Where in the World?

One of the many things that make me very happy is Thai food. So, wherever I travel I seek out and taste test Thai restaurants. It’s a thankless job, but I suck it up and perform to expectations every time

Last night, we found a great Thai restaurant in the Soho area of London tonight. Busaba Eathai is located on Wardour Street. This restaurant has great reviews on Zagat.com. It was a short 10 minute walk from the Picadilly Circus tube station.

There was a long line waiting to get in as we approached Busaba. I asked the door attendant how long we would have to wait and he said only 15 minutes. I was surprised, but we were seated almost exactly 15 minutes later. A waiter handed us a menu while we were outside so that we could order as soon as we were seated. It was a great system that seemed to ensure a steady flow of people in and out of the restaurant.

The seating was communal which meant we sat with a bunch of people we didn’t know. It simply didn’t matter. The restaurant was quite loud, very busy and full of people having a really good time.

Now to the most important part; the food. We ordered pad thai, prawns in chile sauce with basil, a green curry with chicken and basil, and an order of coconut rice. The food was simply fantastic. I typically don’t eat the curry dishes, but this one was incredible. I think it was the basil. The prawns had just the right amount of “bite” and a wonderful flavor heavy with basil. The pad thai was light and quite tasty. If you have never tried coconut rice, I highly recommend it. The subtle flavor is a great compliment to any Thai dish.

Overall, we give this restaurant a 5 star. If you are ever in London, I seriously recommend this restaurant.

Have a great day!

Michael

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. – St. Augustine

I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move. – Robert Louis Stevenson

A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. – Lao Tzu

I’m back in London today.The sun is shining and it was quite lovely flying into Heathrow this morning. I really enjoy traveling and I get quite excited every time I go somewhere. This trip is a combination of work and personal, which is my preference when I travel. I like to keep things balanced.

I look forward to seeing old friends, especially Rebekah, and possibly meet some new ones. London has a million things to do, so there is never a lack of adventure in this city. One of my favorite pastimes in London is to walk the streets and just see what I can find.

Erica and I plan on attending a three day meditation retreat this weekend near Bristol. I’m expecting a lot of relaxation and inspiration. It should be a nice departure from the last month of craziness.

I firmly believe that everyone should travel at least a little. It’s important to get out of your comfort zone, expand your horizons, develop new perspectives and just have some adventure. Travel gives all of this to you. It doesn’t have to cost a lot. It could be a short drive to an area you’ve never visited or something more involved like a tour to Beijing, China. Pick something that looks interesting and go experience it. You won’t regret it.

Have a great day!

Michael

The humor I experienced last night continued on my flight from Austin to Chicago today. The United flight attendant had quite the wit. Here was my favorite from her right before our takeoff:

In the event of a loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling. Place them over your mouth and tighten using the straps. At this point you can stop screaming and breathe normally.

She had some great advice after we landed:

Use caution when opening the overhead bins as contents may have shifted……..(Drum roll)……Shift happens.

Our arrival gate was C1 and she announced one of the connecting flights would be leaving from B20 (this was my connection). She said that she hoped that anyone who had to go to Gate B20 had good walking shoes because it was a long walk.

This United flight attendant exhibited some of the best customer service I’ve seen. Everyone was smiling when they left the plane. I’m guessing that most of us will remember this flight and fly United again in the hopes of having her as a flight attendant.

It really doesn’t take much effort to lighten the mood, give a compliment or just do that little bit of extra “something” to make someone’s day.

I’m going to make sure that I pass on my good fortune today. What about you?

Michael

Several delays in Houston caused me to arrive quite late into Austin. The flight was packed like a can of sardines and it appeared that numerous travelers had experienced multiple delays all day.

A young lady sat next to me on my left. I’m guessing her age to be 19 or 20. She was a softball player from her school and was returning from Colorado. On my right, across the aisle was a mother with her one year old daughter.

The softball player laughed the entire flight to Austin. She had a keen dry sense of humor and stated to me that normally she was not this funny nor did she laugh at everything. It was because she was tired from the long day of flight delays. The one year old was one of the happiest babies I had been around in quite some time. She was also quite funny.

I was talking to a friend on the phone before boarding and stated that I was at the point of laughter because of all the delays. I’m not like most people. I try to make the most of any situation. So, it was quite refreshing to sit in between two people who were either very happy, creating laughter or just plain giddy. It made the short flight and the feeling of being tired a non issue.

The other lesson that was clear to me was how much we can affect others by being in a positive and uplifting mood. Even being silly is much better than being grumpy, any day.

So, as you go through your day today, be aware of your attitude. Keep it “up” no matter what is going on inside you and you will have a positive effect on others. Eventually you’ll be rewarded by getting the same in return.

Have a great day!

Michael