travelog

New Year's Eve With Mum & Dad Again & England's Lockdown3 - Shrewsbury/ London - December 2020/ January 2021

17/1/2021

Haggis, neeps & tatties; Tanners Wine champagne; and snow. A real Shropshire New Year's Eve.

For a second year I skipped New York in favour of New Year's Eve in Shrewsbury with mum & dad. Mum's sublime cooking, wines from dad and even getting to spend New Year's Day with my gorgeous niece, before she flew to spend the Orthodox Christmas in Moscow with her mother, made it such a special time.

On New Year's Day my friend who lives in the Burj Khalifa sent me photos of watching the Dubai fireworks from inside his apartment. Mind-blowing!

I returned to London on the direct Avanti West Coast train in First Class but Lockdown3 in England was announced shortly after this. I now combine exercise with shopping by walking to Fortnums to undertake my food shopping. This is a treat a younger me would not have believed I would ever have been able to do. I also returned to London to find elegant gifts from the Four Seasons George V in Paris.

I am doing my best not to let standards slip, despite everything, & hope the photos below help to demonstrate this. Keep safe everyone. We will get through this together.

Coronovirus/COVID-19 - When Will All This End? - May & June 2020

10/6/2020

I decided to name the bellboy teddy bear Claridge's sent with my Daniel Humm take-out dinner Thomas, after their GM I met.

Despite experiencing Fortnum & Mason & Avanti West Coast First Class train travel alone; a Daniel Humm Claridge's Fried Chicken dinner at home; showers with Aromatherapy Associates oils, my Frette sheets & my Dorchester hotel bed here in my Barbican London place; seeing a Red Arrows display on VE Day by Palace of Westminster; another spectacular Dorchester hotel roses bouquet specially created for me by Philip Hammond; walks in St James's Park looking at the black swans & Buckingham Palace etc, the UK lockdown since 23 March 2020 has been too long and the UK's new travel quarantine rules wreck www.sifrew.com and so many of my work plans.

My dad's birthday next weekend, & a 'physically distanced' picnic in Green Park with friends from my Qatar days, has made me think how much a miss hugging my mum, swimming & my personal training. Look forward to answering questions about the photos below, when we next meet!

Off for another walk now to try to drop some of the weight gained in the last few months.

My 50th Birthday - Friday 29 March 2019

23/3/2019

While the Brexit date has moved, 29 March 2019 is still fast approaching.

First Class Emirates flights got me from Bangkok to Shrewsbury safely. Two portions of caviar, Dom Perignon champagne and a shower on the A380 plane were perfect but my luggage did not arrive with me in Manchester and the way Emirates dealt with that was far from First Class service. I have made formal complaints about that, & the additional money I paid for WiFi which did not work for long periods on the flight.

I am just off to Tanners in Shrewsbury to arrange the champagne for my Shrewsbury party. Today also spoke to The Golden Cross about my Shrewsbury dinner and signed the contract with Le Pont de la Tour in London. Four Seasons Hotel Ten Trinity Square have created a new Grey Goose vodka based cocktail in my honour. What a two day celebration it will be.

A '7 teddies' (🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻) 50th birthday year finally culminates on 29/30 March 2019.

The First Class/Business Class Cathay Pacific Lounge at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. An Oasis of Calm During the Chinese New Year Exodus - Bangkok, Thailand - February 2019

1/2/2019

It was pandemonium in Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok the Friday before Chinese New Year 2019. However, the Cathay Pacific First Class/Business Class Lounge was an oasis of sophisticated calm.

The dim sum, phad thai etc from their Noddle Bar made me remember why I like flying with Cathay Pacific. I once undertook a 16 hour flight with them from Hong Kong to Toronto, before returning home to Bermuda!

A '7 teddies' (🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻) 50th birthday year continues.

Business Class Flights to Taipei with Eva Air that Felt Like First Class - Taiwan - November 2018

6/11/2018

The Eva Air Business Class seats reminded me of British Airways First Class.

Taiwanese people are some of the most avid readers of #travelblog www.sifrew.com.

I only became aware of Eva Air recently but, as soon as I booked Mandarin Oriental Taipei, I knew I had to fly with this Taiwan airline that partners with Hello Kitty.

A '6 teddy', 'First Class', friendly experience I will never forget.

An Awesome End to an Unforgettable 18 Months in Cayman Islands - September 2018

15/9/2018

My last day in Cayman Islands started with Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman serving this Brand Ambassador Veuve Clicquot champagne & truffles at breakfast.

I have too many people to thank for my 18 unforgettable months in Cayman Islands. My parents, & so many special friends, for visiting me, and there are too many incredible people in Cayman Islands I hope I never lose contact with.

There are a few photos below from my last two days in Cayman Islands but they do not do it any justice!

The New First Class Suites on American Airlines, Heathrow to Miami Flight on a 777-300 - Great Seat/Bed & Crew But Shame About The Food - December 2017

30/12/2017

Seat 1A in First Class had ample space for my 'www.sifrew.com gang from London' and me. Note my Four Seasons New York Downtown baseball cap.

Having flown on British Airways and Qatar Airways in First Class numerous times, and in 'The Apartments' on Etihad Airways, I decided I must try the American Airlines new First Class suites. My 15 hour journeys from Cayman Islands, at Christmas, seemed the perfect opportunity to do this.

I was impressed by the seat/bed, and crew, but once again the American Airlines First Class food let them down. Hence my '4 teddy' rating.

The Sensational New American Airlines Flagship First Dining, Terminal 3 @ Miami International Airport, Florida, USA - December 2017

23/12/2017

Luis making me a perfect very dry Grey Goose martini. He was such a ray of sunshine to deal with that I gave Four Seasons: The Surf Club in Miami his details the next day.

After delays with my American Airlines plane from Cayman Islands, which culminated with an email warning me that I may miss my connection flight taking me to Christmas in the UK, the American Airlines Flagship First Dining experience was a much needed oasis of pampered luxury.

This First Class dining experience was superior to British Airways' Concorde Room dining and would be difficult to improve on. A 'seven teddy' experience, without doubt.

British Airways First Class Lounge, Heathrow Terminal 5 - December 2015

31/12/2015

I am a huge fan of British Airways and was excited that my New Year trip to New York would mean I would get to use the First Class lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5 again.

Having got up at 6:15am, I was really looking forward to their cooked breakfast.

First Class Compartment on Special Express Train with Thailand Railways from Chiang Mai to Bangkok - 13 hours - October 2015

23/10/2015

Chiang Mai station is light and airy with a tropical feel. There were places to have hot food but I just got a cold water.

At 4:30pm my 5pm train was already waiting. Staff treated me with reverence when I showed them my First Class/VIP ticket and we left precisely on time...

My First Class/VIP train ticket.