Karnak Travel, Egham

21/03/2025

The guidance for re-arranging travel for people affected by the Heathrow fire is much the same as for the Icelanding Ash Cloud in 2010
Now that I'm with Travel Counsellors I have a lot of back-up from Head Office. But even in 2010, it only took us 3 days after the flights resumed to get all our clients back home.

12/09/2024

I think I'm going to study a new language.
Pidgin.
BBC Language service offers this for West Africans
And it is more up to date on Kenya airport strike than their English Language service is.

Kenya Airport Workers Union wey bin announce di strike say make goment torchlight di deal for di public to know wetin dey inside.

20/08/2024

Gate at Chepstow Castle.
This is the shield of William Marshall, who is also commemorated on the gate at the top of Egham High St.

23/06/2024

Mayor Elaine Gill was kind enough to visit Egham for Magna Carta Day, last Saturday 15th June.
She was escorted by her Acting Consort, Miss Lois Gill, standing in for the Mayor's official Consort, her granddad.

These are our VIP guests, visiting St John's Church stall in the High Street. All very colour co-ordinated

17/06/2024

It rained a little on Magna Carta Day: two short but fierce downpours. I think everyone who was there had fun.

14/06/2024

https://youtu.be/Rp1n7tzFCCE?feature=shared

In a series of election specials Pie looks at the main issues that will decide this coming election. Today he's looking at the omni-shambles that is the UK ...

04/06/2024

I'm finding it hard to get any real work done.

I'm rearranging furniture as my new sofa is arriving imminently.
Trying to write minutes for H&F Lib Dems meeting last night.
Trying to sort out the remaining jobs for Magna Carta Day.
Trying to follow the results of the elections in India which are very exciting.

Please someone, phone me and ask me to book a holiday!

03/06/2024

I just found this, and I love it.

19/04/2024

If you are ever ever tempted to trust ChatGPT, this is the answer to my question "Tell me a little about Meher Oliaji"

Meher Oliaji is an American artist and designer known for her vibrant and eclectic style. She has gained recognition for her unique approach to creating art, which often incorporates a mix of traditional techniques and modern elements. Oliaji's work spans across various mediums, including painting, illustration, and digital art.

Her artistic style is characterized by bold colors, intricate patterns, and playful imagery. She draws inspiration from diverse sources, including nature, culture, and her own imagination. Oliaji's creations often feature whimsical characters and surreal landscapes that invite viewers into fantastical worlds.

In addition to her artistic endeavors, Meher Oliaji is also involved in the design world, collaborating with brands and organizations to bring her distinctive aesthetic to various projects. Through her art and design, she aims to evoke joy, spark curiosity, and inspire creativity in others"

Now, I know there might possibly be another person with my name, but if there was, I think a google search would throw up some evidence of it.

13/09/2023

Falkirk wheel....79ft lift/fall in one go

Only rotating boat lift of its kind in the world, and one of two working boat lifts in the UK

14/03/2022

Grant Shapps is (FINALLY) getting rid of the Passenger Locator Form.
You know, that one where you tell the track-and-trace people how to find you if....
If what? When did anyone last get tracked-and-traced?

24/02/2022

15/02/2022

More than a year with Travel Counsellors and I still keep notices of problems and crises in a folder which should be called "Covid" but is labelled "Volcano".

I remember Philip Hammond, then recently appointed Transport Secretary, at a Runnymede Business Partnership breakfast in 2010, being really pleased that he could pronounce Eyjafjallajokull.

03/02/2022

This is something I never knew how to do until I joined Travel Counsellors. Apparently there are lots of airlines which allow you to carry pets without having to phone them to book.

I'm exhausted.
2 full days of an air booking refresher course, learning new techniques and tips, and my brain is overflowing.

On the other hand, I now know how to book a pet-in-cabin (£ 46 to take your small dog to Paris, £ 180 to take your falcon to Doha). I just hope no one asks me about the paperwork.

24/01/2022

It's sad that one of the nicest cruise lines may be about to go into liquidation. I would have missed it if my news feed had not told me "Cruise ship flees to Bahamas to avoid arrest warrant".
Seriously, a Florida judge has issued an arrest warrant for a cruise ship (over unpaid fuel bills).

13/01/2022

Two years on, we still need COVID TESTS to travel to many places, or to come home, but frequently changing rules mean it can be confusing to tell these apart.

Almost all travel tests are Antigen Tests, also called Viral tests (USA: NAAT) which measure the antigens in your system, mainly in your nose and throat, to find out whether you have a Covid infection.

The “gold standard” is the PCR test, (polymerase chain reaction) (or, much the same thing, RT- PCR and various other Lab tests). PCR tests must be carried out by a lab, though you can take the samples yourself or have them taken for you.

Because tests are carried out in a lab, it can be expensive to get a result very quickly. However they are more accurate than Rapid-tests/LTFs and they can identify what variety of Covid you have.

The other main test is the Lateral Flow Test (LTF) / Rapid-Test which gives a more instant reading, by dropping a sample onto a small reader. LTFs can be done at home, but if you are using them to travel they must be carried out, or certified (sometimes by video) by an independent testing organisation. Being fast they are permitted by many countries which want you to get a test less than 48 hours before travel.

Most governments will include a complicated spec for the information they need on your Antigen/Viral test certificate for travel, but any reliable travel-testing company will know what is required. Always take your passport with you when you go to get tested.

The third type of test is the Antibody test, which uses a blood sample to see if you have produced the antibodies that fight off Covid. These hang around in your blood for months, so they tell whether you have been exposed to Covid or the Covid vaccine, but not whether you have the disease now. They are not used for travel, unless you are a famous tennis player who is trying to show that no-vax is required (Djoke)...

06/01/2022

This is every travel agent saying "There but for the grace of God...."
Reminds me of the day in about 1992 when I drove my client to the Australian High Commission in London (at 90mph) because we didn't to tell her she needed a visa until 8 hours before her flight.

Australian Open champion could soon be on a plane home after border force took action after he landed in Melbourne

21/12/2021

Wishing all my friends and clients a Very Happy Christmas, and hopefully a very travelling New Year.

Don't forget I too have moved.

I'm now at Meher Oliaji, Travel Counsellor, still here to arrange your trips (no wee donkeys).