One Flyctory.com category of postings I especially like to write are Trip Reports. For (typically: multi-day) travels, I write some sort of travel diary, which then also leads to a lot of spin-off articles like reviews of airports, flights, hotels and – of course – attractions. The trip report itself, though, gives me the opportunity to introduce you to places, which may be too small for a full posting and to tell you more about my feelings and thoughts during a trip. I feel they are really worth reading – and there will be more trip reports to follow. Thus, I decided to go for this overview page summing up all postings of this category. Enjoy!
The Flyctory.com Trip Reports
Here is a full list of my trip reports, in reverse chronological order (i.e. latest trip report first). The major links always lead to the preview article, postings day by day are listed below.
Tour-Chasing Rock of Ages 2024
The musical Rock of Ages is one of my biggest passions. In my rather unusual trip report, I take you to the venues and cities, to which I traveled in order to see the 2024 German language professional shows. Not a trip report of one trip in a strict sense – but I hope you like it as well:
On Tour With Rock of Ages 2024 (Episode 1 – Bochum, 12th/13th March 2024)
- Episode 1 – Bochum – 12th / 13th March 2024
- Episode 2 – Cologne – 22nd to 27th March 2024
- Episode 3 – Vienna – 13th April 2024
- Episode 4 – Duisburg- 1st May 2024
- Episode 5 – Munich – 28th May to 1st June 2024
- Episode 6 – Zurich – 8th / 9th June 2024
Traveling the Iceland Ring Road
Doing the road 1, which is doing a circle close to the coast of Iceland, is one of the dream road trips of all over Europe. You get an amazing overview of the country. My wife and I did the trip in April and May 2023 and loved it – even though we snowy roads. A lot of amazing nature, but also interesting museums – and the first time I wrote a reprise posting at the end of the trip:
- Iceland’s Ring Road Trip Report – Preview
- Day 1 – 29.04.2023 – Germany to Hella
- Day 2 – 30.04.2023 – Hella to Hrafnavellir
- Day 3 – 01.05.2023 – Hrafnavellir to Egilstadir
- Day 4 – 02.05.2023 – Egilstadir to Husavik
- Day 5 – 03.05.2023 – Husavik to Akureyri
- Day 6 – 04.05.2023 – Akureyri to Reykholt
- Day 7 – 05.05.2023 – Reykholt to Reykjavik
- Day 8 – 06.05.2023 – A Day in Reykjavik & More
- Iceland’s Ring Road Trip Report – Reprise
Exploring Hamburg Harbor by Public Ferry
In September 2022, I published a very unusual trip report. Instead of a day-by-day diary, I went for a short four episode overview how to explore the famous Hamburg Harbor by public ferries. All five routes featured in this small episode are included in a standard public transport day ticket. Hope you enjoy this special way of exploring Germany’s largest harbor.
Exploring Hamburg with the HADAG Public Ferries – Lines 62 & 64 & Overview
- Ferry Line 61 – Enjoying the Köhlbrand Bridge from the Water
- Ferry Lines 62 & 64 – Go West towards Airbus Territory (incl. general information)
- Ferry Line 72 – Roundtrip to Elbphilharmonie
- Ferry Line 73 – My favorite Harbor Views
Kicking Off the Weird Al Yankovic Tour 2022 in April 2022
The Unfortunate Return Of The Ridiculously Self-Indulgent Ill-Advised Vanity Tour – already the name of the 2022 Weird Al Yankovic tour felt like a reason to travel. Flying to and from New York City (JFK), I visted the very first three concerts of this tour, in Poughkeepsie, Albany and New Bedford.
Day by Day Postings:
- Day 1, 25.4.2022 – A really weird Trip… But at least fast!
- Day 2, 26.4.2022 – Woodstock Grounds and the Pough-City
- Day 3, 27.4.2022 – Being VIP in Albany with an informal promise
- Day 4, 28.4.2022 – JFK and NHL Hockey
- Day 5, 29.4.2022 – My Final Curtain… For Five Months
- Day 6/7, 30.4./1.5.2022 – Back Home
Following the Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2022
The Penguins California Tour in February 2020 has been the last trip to the United States before Covid-19. Some two years later, ice hockey and my favorite team has been bringing me back over the Atlantic Ocean, with stops in New York, Pittsburgh, Nashville and St. Louis.
Day by Day Postings:
- Day 1, 10.3.2022 – About Mobile Networks and Sparky The Dragon
- Day 2, 11.3.2022 – Ladies and Gentlemen, Elvis has just left the Building
- Day 3, 12.3.2022 – White Pittsburgh and Ketchup
- Day 4, 13.3.2022 – No Flight, but the second Victory
- Day 5, 14.3.2022 – Back To Music City
- Day 6, 15.3.2022 – No Victory on the Road, but still a Good Day
- Day 7, 16.3.2022 – 300 Miles and a really Cool Flight
- Day 8, 17.3.2022 – In Rust We Trust – a 3-1 victorious trip
- Day 9, 18.3.2022 – The Home of Superman and The Heart of Country Music
- Day 10/11, 19./20.3.2022 – The Final F(l)ights
Four Countries, Four Trains
In August 2020, I took profit of the fading Covid-19 restrictions and traveled to Milan and Rome in Italy. Four different rail system, from luxury travel to a night train were on my schedule for this four day adventure – a lot of interesting impressions.
Day by Day Postings:
- Day 1: 7.8.2020 – From Frankfurt to Milan (incl. Day 0)
- Day 2: 8.8.2020 – Milan to Rome
- Day 3: 9.8.2020 – Rome
- Day 4: 10.8.2020 – The Nightjet and going home
California with the Pittsburgh Penguins
In February and March 2020, I followed the Pittsburgh Penguins to three West Coast away matches in a row, namely playing two matches in the Greater Los Angeles area (L.A. Kings, Anaheim Ducks) and at the San Jose Sharks. Finally, I also saw the NHL match of the Vegas Golden Nights hosting the L.A. KIngs in Las Vegas. There have been a lot of additional sights in this trip, for example a visit to Silicon Valley.
Day by Day Postings:
- Day 1, 25.2.2020 – Transatlantic with a touch of New Zealand
- Day 2, 26.2.2020 – The First Match: L.A. Kings
- Day 3, 27.2.2020 – Don’t stop believing in Hollywood
- Day 4, 28.2.2020 – It’s about the Ducks
- Day 5, 29.2.2020 – A bit of Home Town feeling – The Sharks
- Day 6, 1.3.2020 – My most pricey Ice Hockey Ticket ever!
- Day 7/8, 2./3.2020 – Go West – Go East – Go Home!
Weird Al & Grass Court Tennis 2019
In July 2019, New England happened to have two interesting events in parallel. Weird Al Yankovic was touring in his “Strings Attached” tour in 2019 with a full orchestra, while the Tennis Hall of Fame Open in Newport RI showed tennis on lawn in the most traditional environment you can imagine. A comparably short trip, majorly featuring Connecticut and New Hampshire, but definitely a cool memory!
Day by Day Postings:
- Day 1, 17.07.2019 – Luxembourg to Connecticut
- Day 2, 18.07.2019 – My tour debut in Gilford NH
- Day 3, 19.07.2019 – Weird Al at the Foxwoods Casinos
- Day 4, 20.07.2019 – Leander Paes or the Tennis Hall of Fame Open
- Days 5 & 6, 21.22.07.2019 – Going home
A Musical Trip To CMA Fest 2019
This trip report does not feature my visit at the CMA Fest 2019 with all the spin-off articles (all CMA Fest postings). It however features my trip from Germany to Nashville, which featured a lot of interesting places. A key stop on route was definitely Memphis, which also gave me a visit to legendary Graceland. I also had a day in Washington D.C. doing some interesting sightseeing there.
Day by Day Postings:
- Day 1, 31st May 2019: From Germany to Washington D.C.
- Day 2, 1st June 2019: Day in Washington D.C.
- Day 3, 2nd June 2019: Chattanooga and Tupelo
- Day 4, 3rd June 2019: From Elvis’s place of birth to his place of death
- Day 5, 4th June 2019: (Not just) Walking in Memphis
- Day 6, 5th June 2019: Driving “Home” to Music City
Six Intercontinental Flights in 72 Hours
No, it is not as bad as it sounds! This trip in 2018 was quite amazing, as it made me commute between Iberia and Northern Africa a couple of times. I start flying from Cologne to Tangier in Morocco and then visiting the Spanish exclaves Melila and Ceuta as well as Malaga. It also features the world shorted intercontinental scheduled flight by plane (from Tangier to Gibraltar) and the shortest intercontinental scheduled flight (with helicopter airline Helity from Algeciras to Ceuta). A great aviation nerd trip!
Day by Day Postings:
- Day 1, 23rd May 2018: From Cologne to Tangier
- Day 2, 24rd May 2018: Tangier and the shortest scheduled intercontinental flight
- Day 3, 25th May 2018: The Helity adventure: Algeciras and Ceuta
- Day 4, 26th May 2018: Melilla
- Day 5, 27th May 2018: Back to Germany
On Tour with Weird Al Yankovic (2018 Tour)
Following Weird Al Yankovic on his “Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour” in April 2018 was the first-ever Trip Report on Flyctory.com. I had an amazing trip, mainly visiting Georgia and Tennessee in the United States. The key spin-off article of this trip was my search for 1996 Atlanta Olympic sites in the area. Other stages visited were Chattanooga in Tennessee and Augusta, the world-famous Capital of Golf.
Day by Day Postings:
- Day 1, 12th April 2018, Flight from Cologne to Atlanta, sleepover in Lawrenceville
- Day 2, 13th April 2018, Chattanooga, TN: concert and city sightseeing
- Day 3, 14th April 2018, Augusta, GA: concert and city sightseeing
- Day 4, 15th April 2018: Atlanta, GA: concert and city sightseeing
- Day 5/6, 16th/17th April 2018: Sightseeing in Atlanta, flight back to Cologne.
One-Day Trip Reports
Typically, a Trip Report contains multiple daily postings over a time span of multiple days. However, some day trips were just that much worth mentioning that I put them in one-day trip report format. Hope you enjoy them as well as I did.
All German States (and the 11 Biggest Cities) on one Train Ticket
Once upon a time, there was me, owning a day ticket for the German long-distance rail services. First Class. The idea whether I could make it to all 16 German was one of these weird ideas I tend to develop from time to time. And: it was a lot of fun. And memorable. A trip report, fully based on rail travel on rail lounges – but split into two parts as there are so many stories to tell.
All German States (and the eleven biggest Cities) on one Rail Ticket – Part 1
3,337 Waffle Houses Away… Paola, Kansas
Is this my weirdest day trip ever? As a huge fan of the musical Rock of Ages, I just had to visit the place where one of the characters is told to come from – the small city of Paola in Kansas. To make it clear: the musical is fictional and the character is fictional – there is no fixed theory why this lady, Sherrie Christian, is finally supposed to come from there. I nonetheless had to visit this place.
Traveling through Germany during Covid-19 Times
Though Germany had a comparably moderate time during the Covid-19 crisis. Still, more or less all transport broke down. In mid-May 2020, when the lockdown measures have been significantly reduced, I did a day trip from Dusseldorf to Berlin.
Traveling Through Germany at Covid-19 Times – A special Trip Review
Exploring Barra With Barra Island Tours
The island of Barra on the Outer Hebrides is well known for his legendary airport, which is the only one worldwide featuring scheduled services on sandy runways. Between my flights to and from Glasgow, I had an amazing time on a private tour around the island.
Flying With Southern Airways Express
The Southern Airways Express tour in early 2019 was a typical aviation day. The regional airline is connecting minor airports, supported by public funds. I started close to the Pennsylvania Amish in Lancaster and hit Baltimore, Morgantown and Pittsburgh. Despite a lot of things went wrong, it was just memorable and amazing – and I arrived back in Lancaster in time.
One Day in Bonaire
Inspired by the Sao Miguel trip mentioned below, I rented a (less powerful) scooter in Bonaire and took a day trip to the island from Curacao. It was just a lovely way to explore the small island – and as you see in the title picture, I could even make friends to some donkeys.
Exploring Sao Miguel by Scooter
I should likely hate this day, as I had a crash with the scooter and even injured myself. But I just have to love it. Going to the Azores island of Sao Miguel and exploring it on a day trip on two wheels was just amazing. Bad luck I did one mistake while driving – but I definitely did right doing this trip!