We're Back :)

This post is being typed from the comfort of my family room in Cranford, NJ!

Yes that is correct ladies and gentlemen, I AM HOME! Carly and I arrived in the USA on Tuesday in order to surprise our friends and family! I had an awesome surprise for my Cranford friends and then I met up with Carly at La Salle on St. Patrick's Day for another wonderful surprise and THEN I surprised my grandparents at their 50th wedding anniversary on Sunday.

It's been quite a whirlwind week!

Click "Read More" to see...more.


Now, I know that some of you may know some details about our upcoming European travels but here is the for real, no lies, total truth itinerary

March 26 - March 30 - ROME
March 30 - April 1 - VENICE
April 1 - April 4 - VIENNA
April 4 - April 7 - PRAGUE
April 7 - April 10 - MUNICH
April 10 - April 13 - BERLIN
April 13 - Return to NEWCASTLE

Sorry if I had to confuse anyone before but it was necessary to maintain the surprise :)

All the places I'm most looking forward to seeing are still applicable from my previous post (see here)

It's so much more relaxing being home! I love waking up when I feel like it, eating familiar foods and having people around me who don't drive me totally crazy usually!

Home is certainly where the heart is, folks.

I got a new digital camera this past week and I can't wait to fill it with all fun pictures with my friends from the US and my travels in Europe.

I'll leave you with one thing I've noticed about international travel that really grinds my gears.

Let's take a look at some pictures. Great. This is the state of New York:

Lovely county demarcations.

This is the state of New Jersey, my home state:

Also lovely county demarcations.

Everyone can see the difference, right? New York (NY) is NOT, in fact, the same as New Jersey (NJ) and vice versa. Good? Excellent. Moving on. Let's take a closer look at some of the areas of NY and NJ.

This is Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, NJ:

Beautiful.

This is John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, NY:

Also beautiful.

Please take a moment to notice the differences between these two airports.  These differences may or may not include things such as their shape or infrastructure design.

Let's see these two bad boys on a map:

You can click on the image to enlarge it. Basically, the letter A on the left is Newark Airport (still in Newark NJ) and the B on the right is JFK Airport (still in New York, NY).

This map really highlights the main difference between these two places.

Their location.

I do say.

These two airports are, in fact, in two different places! Two different states even! You can plainly see the waterway that separates these two areas and delineates the fact that yes, Newark is in NJ and New York is in NY. 

Since these two airports are in different places, one can only assume that they are NOT the same airport, correct? Yes that is correct.

So then can anyone tell me WHY some online flight booking websites find it necessary to assume that Newark Airport is in New York State when it is clearly in NJ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I have had it, readers. SIMPLY HAD IT with this association of Newark NJ with the State of New York!! And I am taking a stand right here, RIGHT NOW!

Let's take a look at the evidence:

*Disclaimer: Not all websites follow this inane pattern, as I will show. But the ones that do should correct themselves and their offensive geographical error.

British Airways

United Airlines (post-Continental Airlines merger)

These two airlines are the largest and most well-known offenders.  I can see how British Airways could get confused. Most Americans would be hard-pressed to locate the United Kingdom on a map so I suppose it is only fair that they confuse NY and NJ. You win this time, Redcoats.

However, there is NO excuse for United to make this mistake since Newark Airport is one of its major departure hubs!!

I don't know who this guy is.

Honestly though, why do these airlines say Newark Airport is in NY? I get that they're so close but NJ is its own state! We have the same solidarity as NY and deserved to be recognized and respected.  

Not to mention, Newark Airport was the FIRST major airport in the metropolitan area, the FIRST with a control tower and the BUSIEST of the 3 major airports in the area (in terms of flights than JFK and LaGuardia). During its early operating years, 1/3 of the air traffic in the WORLD came through the runways at Newark.

If anyone can provide a good reason to answer my question, please let me know. Note: A good answer does not include 'calling it NY makes it easy for the administration.' That's a crap excuse for poor geography.

I would like to share that Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue and US Airways all classify Newark Liberty International Airport as being in Newark, NJ so snaps to them. 

Closing argument: 

Airlines who misplace our national historic airport,

New York state beat us out for the Statue of Liberty in 1834. They made us share Ellis Island but NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BELONGS TO US!