Galley Gossip: HAPPY NEW YEAR!

by Heather Poole on
Happy New Year, everybody! For the first time in fourteen years I’ve actually got the day off. I know, even I can’t believe it. “So what do you have planned for New Year’s Eve?” several people have recently asked.

They always look a little surprised when I say, “Not much. Just hanging out at home and making my famous spicy blacked eyed peas.”

“You’re not going out?”

“Nope. I never go out. Usually I’m working,” I say because I am, usually working.

“Really?”

“Really.” And that’s a good thing! Trust me

This year, unlike other years, I plan to stay home and celebrate quietly with my family. Because in three days I’ll be on reserve, which means that except for a few scheduled days off, I’ll be on-call to the company 24/7 for the entire month of January. I’ll be stuck in New York where I work, not in California where I live, which is why I’m trying to make the most of what little family time I have left before packing my bags and heading back to work on the 3rd. Don’t worry, you’ll get to hear all about my time waiting around at my crash-pad for crew schedule to call and send me who knows where at a moments notice. It’s not fun.

In the past I’ve always bid to work New Year’s Eve, because most times when you bid to work one holiday in December you can usually get the other, more important, holiday off – Christmas. However, even though I’m working on such a festive night, I’ve been fortunate enough (a few years) to descend into Kennedy or La Guardia airport just at the right time. There’s nothing like being in that dark, quiet, cabin, everyone so still and content, the lights of the city twinkling on the ground beneath us, when the Captain or a flight attendant makes the announcement I’ve been waiting for all night.

“Happy New Year!”

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And just like that every single passenger, and flight attendant, is smiling. It’s always a beautiful sight.

2008 was a good year, and not just because of all the amazing flight attendants I was fortunate enough to work with on each and every trip, but because of all the wonderful passengers I met, and I did meet many. Some I’ll never forget. So here’s wishing you and yours a happy and healthy 2009. Happy travels to all and to all a good flight!

The photo gallery above consists of photos taken from one of my last flights in 2008

Photo of the Day (12.30.08)

by Grant Martin on

With my voyage to New York early tomorrow morning comes a wealth of baggage — more than I’m packing in the overhead compartment. A new year. A new beginning. Loss, fear, a look into my heart, passions and life.

In my many travel experiences, I have never been let down by the City, somehow always warm, moving and willing to swallow my worries, loves and hates among its streets, alleys and subways, lost among a sea of merging souls. From the Gadling flickr pool, morrissey‘s photo of the Manhattan skyline reminds me of why I’m so often there.

Welcome home, young son. Your new future awaits.

Photo of the Day (12.28.08)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

We’ve been doing holiday-themed photos all week, but I couldn’t resist doing one more. Not when they look as cool as this shot of Rockefeller Center from Flickr user Bernard-SD. The lighting and perspective on this are just awesome. Does this remind anyone else of a vanishing point drawing? I also like the way this photo further emphasizes the height of the building by sandwiching it between two flagpoles.

Have any great travel photos you’ve taken during your holiday this year? Why not share them with our readers on Gadling? All you have to do is upload them to our Gadling pool on Flickr. We might just use one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

How not to go to New York

by Tom Johansmeyer on

I’m sitting on a bus right now, on my way home to Manhattan. I just spent the last two nights in Reading, PA with my wife’s family. What does this mean? I’m on a bus full of people who are making their annual trek to the “Big Apple.” Right next to me is a family trying to agree on what to do. You can tell it’s going to be a project from the stack of menus (Italian restaurants only) they have printed and are reviewing).

“I have no interest in shopping,” man says to woman, “you know, shopping for dresses and stuff.”

Next comment: “Aw come on … She wants to go ice skating.”

Finally: “I’m not saying I don’t want to spend time with you; I just don’t want to go shopping.”

Then, they give up for a while.

A bit of advice for anyone heading to New York anytime of year. While the city is big and can be intimidating, don’t over-engineer your visit. There is a lot you can discover just by walking around and getting lost (thay’s how I found Gramercy Park). Plan to have fun; don’t plan every movement.

If these people do anything else funny, I’ll let you know

Worst luck ever: couple vacation in New York, London and Mumbai just as terrorists attack

by Karen Walrond on

The Sydney Times Herald is reporting the uncanny story of Mr. and Mrs. James and Jenny Cairns-Lawrence, a young couple from Dudley, United Kingdom, who seem to have a knack for choosing vacation spots where terrorists are about to strike: they have found themselves in New York, London and Mumbai during the exact times that each of the three cities were viciously attacked by terrorists.

Says Mrs. Cairns-Lawrence, “It’s a strange coincidence. The terror attacks just happened when we were in the cities. I shouldn’t be laughing about it, but it is a strange coincidence.”

Dude, remind me to check where these two are the next time I plan an international trip. And as one of my Gadling colleagues said, aren’t people like these usually called “persons of interest”?