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Destination Guide – One Day on Roosevelt Island, New York

After a superb flight on Virgin Atlantic from the UK last October, I found myself with a free day in the New York City area before connecting to Florida.

Having visited New York several times before and seen all of the textbook attractions, I decided on a quiet day. The stand-out thing to do for a transport enthusiast was the Roosevelt Island Tramway, my trip on which had been stymied by a particularly vicious snowstorm on my last visit to the city.

On my way to the Tramway, I passed by the iconic sights of Times Square and the famous Rockerfeller Center skating rink.

The Tramway is not in fact a tram, but more akin to a cable car, with large gondolas suspended over the East River, reaching the island in around seven minutes. The fare is $3 (£2.25) and is paid by cash or card at the terminal’s ticket machines.

The island itself, despite lying mere minutes from the busy streets of Manhattan, is peaceful and tranquil and a haven for wildlife and woodland creatures.

From the Tramway terminus, I walked to Southpoint Park via the FDR Hope Memorial and the ruins of the Smallpox Hospital, before traversing the roughly two-mile (3km) length of the island on foot.

At the northern end of the island lies Lighthouse Park with its historic stone lighthouse built by penitentiary inmates in the 1870s.

Although the island is easily walkable, with the late-October temperatures beginning to bite, I took the free Red Bus shuttle back towards the Tramway Plaza and Ferry Landing.

For the return journey, I opted to view the city from the water level, rather than suspended above it, and took NYC Ferry’s Astoria Line to Lower Manhattan. The 35-minute journey via the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard is made on small commuter ferries, complete with a concession stand. The $4.50 (£3.40) fare is payable on the NYC Ferry’s app or by cash or card at the terminal on the eastern side of the island.

After alighting at Pier 11, next to the financial hub of Wall Street, I stopped by the new No. 1 World Trade Center building, an imposing beacon of resilience following the tragic events of 2001, before heading onward to the New Jersey side of the Hudson River.

My day on Roosevelt Island was a pleasant and relaxing interlude between my flights. The island is an oasis of calm, nestled by the bustling metropolis of Manhattan. It is well worth taking a few hours out of even the most hectic of schedules to take a leisurely stroll around the historic sights.

 

 

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Flight Review – Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, London Heathrow to New York JFK

Following my evisceration of EgyptAir in my last flight review, I am pleased to be reviewing a product which is markedly superior in every respect.

My latest long-haul travel season began with a flight on Virgin Atlantic’s flagship route from London Heathrow to New York JFK. Careful flight selection ensured that this flight would on the carrier’s Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, with its on-board lounge area and superior hard product.

My travel day began with a visit to the highly rated Virgin Clubhouse at Heathrow’s Terminal 3.

As I was planning to eat on board, I paid only a short visit for a couple of glasses of champagne and a fruit salad. The fruit was fresh and the champagne was crisp and chilled. It was a very pleasant start to my travel day.

The boarding process was very smooth and I was soon settled in for the 8-hour journey to New York.

Seating was in a 1-2-1 all-aisle configuration, which I consider the gold standard for business class.

A pre-departure beverage of Laurent-Perrier champagne was offered. I, of course, happily accepted.

As this was a daytime flight, I decided to buy the WiFi package for the full flight, which is offered at £20.99 or $26.95.

Take-off was on time and the lunchtime meal offering was served soon afterwards.

There was an extensive and varied wine list and cocktail menu.

I chose the arancini starter, which was well presented and paired well with a glass of Chardonnay.

The menu did not feature a beef main course, due to Virgin Atlantic’s environmental policies. At any restaurant on the ground, I would scoff at this, but it did not faze me on this occasion as I have a long history of complaining about overcooked beef on flights.

Instead, I happily opted for the Lemon and Thyme chicken, which was nicely presented, tender and moist. To accompany the main course, I decided to stay with the Chardonnay, which was liberally topped up.

For dessert, I enjoyed the apricot and lavender cake. As all of the white wines listed on the menu were rather dry, I requested a dessert wine and the crew found a bottle which was not listed.

Following dessert, a selection of British cheeses was offered, along with a Quinto do Noval port.

I rounded off a very enjoyable meal with a visit to the on-board lounge area and another couple of glasses of port, before returning to my seat for ice cream and a few cognacs.

After a short port and cognac induced nap, I was awoken shortly before landing for afternoon tea.

Arrival in New York was slightly early and I was soon through CBP and landside.

This was an extremely enjoyable flight experience and a thoroughly civilised way to cross the Atlantic.

In conclusion, Virgin Atlantic’s A350-1000 Upper Class product is an excellent business class product and very good choice for this route.

British Airways – Another IT SNAFU

Over the last few months and years, it is an understatement to say that British Airways has been subject to the occasional IT failure.

I was recently caught up in such an increasingly common SNAFU, when my BA Executive Club account was inexplicably locked, for no apparent reason.

What followed can only be described as a cascade of incompetence.

Over the course of 9 days, I spent several hours on the phone to BA’s Executive Club line, intermittently being randomly dumped into call queues for reservations or booking amendments.

Eventually I received an e-mail from a gentleman with a tangential connection to the correct department, and a 48-hour exchange began.

Finally, I am finally able to access my BAEC account and move forward with my travel plans.

Overall, this has been a frustrating experience and a disappointment from BA, which has been, without exception, my favourite international carrier over the last few years.

It is not hyperbolic to say that the service I have received from BA during the last few difficult years has been head and shoulders above the global competition.

It is therefore disappointing that they seem unable to resolve such a basic issue in anything resembling an expedient manner.

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Canada drops all restrictions

In what may be a surprise move for a country which had among the most draconian covid restrictions in the world, Canada has announced that all entry restrictions relating to the covid panic have been dropped.

There is now no requirement for:

  • Covid vaccination
  • Pre-departure testing
  • Testing on arrival
  • Quarantine
  • Contact tracing

The federal mask mandate on board aircraft and other forms of transport has also been lifted.

Provincial and municipal mask mandates have also been allowed to expire throughout most of the country.

Whilst this is good news in theory, it is important to remember, firstly that Canada has a long record of covid restrictions among the harshest in the western world,  and secondly that the country has a long winter ahead.

Whilst it would be politically embarrassing to u-turn on the often prohibitive entry requirements, I would not be surprised to see localised mask mandates and potentially some restrictions on movement springing up again in some parts of the country during the winter.

However, I do think this news bodes well for the summer season next year.

Whilst I am not necessarily advising against travel to Canada at the moment, I would recommend looking at more stable alternatives, at least until the winter season is over, if you are concerned about mask mandates and localised restrictions returning, particularly if you are unvaccinated.

Hotel review – Clarion Collection Hotel Folketeateret, Oslo

As part of my two month Scandinavia tour, I spent 5 nights at the Clarion Collection Hotel Folketeateret in Central Oslo.

I had known what to expect from the Clarion Collection chain from my previous visit to one of their properties in Tromsø.

However, I was still impressed with this property.

My Nordic Choice Unlimited Nights package included a room in the “moderate” category, the most basic of several categories.

I was given a small, but well fitted out room.

The deal included buffet breakfasts with a good variety, as well as a single choice main course for dinner.

There was also a small afternoon tea offered each afternoon, as well as a reasonably varied if expensive selection of beers.

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The hotel is also equipped with a nice guest lounge, which is open all day and offers indoor and outdoor seating.

The best thing about this hotel was the location, less than 10 minutes’ walk from Oslo Cetral Station and with a tram stop right outside the door.

However, although I had a public transport pass for the 5 days of my stay, the hotel was central enough to walk to the vast majority of attractions.

Overall, this property was stunning value at around €51 per night with my two month pass.

Normal rates range between around €175 and €250, which for a very central location in a blisteringly expensive city, with meals provided, is not bad for a reasonable level of comfort.

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