Adventure window
13 days
2–14 November 2026
Personal travel dossier · November 2026
✦ Aviation · Caribbean · Island hopping
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN IS ON
YOUR ADVENTURE DEPARTS IN…
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COUNTDOWN TO DEPARTURE · FR2150 · 2 NOVEMBER 2026 · 17:05 CET
A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA
Don't let the eggs boil dry.
A tiny aviation-themed kitchen timer is hiding in here, if you fancy a little break from exploring.
A small Easter egg · entirely separate from your trip countdown
Dream aircraft
A380 · 747-8
Plus Twin Otter island hops
The big occasion
Pre-60th
One extraordinary adventure
The mission
Fly · Explore
Europe, the Caribbean and back
The flight plan
One extraordinary route
A long-haul aviation adventure with Caribbean island hops in the middle.
→→→→→→→→→→→→
Select any airport code to locate it on the map. The repeated SXM stop is intentional: St Maarten → St Barth → St Maarten → Saba.
Your adventure, mapped
Choose an airport code above or a marker on the map to see its details.
The journey in pictures
From take-off to the Caribbean and home again
A visual timeline beneath the route map. Tap a photograph to enlarge it.
Mission briefing
The flights you'll remember
The aircraft are part of the story—not just a way to get there.
THE GIANT
Emirates Airbus A380
The double-deck giant and a centrepiece of the adventure.
THE QUEEN
Lufthansa Boeing 747-8
The iconic 747 profile, with the upper deck and unmistakable hump.
THE ISLAND HOP
Winair Twin Otter
Small-aircraft flying between Caribbean islands, including the St Barth adventure.
THE APPROACH
Maho Beach · St Maarten
A legendary spot for watching aircraft arrive just over the beach.
THE RUNWAY
Saba
A remarkable island landing with a famously short runway.
Your aircraft · Your cabin
Step inside your flights
Explore each flight in itinerary order, with one gallery per flight or aircraft journey.
A380
EK40 · BHX → DXB
Emirates Airbus A380
Premium Economy · Seat 40A · Upper deck
A380
EK47 · DXB → FRA
Emirates Airbus A380
Economy · Seat 76A
747-8
LH402 · FRA → EWR
Lufthansa Boeing 747-8
Economy · Seat 41K
TWIN OTTER
WINair · SXM → SBH → SXM → SAB
Winair Twin Otter
One gallery for the Caribbean island hops · cabin and cockpit references
A330-300
KLM · SXM → POS → AMS
KLM Airbus A330-300
Economy · Seat 38J
CRJ1000
IB1015 · MAD → ALC
Bombardier CRJ1000
Final flight home · Iberia Regional · Economy
Explore your aircraft
Rest stops along the route
Where I’m staying
A little look at the places that will be home between flights. Hotel photographs are representative property images; Mike’s own reviews can be added after each stay.
Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham Airport
A convenient first stop beside Birmingham Airport before the long journey gets properly underway.
Hotel details ↗
The Leela Hotel, Dubai
Three nights to pause between flights and get a taste of Dubai. Possible highlights include the Burj Khalifa and Downtown skyline, Dubai Creek and the traditional souks—depending on what Mike fancies doing.
Hotel group website ↗
b’mine Frankfurt Airport
A design-led airport stay, with the rooftop THE ROOF experience on the radar for aircraft and runway views.
Hotel website ↗
Renaissance Newark Airport Hotel
A base for the Newark aircraft-spotting plans, with an airport-view room requested.
Marriott website ↗
Mary’s Boon Beach Resort
A beachfront base for island-hopping, Maho Beach planespotting and the flights to St Barth and Saba.
Resort website ↗A stop worth exploring
Three nights in Dubai
Dubai isn’t just a place to change planes—it’s a destination in its own right. This is a small inspiration guide, not a fixed itinerary; we can tailor it to the time and energy you want to spend exploring.
Downtown & the Burj Khalifa
The iconic skyline, Dubai Mall and the fountains area make a classic first look at the city. Book timed tickets in advance if you want to go up the tower.
Dubai Creek & the old souks
A different side of Dubai: traditional wooden abras crossing the Creek, lanes of the Gold and Spice Souks, and a feel for the city’s older trading history.
The desert beyond the city
If you fancy an organised excursion, the dunes offer a striking contrast to the skyscrapers. This is an optional idea, not a booked activity.
Caribbean highlight
Maho Beach — planes over the sand
Maho is famous because Princess Juliana International Airport’s runway sits right beside the beach. Arriving aircraft cross low overhead before landing, making this a dream spot for aviation photography.
Sint Maarten · SXM
A front-row seat to the arrivals
The plan is to enjoy the spectacular approaches, watch the arrivals and take photographs. The beach is also a real Caribbean beach, with sea views and nearby places to stop between aircraft movements.
Safety note: watch from the beach and obey local signs. Jet blast from departing aircraft can be extremely dangerous—never cling to the airport fence or stand behind departing jets.
Maho Beach visitor guide ↗The visual journey
The island approaches
Two unforgettable Caribbean landings: the steep approach into St Barts and Saba’s cliff-edge runway.
Chapter 01 · The steep hill approach
St Barts
A dramatic descent over the hill into Gustaf III Airport.
Chapter 02 · The cliff-edge runway
Saba
One of aviation’s most remarkable island runways, set against steep green slopes.
A note from your travels
Mike’s Guestbook
Leave a little hello for Mike and fellow adventure lovers.
✈
Every adventure has a story.
Wish Mike luck, share a travel tip, or leave a message from home.
Messages from the journey
0 notesYour first message could be the one that starts it all.
The homeward arc
One last flight home
SAT 14 NOV · FINAL LEG
IB1015
Madrid → Alicante
MAD 19:40 → ALC 20:55 CET · 1h 15m · nonstop
AIRCRAFT
Bombardier / Canadair Regional Jet 1000
Iberia Regional · Economy · Seat not selected
Booking references and ticket numbers are intentionally not displayed.
A little visitor Easter egg
Flight-deck timer
For tea, toast, eggs—or anything that needs a few minutes. Your trip countdown stays untouched.
05:00
MINUTES · SECONDS
Ready when you are.
Not connected to any flight schedule. Please don't let the eggs boil dry.