Qatar started the new year by imposing, as foreigners have called it, a “sin tax”. The tax is on goods that are prohibited under Islamic law. Qatar’s General Authority of Customs introduced the new tax on January 1, 2019. The tax applies…
Travel
Phillips Loop 9 Travel Goals for 2019
Now that we are a few days into the new year, I wanted to give you all my goals for the year to come. If you have been following the blog for some time, you know that my trips are spontaneous and…
American Airlines Issues Travel Waiver for Passengers Affected by Texas Winter Storm
A severe winter storm is scheduled to impact parts of Texas beginning today and continuing through Friday morning. The storm has the potential to produce freezing rain and/or a few inches of snow. As of this morning…
Phillips Loop Blog 2018 Year in Review – Fourth Quarter
Hi, welcome to the last installment of the blog’s year in review. I have covered the first, second, and third quarters of 2018 during the…
Phillips Loop Blog Top 18 Posts for 2018
As I was completing the year in review for the blog, it made me think what my readers find interesting. I enjoy experiencing new…
Phillips Loop Blog 2018 Year in Review – Third Quarter
As I continue to look back on the year, I find myself in the third quarter. Most of my travel during this period was throughout Texas and Central America. I hope that you…
What Happened at Gatwick Airport?
Last week, I wrote about the drones that caused a disruption at Gatwick Airport. The airport, located just south of London, was closed for almost two days. The closure caused…
Phillips Loop Blog 2018 Year in Review – Second Quarter
The first quarter of 2018 was special for me because it afforded me the opportunity to visit many places within the United States. I am very thankful that I am able to travel…
Phillips Loop Blog 2018 Year in Review – First Quarter
Hi, welcome to the first installment of the annual year in review for Phillips Loop Blog. I started this annual review to share some of my most memorable travel moments for the past year. In the 2017…
Drones Cause Travel Disruptions at Gatwick Airport
On Wednesday night, Gatwick Airport, located just south of London reported that two drones were spotted over the airfield. The drone sightings caused the airport to suspend all flights out…
CBP to International Travelers: Allow 72 Hours for ESTA
Last week, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection posted a press release that reminded international travelers using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization to apply when the ticket is
United Airlines Announces San Francisco Route Expansion
A few months ago, I wrote about United Airlines canceling their Los Angeles to Singapore flight to add a second daily flight from San Francisco. I felt that this added flight would only increase competition between…
How to Redeem Marriott Credit Card Annual Night Certificate at Starwood Properties
Yesterday, I wrote the introduction to my most recent trip report. I wrote it because, at the time, I was sitting in my hotel room without any plans. There was no reason to believe that I would attach anything…
Airlines Issue Travel Waivers for Passengers Affected by Midwest Winter Storm
A severe winter storm is impacting the midwestern United States. The storm is impacting travelers from Nebraska through Michigan. There is never an ideal time for storms when traveling, but this has to be…
Happy Thanksgiving: Why is Phillips Loop Thankful?
I start every day off with a short phrase or “spiritual reminder” that helps me focus on the tasks that I need to accomplish. That reminder is