Foreign Travel?

[WinterDeere]

I find Lufthansa is very punctual on time...

American would require change of plane for same destination.

My best flights ever were Swiss and PanAm...

I used to fly to Europe every year, mostly Germany. Used Lufthansa, American, British Airways, Continental / Air France... probably a few others. There was no "best", all had one advantage or another over the others. Air France had the best food, hands down. British Airways had the best entertainment systems, at least back then. Lufthansa's fleet was not exactly the latest and greatest, back then, but they were punctual and courteous, with decent food for an airplane. American was our best option for Philly, since it's a main hub for them, and many more direct flight options.

 

[ultrarunner]

Swiss first class was hands down best in my limited experience.

I don’t often hear US Carriers as overall their top pick…

Often depending on location travel options may be limited.

 

[oosik]

Ever since I saw the mini-series - Band of Brothers - Austria would be my choice.

 

[ultrarunner]

Ever since I saw the mini-series - Band of Brothers - Austria would be my choice.

I’ve never seen it but rabbit ear TV is limiting.

Austria is like a second home having spent so much time there including my stint working there after graduation.

That said I’m always amazed how much change happens even being away only a couple of years.

Last visit for me 2015…

 

[tradosaurus]

Locked in our flights last month from Dallas to Frankfurt for late December.

I didn’t think I would get a better price for non stop.

 

[ultrarunner]

Locked in our flights last month from Dallas to Frankfurt for late December.

I didn’t think I would get a better price for non stop.

Christmas Markets and holiday faire...

Only one Christmas spent in Europe and enjoyed it...

 

[WinterDeere]

air france was always my favorite, can't even say why

I used to fly a lot of Air France in the 1990's. They were affiliated with Continental, back then. I liked them as well, mostly because they had much better food than British Airways, Lufthansa, or US Air, which were our other options for getting to Europe, back then. Air France also usually had the most attractive flight attendants.

But British Airways had the best infotainment systems and movies, which was a huge deal back in the days before watching your own content on iPhones and iPads.

 

[dmccarty]

Just saw this story about an American kidnapped on Mindanao, US YouTuber kidnapped in Philippines after marrying local woman

A US Youtuber has been kidnapped from a remote Philippines village by machine gun-wielding men dressed in black - months after moving to the community and marrying a local woman.

The Philippine police said Friday it has launched a search after gunmen reportedly abducted the American national, who they identified as Elliot Onil Eastman, 26, from Vermont.

Eastman was reportedly shot in the leg as he tried to resist before being spirited away from a southern Philippine coastal town in a speedboat.

If confirmed to be a case of kidnapping for ransom, it would be the latest reminder of the long-running security problems that have hounded the southern Philippines, the homeland of a Muslim minority in the largely Roman Catholic nation.

Philippine authorities did not immediately provide background details of Eastman, but a person with a similar name has posted pictures and videos of himself on Facebook saying he had married a Muslim woman in Sibuco.

He was taken to an area where many of the kidnapped people were taken years ago. I really had hopped this s...t had stopped, but an American or Westerner, is a target, if for nothing more than being viewed as a lottery ticket.

One of the gunmen shot Eastman in the leg before dragging him into a speedboat then fled by sea further south toward the provinces of Basilan or Sulu, the police reports said.

 

[2manyrocks]

I saw that story this am. First thought was it could have been Ultrarunner but for the grace of God.

 

[ultrarunner]

With all that was going on the decision not to go was the right one for me.

My coworker and her family returned from 4 weeks and had a great time and no one got sick or anything negative except the trip was a budget buster…

She went on to say that everyone in the village visited and her mom made so many donations to the kids from the village for school supplies and to the school the daughter had to speak up.

Her mom said the need is so great and they have so little…

I’m also learning about the difference in culture…

When I go back to visit friends and distant relatives in Europe my money is no good… and other than a California bottle of wine or a tin of California nuts for my host I’m out of luck as far as paying for anything.

I’ve learned that it’s the opposite from my friend when coming to the Philippines from the West… gifts are expected and events like parties or festivities, even in your honor, you are expected to cover the costs which even being a bargain by Western standards adds up.

My coworker brought it home saying she earns in a single shift at a SF Bay Area Hospital what she earned for the entire month in a rural hospital in the provence.

A person with a 2k a month income is easily in the 90+ percentile… enough to rent a beautiful western home with domestic help…

It helps that English is taught in the public schools and Americans in general well thought of…

I’ve had several here reach out that have traveled extensively and say the risk is minimal but as always there are things you can do to make yourself a target…

I was more afraid of getting sick on a 2 week vacation than kidnapped…

The owner of a large and expanding California fire sprinkler and monitoring company is a friend who opened a branch in the Philippines and travels back and forth all the time… he has adapted quite well but he is in the 5 star resort country club lifestyle there and well connected through his wife’s family…

Update: I did get a small refund on my unused ticket which is more than I expected…

 

[dmccarty]

There was another article about the guy who was kidnapped. No word if he is still alive. Given that the kidnappers shot him in the leg, he could have died, and even if he is alive, his health is going to be a big issue.

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep… same island I was flying but he was established, married a local and put out a lot of videos…

It’s said that kidnappings seem to be targeted and no doubt where to find this guy.

If he has ransom money is another discussion.

 

[California]

Yep… same island I was flying but he was established, married a local and put out a lot of videos…

It’s said that kidnappings seem to be targeted and no doubt where to find this guy.

If he has ransom money is another discussion.

You dodged a bullet by cancelling. Likely literally. Good call.

 

[dmccarty]

Yep… same island I was flying but he was established, married a local and put out a lot of videos…

It’s said that kidnappings seem to be targeted and no doubt where to find this guy.

If he has ransom money is another discussion.

Yeah, making the videos did not help, but given he stuck out from the local population, he had to be well known in the area and information would have spread about him.

We where once in a small town in Ireland. We had gone to the town to get a sim card and when we parked on the street my wife started to talk to a man with a dog. As we drive up the street, we saw the man and dog, and I ask my wife if she was going to go play with the dog. Of course she was. Before the car was stopped, she was out of the car and asking the man if she could pet his dog.

We had a long interesting conversation with the man, who was an American living in the town of 1200ish people.

Eventually, I got my wife away from the dog and we went into the cell phone store. Somehow, talking to the lady in the store, we mentioned the man with the dog. The lady said, something to the affect of, "Yes, that is John the American." So here is this guy who speaks the local language, looks like the locals, but the locals know he is not local and have nicknamed him from the land from which he came. To say the guy in Mindanao stuck out is an understatement.

The kidnappers likely think the US government will pay a ransom. The US government has been buying hostages back over the last few decades with the predictable results of more kidnappings.

 

[California]

The kidnapped guy was found dead, per a post on Reddit's Phillipine subforum yesterday.

I searched Google and Yahoo news, nothing yet.

 

[ultrarunner]

YouTube has postings speculating when a floating body found...

The same person that told me not to go said negative information is often suppressed because it hurts tourism...

This kidnapped guy posted his wife's family told him it's not safe for him to be out alone and in the end he was abducted from his home...

The thinking is this is personal since no ransom demanded...

 

[kenmbz]

sad stuff

 

[ultrarunner]

Still no updates and FBI is assisting...

Lots of speculation but leading theory is he ticked off the wrong people as opposed to kidnap for ransom.

Several credible sources link to known groups have come out publicly and back channel they have no involvement.

It's odd that while the story is out there is little from the scene, village and area... closed mouthed is one description.

 

[dmccarty]

Still no updates and FBI is assisting...

Lots of speculation but leading theory is he ticked off the wrong people as opposed to kidnap for ransom.

Several credible sources link to known groups have come out publicly and back channel they have no involvement.

It's odd that while the story is out there is little from the scene, village and area... closed mouthed is one description.

I don't have my data handy, so from memory, ten years or so ago two older white men had married local woman on Mindanao. The men were shot in the head one day while in public. I think at or near a beach. The attack was odd because one had to wonder if it was a terror attack but I never heard the terror groups say anything. Which then makes one think the two men ticked someone off over money, drugs, family issues, etc. I never heard why the two men got killed. Information about the murders just dried up. I am sure the locals knew what was up.

 

[JasperFrank]

Rent the Black Ecalade.... you'll be fine...