This is exactly how I feel. Kathmandu was crazier than Mumbai, Delhi, even Cairo in my opinion. Pokhara was really pretty, but the weather wasn't great when I was there. I think to really take advantage of what Nepal has to offer you have to get in the mountains.
*shudder* Even w/o COVID I'm a huge fan of masks on planes. I've enjoyed not having post-travel-cold the last few years.
when I worked in Mumbai I considered a weekend trip to Kathmandu just to see it. The guys at work told me they didn't think I'd like it because it was dirty, crowded and chaotic. And those guys live in the dirtiest, most crowded, most chaotic city I've ever been to. didn't make it to Kathmandu
lounges skew heavily towards eating/drinking, so understandably no masks were seen in the DEN Centurion lounge. I still saw elderly persons double masked etc, in the terminals so good for them.
I mean, I'm drinking and eating maskless a good portion of the flights. Last couple Int'l flights was 3 beers so I had my mask off the whole time.
other than to eat/drink, idk that i wouldnt ever wear a mask on an airplane. Have for sure gotten airborne illness pre-covid. Just not that big of an inconvenience.
I was only in Mumbai for around 24 hours, but I thought it was way more chaotic than Kathmandu. I loved that aspect of Mumbai. I'd like to go back to Mumbai to spend more time in the city and back to Nepal only to get out in the mountains. Kathmandu:dirty::Mumbai:chaos Different strokes
I'll leave the mask off to eat, but in terms of having a few drinks, I'm actually the type that dips the mask for my sips.
Mask in the airport. Maskless on the plane. You're getting sick from being close to people in the airport and touching things. You're not getting sick on the actual airplane. Cleaner air than an operating room yada yada yada..
pretty sure the opposite is true . after checking in bags easy to space out and high ceilings in Airports
There have been extensive studies done about airborne transmission on planes. It's next to nothing. You're always going to be in close proximity in the airport at certain times. TSA is the absolute dirtiest place in the airport. Then you have food courts/stores. The seats aren't cleaned regularly so you're going to touch those. Then the boarding line and the jet bridge. Standing in close proximity to hundreds of people in mostly stagnant air.
Have any of those studies been validated by independent sources? I was highly suspicious of those reports being flaunted by the airlines in the midst of a pandemic that essentially halted all business. It just felt like something a tobacco or oil company would say.
There were plenty of studies performed before the pandemic as well. Essentially, airflow in an airplane moves from the top of the plane (gasper vents that you open) to the bottom where the recirculating vents are. The air does not move from front to back or side to side. The cabin air is then either dumped overboard through the outflow valve or recirculated through giant HEPA filters and reintroduced into the cabin. Fresh air is continuously brought in from outside the plane either through a ram air inlet (cold air) or off of the engine compressors (hot air). It's the mixed to the desired temperature and pumped into the cabin. The air in the cabin is refreshed at an absurd rate because of the design and pressurization requirements.
What percentage of those little air nozzles are actually used during a flight? In my experience it’s less than 25%. I can see in ideal scenarios that a cabin could be safer, I’m not convinced that ideal is routine. I’m fully aware I don’t know the actual studies on this topic but I’m just skeptical.
I'd definitely buy that an airplane is the safest indoor place you can spend 3 hours within 6 feet of 17 other people
The gasper vents you open and close? No clue but since COVID I always point them at my face so I know I'm getting clean air.
I take public transportation every day and live in a very masked up city and have never had any issues complying. Planes have been a horrible experience though, I get awful headaches wearing one longer than a two hour flight. Something with breathing back in the exhaust and how dry it is, I dunno.
Definitely team mask in airport forever and probably not worry much on the actual plane. My flight to Italy next week I've got a little pod thing so I'm not too worried about anyone close to me.
The one thing I like about wearing a mask on planes is that they hide your face when you invariably fall asleep in an unflattering position. That being said, I’ll be happy to never wear one again.
There was actually previous guidance that suggested keeping them closed! I think the Europeans did that longer than most.
well just shows I am still confused about transmission after 2 years have mentioned this in the COVID thread
Or until a Trump appointed judge rules them illegal and everyone just throws up their hands and says OK
Biden admin should drop this before a judge does giving another political opening but they probably stall
I am headed to a wedding in Peru this week and was initially just going to be able to go to Lima because I couldn’t get much time away from work but am now able to add a few more days to my trip. With the extra days I’m going to Cusco and was wondering if anybody had a recommended way to get a day trip in to Machu Picchu? It looks like Peru rail is maybe my only option but just wanted to see if anybody else has advice.
When are they going to reopen Japan? Been waiting to go there for 2 years. Also, I saw this list, and think that I'll be hitting up Hainan Islands when I go to China again. https://globalgrasshopper.com/destinations/asia/10-chinas-beautiful-islands/
https://www.euronews.com/travel/amp...pre-departure-tests-for-vaccinated-travellers But despite the CDC giving little away, US airlines have hinted that the rules could ease in a matter of weeks. “We are hearing good things from Washington,” US airline Delta president Glen Hauenstein reportedly told analysts during a meeting on 13 April. “Hopefully that [the testing requirement] gets rolled back in the next few weeks.” According to the i paper, the company’s chief legal officer added, “We are getting a strong indication that pre-departure testing will be phased out in the near future, which is quite encouraging.”
I leave with the wife for Greece in 3 weeks. Man would it be nice to not have to get a test to come back home at the end of May.
Just got back from a wedding in Cartagena....was a super-spreader event I think. Pretty much everyone but me and a handful of people are now positive and exhibiting symptoms...all vaxxed too.
Awesome - Cartagena was nuts, really impressed with the city. Given the extracurriculars that went on, not surprised it was a super spreader
Family friend is looking for a beach town in Costa Rica - "quiet, small village they could walk to, not a big tourist destination". I've only been to Jaco and Manuel Antonio which certainly don't apply. They're older so don't need a party scene. Any suggestions on places to look? cc BayouMafia
I’ve heard great things from Costa Rican’s about Puerto Viejo and Cahuita though I’ve never been to the Caribbean side. On the Pacific side maybe Tamarindo or Nosara?
Don’t the HEPA filters not kick in until the engines turn on? Basically boarding and leaving the plane you are more at risk as everyone is on top of each other.
Not really. They can run the packs in either an engine configuration or on APU (auxiliary power unit - a 3rd jet engine that's in the tail of the aircraft) while on the ground. Those supply fresh air into the cabin. And if those aren't running, they are probably using an air cart to pump air into the cabin at the gate. And if that's not happening, there's still recirculation fans that will be turned on to recirculate air. With that being said, don't be one of those people who jumps up the second you get into the gate to grab your bags and bum rush to the front.
Saudi Arabia is not a poor country, but man do I have memories from certain parts of it. As a 17 year old, I was shocked to see how dirty Rome was.
Speaking of Rome I’ll be there next week. Have tours booked for the Vatican and the coliseum/Roman forum. Is there anything else I need to worry about booking in advance?
https://galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it/en/visita/ We didn't make it because we didn't realize that advance reservations were required, and none were available by the time we got there. FWIW I recommend hitting the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli when you're near the Colosseum. Only a few blocks away, and it houses Michelangelo's Moses
I’m hoping the weather clears up some or ends up being not too bad. Planning on Vatican Thursday and coliseum Friday.
We get there Monday and doing Vatican Tuesday and collosseum Wed. Friday we head down to Naples then on to Vico Equense for like 4 days before back to Rome for flight back.
Unless you have a specific area of interest, I don't think so (was there 6-7 weeks ago). You can do a no wait St. Peter's Basilica tour to skip the line, but we waited in the line which extended to the end of their wooden z-maze thing and it took maybe 15 minutes. We were able to do the trip up the dome with no wait once we were through that. Maybe a 10 min line to get into the Pantheon, but idk if there are advance bookings for there. I have an earlier post with a little more detail on Italy/Rome if you want to look for it otherwise happy to answer questions over PM.