you can expect more information about this bag in the future. It's been great so far, with a large and comfortable main compartment, handy top pocket (especially at airports) and a laptop case on the back. We'll see if my opinion changes after 16 flights and 33,000 miles.
Camera and lenses
As Chief Aperture Officer at Tech Travel Geeks and a big camera enthusiast, the majority of space in my bag is taken by my camera equipment. My camera of choice is the Panasonic Lumix GH5, which is one of the best Micro Four Thirds cameras on the market, especially for video shooters. It has fantastic 4K image in 60 frames per second, which allows me to get slow motion from all of my footage without the need to change any settings. It also has top-of-the-line image stabilization and a way-too-uncommon flip-out screen, which for me is a deal breaker for other cameras. Sony, your move!
I'm also taking a few lenses with me. Starting from the widest, I have the 16-36mm equivalent lens, a 24-120mm equivalent zoom lens, my favourite - the 85mm-equivalent lens, and the telephoto 70-200mm equivalent. I might have to leave one of them home, as they don't all fit into my Amazon Basics camera bag, but we'll see how much space I'll have when I add clothes and other necessities.
For audio, I'm taking the Rode VideoMicro microphone with a wind shield. This time, I'm leaving home the Zoom H5 audio recorder due to space constraints, and because I wouldn't most likely have enough time to use it for run-and-gun filming.
Other filming equipment
- DJI Mavic Air drone - the smallest 4K drone available, a fantastic and hugely enjoyable tool which allows creating some amazing footage. You can see my unboxing and first impressions video, recorded for Coolsmartphone.com, on my Youtube channel, but also expect more on TechTravelGeeks
- GoPro Hero 5 - a useful tool especially for extreme sports and water sports, so I'm hoping to use it a few times, together with the floating handle and Lumecube, a great waterproof LED light, which might come in handy underwater
- Joby GorillaPod - the key tool in Casey Neistat's arsenal, so I couldn't leave it out. What I'm leaving home, however, is the Zhiyun Crane gimbal stabilizer, but it's way too big and heavy for this trip
Phones
My current daily driver is the Samsung Galaxy S9+, which is a fantastic phone. You can watch my other videos about it on our Youtube channel, including the unboxing video and a comparison with the S8+, focusing on travellers. I'll definitely take it through its paces during this trip.
In addition to this, I'm also taking the Doogee BL7000 (thanks, Matteo!). It's actually the first time that I'm taking two phones with me, but I'll be treating this one as a power bank/music player most of the time. This phone has a 7000mAh battery, so I'm taking it instead of an extra power bank, with the benefit of using it for other purposes as well.
Laptop
My laptop of choice is the new 13.3" Microsoft Surface Book 2. I've stayed with Windows over the years, and I couldn't be happier with this laptop. It has top specs, which allow me to edit 4K video without any issues, great keyboard, and a screen which transforms into a tablet. You can expect a more thorough review on TechTravelGeeks in the near future.
Since I film everything in 4K, and film a lot, I need lots of storage. I'll be taking two portable hard drives, 2TB and 4TB, initially as redundancy, and in case I use more data, as extra storage. I'm also taking a number of SD and MicroSD cards, there's never too many of them.
Entertainment
- Nintendo Switch - it's my first console since the Playstation 2 (I don't play that many games), but I couldn't be happier with the purchase. However, even though I have a few AAA titles like Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild, and more recently - Doom, I usually play quick games like Pinball and quick racing games
- Sony WH-1000XM2 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones - my first noise cancelling headphones, they really changed my commuting and travelling experience forever
- Chromecast - for streaming from my phone or laptop, in case there's a TV and decent WiFi in one of the hotels
Cables and chargers
Lots of them. However, I'm trying to limit the number of chargers I'm taking, so I'll be reusing the laptop charger and drone charger for recharging other devices, since they both have spare USB outs.
I'm also taking a universal power adaptor, which supports 4 different types of outlets, as well as an extension block.
I hope you liked this new section on Tech Travel Geeks. If you did, please don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit that "like" button. Also, please do contact us through the comments section on YouTube or via our social media channels, we'll be really happy to hear from you. Thanks for reading!
Air France - KLM refresh Flying Blue loyalty scheme
Air France - KLM have changed their loyalty programme Flying Blue. Changes have been made to the way you earn miles and status.
Air France - KLM, the Franco-Dutch airline group, has just refreshed its loyalty scheme Flying Blue. The main change is in the way miles are awarded. Flying Blue now awards miles according to monetary spend on flights rather than miles flown.
The new look Flying Blue card design.
According to your level you will earn miles per Euro spent on flights, in the following tiers:
- Flying Blue Ivory: 4 miles per €
- Flying Blue Silver: 6 miles per €
- Flying Blue Gold: 7 miles per €
- Flying Blue Platinum: 8 miles per €
You will still be able to earn miles through partners, such as credit card providers, as previously.
Flying blue is the loyalty programme of Air France, KLM, Aircalin, HOP!, Joon, Kenya Airways, Tarom and Transavia.
To attain a higher Flying Blue level you will need to earn XP (experience), which will be scaled according to the distance and class of flights you travel on.
This refresh, or as Air France - KLM put it reinvention, may be seen as a challenge to those who attained their higher level status through frequent short economy flights, while those who fly less over larger distances in higher classes will be rewarded more quickly.
I'm a loyal KLM and SkyTeam traveller. KLM won my loyalty through some excellent customer service and ensuring I made it to Italy with my sister's wedding cake the day before the wedding (despite some major issues they had no control over). Apparently I will maintain my Flying Blue Gold level and am already most of the way to Gold for this year as well.
What do you think of this change to Flying Blue? Will your travel changes as a result? Let us know in the comments to this post or start a conversation with us on Twitter.
Source: Flying Blue
We like Mockodile...
Really, we do.
It all comes together when consumer electronics reach a point of near commoditization. Differentiation of products then becomes one of brand, image and perception of minor unique selling points.
Mockodile both facilitates and accelerates the differentiation of consumer electronics. Accessorization helps individuals make a statement about their identity when they have a commodity like a smartphone. Why not make that statement with mockodile?
In my writing I sometimes highlight the glorious mockodile products that we see come to market.