Questions of taste and judgment

I need to be careful what I wish for. Shortly after last week’s column on the isolation that comes with premium air travel, I was secretly looking forward to slouching in my seat on the late British Airways flight to New York and getting lots of work done.

Shortly before the doors closed, I spied a pair of free seats in the middle of cabin and decided that I’d grab them after take-off. So somewhere over Bath I got up and established my base in the centre section and set to work following up on e-mails that have lingered since I was in Honolulu a few weeks ago – particularly queries and comments about the Fast Lane.

All was going perfectly fine as I diligently replied to colleagues and reviewed presentations – until the gentleman two seats away offered me a copy of Monocle magazine (which I happen to edit). At first I was startled and thought he wanted to lodge a complaint, but it was soon clear that he didn’t know I was the editor and we struck up a conversation about BA vs Emirates, urbanism in the Middle East, London vs New York and media consumption habits on the road.

Before I knew it we were over St John’s, Newfoundland, it was well past my bedtime, I’d lost the urge to return to my screen and passed out shortly after. I woke up over Long Island and felt an instant rush of guilt for not completing my tasks. As the Fast Lane mail bag is particularly full, I’ve bundled together the most frequently asked questions and responded accordingly below.

1. I’ve always wanted to go to Japan to see the cherry blossoms with my wife. Can you recommend a perfect five-day itinerary?

If you want to go right away and see the first sakura in bloom, then I’d jump on a flight to Fukuoka and spend a day in the city; then take the bus to Yufuin and sample some of the region’s onsen (hot springs). My top hotel choice is the Murata and its newish rooms designed by Tokyo firm Simplicity. You also shouldn’t miss the Singapore Sling in the bar.

2. Do you feel bad about your carbon footprint?

On balance, I don’t think my carbon footprint is particularly large. I do fly an enormous amount, but I don’t own a car, I walk most places in London and opt for trains over aircraft where possible (in Europe and Japan).

3. Do you travel with your shirts on hangers or folded?

I travel with my shirts folded, lightly starched and bagged. London-based Wilton Green do a much better job than any of the firms that boast royal warrants.

4. Do you own an iPad and do you travel with one?

There is an iPad in my household but it doesn’t come travelling. In fact, it doesn’t get used much at all. I’m still very happy to travel with my books and magazines.

5. What’s your fitness regime on the road? Gyms or running on the street?

The fitness regime is a 35-40 minute run (five times a week) and I’ll take whatever’s on offer in terms of setting. Nothing can beat a good park (Yoyogi and the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Central Park in NY, Djurgården in Stockholm) but the gym at the George V in Paris also does the trick.

6. You don’t seem to fly on a lot discount airlines. Why is that?

Silly question.

7. My husband is caught in a bit of a denim rut and needs to update his look. What would you suggest?

Short of sending me a picture (please don’t), it’s hard to know what the issues are but I can imagine he’s probably suffering from either an outdated boot-cut or a waist that makes it look like his bum stretches from his ankles to his shoulder blades. The best course of action is to get him into some classic straight-leg Japanese Edwin jeans (no fancy washes) that will age naturally.

8. How do you deal with taking your shoes off all the time at security checks? Do you only wear slip-ons?

I try to avoid airports with these types of rules – hence my cutback on US travel. That said, I usually carry a tiny stainless steel shoe horn to avoid tying and untying laces.

9. Do you like the Airbus A380?

I’m not a huge fan – yet. I find it a little too quiet (conversations seem amplified) and the upper deck feels cramped on most carriers. That said, a couple of airlines will soon unveil their own configurations so I’m keen to see what they do with the space.

10. Are you loyal to one hotel chain or do you mix it up when you travel?

I mix it up and don’t have a set pattern as it all depends on the property and my mood. In Zürich, I tend to stay in a small two-star I’ve been using for years. In Hong Kong, it can be the Mandarin, the Grand Hyatt or Upper House. In Tokyo, it’s the Peninsula, the Grand or Park Hyatt. In New York, it’s now the Crosby. That said, I’m still on that quest for the perfect city property.

Tyler Brûlé is editor-in-chief of Monocle

tyler.brule@ft.com

More columns at www.ft.com/brule