UMTravels

What’s a MegaDo? It’s what happens when mileage whores get together and charter a plane and arrange all sorts of travel geek events.

Click here for the schedule of events: http://www.megado.com/schedule/

Here is what my late October mid-week will look like:

The MegaDo starts in Toronto, so I’m using Alaska miles to get a First Class ticket on American (32,500 miles plus $17.50) via Houston and Chicago – hey, it’s First, you don’t care how long it takes you to get someplace if they are feeding and boozing you.

Wednesday morning starts with a free breakfast at the Ritz Carlton, followed by a tour of a luggage factory that makes high-end travel stuff, comes with a BBQ lunch, though what the Canadians know about BBQ we will see. The evening is a reception (assuming dinner as well) hosted by Marriott Hotels and Resorts at the back at the Ritz.

Thursday its back to the Ritz for breakfast, and then busses out to the airport for a day of Air Canada sponsored events – apparently MegaDo folks being travel whores get a ton of attention from Airline Brass. After all that it’s back to the Ritz for a reception hosted by Air Canada. Apparently one year they gave all the attendees models of the airplane they were flying on. Must remember to pack camera.

Friday is the crazy day when after breakfast we all get in a chartered Airbus 321 to fly to Tucson, spend a couple of hours touring the “boneyard” of dead military planes, then fly to San Francisco for a hanger party sponsored by United. This would be the StarAlliance MegaDo as opposed to the OneWorld MegaDo. That runs until 8:30, then I get on a plane back to Seattle ($120 one-way).

Last time I checked, there were still seats available… but they have gone fast in the past.

And apparently I even get double (plus my Gold bonus) miles for this trip since it’s a charter. We will see on that. Might make it worth going back to Hong Kong so I could get United Gold through 2014, but I’m more worried about making MVP on Alaska at the moment.

Spent my evening rejiggering all the various flights and hotels.

Went to bed jittery and excited.

[205.6]

Well, the MegaDo starts tomorrow – this is the weird flyer junkie junket from Toronto to Tucson to San Francisco on a chartered plane.

Finally got a more detailed schedule of the events – two of them I really wanted to do have been cancelled:

• Air Canada behind the scenes tour (Marriott wanted more of the day)
• Boots on the ground Air Force Boneyard tour (cancelled due to the government shut down – they promise something equally cool in its place)

Pulled the temperatures for the various cities:

• Toronto, rainy and 47°
• Tucson, sunny and 84°
• San Francisco, partly cloudy and 64°

Talk about a pain in the ass to pack for – heavy jacket, no jacket, and light jacket.

Here is the full (edited) latest itinerary:

Schedule

Tuesday 22 October 2013

Registration package will be at the Marriott, where registration will be open from 6pm to 7pm.

Wednesday 23 October 2013

This is our day with Rimowa (high end luggage manufacturer). 

We will return to the hotels sometime between 4 and 5 pm.  This will be highly dependent on traffic in Toronto, which can be brutal.

Marriott Program will begin at 6:30 pm at the Ritz-Carlton.

Thursday 24 October 2013

This day will be a mix between Marriott and Air Canada.  Marriott will be hosting a behind the scenes look at hotel operations.  This event will be hosted at the Marriot and will begin at 8am.  The Marriott event will involve groups competing in various hotel challenges (cooking, housekeeping, front desk, etc…). Marriott is really excited about this and we hope you are too.

In the afternoon, Air Canada takes charge; unfortunately also at the Marriott. The logistics in getting everyone to and from the airport just wouldn’t work given Toronto’s traffic, but Air Canada has promised us a unique opportunities to hear from them and talk about our likes, dislikes and the future of Star Alliance

At 6pm Air Canada will be hosting a reception for the group. If you were on SMD3, you should remember they know how to party.  The event ends at 8pm and you have the rest of the evening to yourself in Toronto. 

Friday 25 October 2013

It is the day of the Charter Flight. 

AC and UA are both working to provide us our own dedicated lounge at the gate, including food and beverage.

We will arrive in Tucson at 11:15.

Due to the government shutdown the tours that we had set up with the Air Force were cancelled by the Air Force. As a result, we won’t be getting any “boots on the ground”; however, we have arranged for a special tour hosted by the Pima Air Museum, which still gives us access to the Boneyard. Pima has promised to make it memorable for the group. 

Boarding in TUS will begin at 2:50 PM and we will be closing the doors at 3:30 PM for the short flight to SFO from TUS.

The flight will land in SFO at 5:30 PM and proceed to the hanger for the UA reception. UA has requested that there not be bag lying all around the hanger, so there will be luggage bins as you get off the plane for you to put your carry-on bags into. Again, small purses or cameras are an exception, but items like laptop bags and roll-aboards will need to go in the bins.

At 8:30 PM the party and MegaDo officially come to a close. There will be transportation provided to the Marriott and the terminal as required.

WHEW! A couple of days ago I had to move my flight from 8:30pm on Alaska to 10:55 on United to not miss out on the last event. Still worried that I won’t make the registration 6-7pm since I don’t get in until 5:30 and with customs (should be quick) and the hour transit to the hotel…..

Two wine tastings this afternoon that with packing, paying bills, voting, and all the other miscellaneous errands, there just wasn’t enough time to both sample wine AND be prepared for this highly complex trip. At least I found a bag with about $28 in Canadian bills and coins in it.

After the madness of the day it was nice to just have a nice quiet steak dinner with the remains of yesterday’s tasting wine.

Must get to bed early tonight as my flight is at 6:15am… it’s a long way from Seattle to Houston to Toronto – at least I’m in First.

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A couple of years ago I did the Star MegaDo 5 (you REALLY should click on that link) –the penultimate aviation geekdom event. Even more than AvGeek (http://www.airlinereporter.com/2015/01/aviation-geek-fest-2015/) here in Seattle that sold out in 90 seconds for hundreds of places. Fico and I were there in I think 2010. Wish I could find the photo of Fico and I in front of a 777 engine.

Soooooo, there was another Star MegaDo announced on Monday. Initial email: 647am PST with a “Tickets On Sale” time of noon CST. Less than four hours, and I sleep late.

The itinerary? ARN > TLS > LGW > LHR

Stockholm > Toulouse > London Gatwick > London Heathrow

So, there is a group flight (not mandatory) from ORD to ARN, hopefully with a group rate. And then there is the schedule:

5/09 Saturday

12:00 PM

ORD

Optional: US send-off event

For participants joining us from the US: we are planning a brief send-off event at Chicago O’Hare. Details will be communicated soon.

05:00 PM

ORD/ARN

Optional: Transatlantic flight

Participants who fly from the US depart Chicago O’Hare on the Star Alliance MegaDO party flight. The exact schedule and details on the group rate will be communicated shortly. You are not required to fly on the official transatlantic flight and/or use the group fare in order to join the MegaDO. Feel free to book your own flights at your convenience. See the FAQ for more information.

5/10 Sunday

10:00 AM

ARN

Arrival in Stockholm

Participants who fly from the US arrive in Stockholm Arlanda. (Exact schedule TBD)

07:00 PM

Kitchen & Table, ARN

Optional: Welcome dinner

Optional welcome dinner at Kitchen & Table at Arlanda Airport, Clarion hotel – an awesome restaurant with spectacular views. (45 attendees max – we will provide a separate booking link for those who are interested.)  

5/11 Monday

08:00 AM

Radisson Blu SkyCity Arlanda

Breakfast and registration

Welcome breakfast and event registration.

10:00 AM

SAS HQ

A day with SAS

The SMD6 official program starts with a full day with SAS Scandinavian Airlines. Buses will depart the Radisson Blu SkyCity Arlanda at 10am.

07:00 PM

Radisson Blu SkyCity Arlanda

Welcome reception

Evening reception and charter flight check-in for passengers with carry-ons only.

5/12 Tuesday

04:30 AM

Radisson Blu SkyCity Arlanda

Breakfast

Good morning! Breakfast is served from 4:30am.

09:00 AM

ARN

Official SMD6 charter

The official SMD charter flight, operated by a SAS 737-800 with 183 seats, departs Stockholm Arlanda! (Check-in closes at 8:15am for passengers with baggage.)  

12:00 PM

TLS

Arrival in Toulouse

The official SMD6 charter flight arrives in Toulouse, France (TLS).

02:00 PM

Airbus

A350 assembly line tour

Witness the future of aviation! An exclusive insiders’ tour of the A350 Final Assembly Line. (Transportation by bus from/to the airport.)

05:00 PM

TLS

Charter departs from Toulouse

The SMD6 charter flight departs from Toulouse. On to London!

06:00 PM

LGW

Arrival in London

The SMD6 charter flight arrives at London Gatwick Airport (LGW). Transportation to London by Gatwick Express (pre-paid tickets will be arranged.)

08:00 PM

The May Fair

An evening with Club Carlson

A very exclusive reception at the Club Carlson flagship property, the luxurious The May Fair in London.

5/13 Wednesday

06:30 AM

The May Fair

Breakfast

10:00 AM

LHR

A day with Star Alliance at LHR T2

A day with Star Alliance at the brand new London Heathrow Terminal 2, The Queen’s Terminal – the alliance’s biggest investment in a long time. Enjoy behind the scenes tours and meet Mark Schwab, President and CEO of Star Alliance. The event starts at 10am. Transportation to LHR is not included in the charter price – see the FAQ for details.

03:00 PM

LHR

Program concludes

The official SMD program concludes, but for many, the party continues! We have not scheduled official flights to the US. Feel free to book the flight of your choice on your own or using the group rate. Details on the group rate will be announced soon. See the FAQ for details.

 

As much as I loved the last MegaDo, my Million Mile Status on one airplane puts me at the bottom of the people there, though I did get an interesting business contact with RocketMiles which I’ve bid some direct mail jobs with.

And then there is the price:

Economy $999.00
Business Class $1799.00 (blocked middle seat – the European carriers, SAS in this case, often have odd Intra-Europe seating configuarations)
Exit row $1,499.00 (blocked middle seat)

A little rich for my blood considering I was in Stockholm last year and stayed in a converted 747 turned into a hostel (https://blog.unclemarkie.com/2014/08/03/trip-report-the-long-road-home/) and I’ve been to the Airbus Plant in Toulouse (thanks Jill for putting up with my obsession). I haven’t seen the new T2 at Heathrow, but trust me, it’s a hub, and I’ll be through there.

And it’s a weekend. I can negotiate maybe 3-4 a year with my business partner.

And I’d have to get to either Chicago or Stockholm, and home from London.

I blew all my banked miles (75,000 on Alaska and 75,000 on United for my all Business Class round the world flight in March when I visit my ex and my nephew in JapanLand. 777-300ER, Seattle to Dubai; after an overnight, a 777-200ER Dubai to Haneda (the close in Tokyo airport [with car service on both ends, so they say]). 8 days in Japan between two cities, then back on an ANA flight from Nagoya to Narita, then a 787-8 Business Class flight from Narita to Seattle.

Sounded like fun. Drunken fun – the flights are triple catered with free booze. And then there is the food, and the party atmosphere. I’m I’m sure I’d see people from the last one.

Guessing tickets are gone. Just as well.

[222.8]

Early morning. VERY early. Do I look tired?

Breakfast on the plane:

Don’t I look comfortable?

On the layover in Dallas (massive airport just FYI, bought some duty-free Scotch and got some swag:

Lunch on the way to Toronto:

Still looking comfortable?

Got to Toronto and through Nexus after several tries – remember – must open eyes wide for iris scan. Managed to catch the schutttle before the one I was booked on. Nice to not have to think about bus, subway, subway, walking — this was shuttle, transfer to smaller shuttle.

Actually made it to the MegaDo checkin counter before 7. And now the MEgaDon’t.

YET ANOTHER DELETION – and this one from the NEW schedule. Seems that:

1. Breakfast is only included for people staying at the Host Hotels (Ritz and Marriott) – not mentioned in trip description
2. The whole “Marriott Experience” that they were so hyped about is limited to 50 people (out of probably 150 on this MegaDon’t) and again, limited to those staying at the Marriott.ds

Only good side is that I get to sleep in on Thursday morning – but still PISSED that Marriott commandeered the day, and then doesn’t make it available to everyone in the group. You’d think they want to impress the people who didn’t stay there as well – making future customers since they are giving us Platinum Status through 2015… or maybe THAT is also only for the folks who stayed there.

Grumpy tour guest at this point. Hoping for some really cool swag over the next couple of days.

Got checked into my room at the Strathcona – walking distance from the Marriott and a third the price. Had a Ruben in their pub in the basement. Not bad – had double cole slaw rather than the fries – enough carbs today – and yes, I did eat that fluffy biscuit at breakfast. Yum.

At least I have duty-free scotch to drown my tears.

9:30am back at the Hellaiott, oh, I mean Marriott, for the luggage plan tour.

[? ? ?]

It was a day of errands and puttering around the house cleaning, fixing, printing, binding, and a first step at the garage cleaning and organization – still not able to get the car in the garage, maybe someday.

Here are the binders for the next four trips:

Kansas City, Mexico, the Birthday Cruise, and the MegaDo – not done would be Boston, Honk Hong, and New Orleans.

By 7 I was at the condo of one of our customers for wine and nibbles – I brought home made short bread cookies (which were a hit). As the sun starting to go down, this was the view from her porch:

Yes, that would be Mount Rainier in the sunset smog.

And the turnaround for Number 2 Metro Line.

Home and settled in at half past nine.

[208.0]

I couldn’t believe the turn out for the South African Tasting this afternoon. The Pinotage sold out in 50 minutes and the Shiraz was gone in an hour and a half, and we were taking orders for both. The Chenin Blanc got down to 4 and the Malbec, 2. The Meerlust was the slow performer, but at $30 it’s a bit of a stretch for our usual customers.

Lots of people through the store – the tasting bottles were dry at 4:30 and I had to open the two Italian wines for tomorrows tasting.

You would think all those people would translate to a great day of receipts – and while they were good, when four out of the five wines on the tasting menu for $10 each, takes a lot of sales to make big money. But it was also the First Monthly Madrona Art Walk which brought in people who hadn’t been in the store before – and snagged another wine club member for our monthly club (Madrona Wines Monthly) which is always a good thing.

Tonight’s meal was a lovely set of smallish veal chops with a big salad (Uncle needs his greens).

One small panic during the evening of verifying details for the next two trips:

• Tuesday to San Francisco to have dinner with Mark, Onyx, and my buddy Michael formerly of Hong Kong, now of Oakland
• The following Tuesday to Toronto then Tucson, then San Francisco, then home for the Star Alliance MegaDo

In putting away stuff from the Hong Kong trip and setting things aside for San Francisco I couldn’t find my passport – which I definitely will need for the Toronto.

Forty-five minutes of panic later I found it in my computer bag, just in the wrong pocket.

Whew. The thought of having to replace my passport at the last minute makes me sick to my stomach.

And in the continuing SeasideBoy saga, apparently his latest “open relationship” allows occasional overnight stays (the Covington gig didn’t) so I’ve booked a studio at the WorldMark Birch Bay for next Thursday when I’m back from the Bay Area. It is one of their older units.

And did I mention I added a trip to Denver in November to my schedule – found it for $138 r/t, but booked it at $158 for the extra segment, travel whore that I am.

Apparently I can’t stop myself.

[206.8]

Well, the Rimowa factory tour was cool. It wasn’t cool that the busses that were supposed to take us there showed up at the wrong Marriott. What’s a little waiting around – finished one paperback, time to put the other one in my jacket pocket for those downtimes… like waiting for busses. Here are some shots of the factory – not sure how the MegaDo blogger got permission to take these as the rest of us were told no cameras, no videos.

The outside shot it mine.

Good tour – amazing the amount of hand work goes into each bag. Also amazing the cost (and the sky high margins). Here are their aluminum cases:

We had about an hour and a half after we returned to the hotels until the big reception at the Ritz-Carlton. Time to catch up on email, have a couple of cocktails, etc.

Gotta say that the food at the reception was top notch… as one would expect from the Ritz. My favorite was the suckling pig they were carving:

Add unlimited decent wine from the Niagara AVA and you have a nice evening of mingling – topped off with a little gift bag from the Ritz containing something oh so Canadian:

Yep, mittens from Hudsons Bay.

And as our final photo of the day – what you do to get a decent height to type blog posts on…

Yes, that would be the blue recycling bin turned upside down.

Night all.

[? ? ?]

Slept in a little later than I’d planned, which meant run, run, run for the rest of the day.

Today’s big chore is helping Jim with all the wine club shipments – well, not really shipments, they will be picked up—but they all need to be ready for the 1^st, which is its own issue since Jim is taking this coming weekend off to head to Chelan meaning I’ll be doing all the credit card billings on Friday. How’s that for a run-on sentence?

But before that I need to start moving wine around in the house so I can take a bunch of 6-bottle wine boxes to the shop. Since I didn’t have any empty cases I had to use wooden wine boxes that I brought home yesterday:

It took us almost three hours to get the club boxes put together – the downside of being flexible is while 12 people have “6 Reds” boxes, others are very customized:

• 3 Red/3 White
• 4 Red/2 White
• 6 Red/6 White – each bagged individually marked Red or White with the tasting notes inside the individual bags
• You get the idea…

The upside (besides all the revenue this brings in) is that it’s caused us to really clean up the back room. I took measurements for some more shelving to hold 6-pack boxes throughout the month so we don’t have this scramble at the end of the month as the club continues to grow.

Didn’t get home and settled until after four – moved some more wine in from the garage to get it to room temperature from garage temperature (makes the distilling process go faster):

That would be a case of port on the left, Three cases of red in the wooden cases (from above) and 5 6-packs of the same dead red wine on the right – all below the lovely 787-8 Model Airplane that I got on the MegaDo.

Had a steak and a salad for dinner – and then it was back to work posting notes for this weekend’s tastings. I’m particularly excited about the Sunday Sipper this week which is a Vermouth Tasting – we will have 6 of our Vermouths open for tasting.

Spent a little time trying to nail down details for my Honolulu and Hong Kong trips (no, not on the same itinerary), but nothing firm yet. Current thoughts are:

• Macao and the Formula One Museum for the Hong Kong trip
• Circle Eco-Tour of Oahu for my final day in Honolulu when I need to check out at 10am and my flight back to Bellingham isn’t until 10pm

Was hoping to get to bed early since I’ve an early flight in the morning.

No such luck.

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