The travel bans and quarantine hotels are this new philosophy’s first, most shocking manifestation. For the first time since the mid-Forties, governments are preventing citizens from leaving their countries, via hard borders.
Miscellaneous
A silver-ferned devil in Hong Kong and a breath of fresh Presidential air at TFWA
What a difference a change of President makes. No, I’m not talking the US where sometime between now and Jo Biden’s inauguration day, Donald Trump will finally be prised like a limpet from a rock out of the White House.
Read More
Miscellaneous
Why it remains a wonderful life
I now have the Bob Dylan Xmas album playing and I can confirm that no-one has ever wrecked ‘Little Drummer Boy’ quite so magnificently.
Read More
Quirky
How ARI’s resident ‘Andy man’ created an international DIY gin distillery
Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world he walked into his own. Here’s your chance to win a bottle of gin of your choice while applauding distil-it-yourself in-gin-uity.
Read More
Lifestyle
Eastern calm, aviation chaos and putting a sticking plaster on a pandemic
Down below in the churning waters, some hardy souls take their daily swim, while by the cross-harbour ferry terminal to North Point an early morning Tai Chi class and an elderly couple line-fishing from a rickety boat add to the timeless eastern calm.
Read More
Miscellaneous
We the people must take the blame
We can blame politicians all we like for their lack of direction (Boris Johnson) or their crass misdirection (Trump) but it is we the people, to quote the opening words to the US constitution, who must ultimately take the blame.
Read More
Miscellaneous
Out of the darkness and into light
As autumn bathes the northern hemisphere in golden leaves and spring brings rebirth to the south, a pitch-black shadow that has hung over the whole world throughout all seasons may soon be lifting.
Read More
Miscellaneous
Job losses in black & white and blurring lines in grey
We should stop talking about when travel retail as an industry or sector will recover but break it out country by country, or more accurately country to country.
Read More
Events
The slayer who ran looked a lot like me
Roll on ten years and my business is fighting, like so many others, for its life, but I am in rollicking good health. I know which scenario I prefer.
Read More
Miscellaneous
Raising the bar every day to a ceaseless, magical rhythm
We think we have created something ground-breaking not just in travel retail terms but within the whole digital world.
Read More
Airports
Kia kaha Canterbury – stay strong
Kia kaha indeed. In these dark COVID-blighted days, it seems as apposite a phrase as it was back in the dark moments of 2010 and 2011.
Read More
Miscellaneous
Sunshine through the fragrant harbour (and COVID-19) haze
It is now reasonable to expect that better days lie ahead, not on some distant and perhaps mirage-like horizon but in the relative near term.
Read More
Miscellaneous
Toy Town, Trump tosh and quarantine roulette
Perhaps the oven analogy will strike home for Boris. After all, most of his government’s response to this crisis to date has been half-baked.