One Chief Astronaut used to make a point of phoning the front desk at the clinic where applicants are sent for medical testing, to find out which ones treated the staff well-and which ones stood out in a bad way. The nurses and clinic staff have seen a whole lot of astronauts over the years, and they know what the wrong stuff looks like. A person with a superiority complex might unwittingly, right there in the waiting room, quash his or her chances of ever going to space.

The emotional build-up and anticipation if you travel at Christmas can make it harder to enjoy a trip. I think sometimes it is better to travel outside of conventional holiday times for that reason.

I've had a chance to fly a lot of different airplanes, but it was nothing like the shuttle ride.

"What's the next thing that's going to kill me?" is a mantra for pilots and astronauts.

From space, the Bahamas is the most beautiful place on Earth.

My favourite city for nightlife is Toronto, as it has such a multicultural feel, with so many different restaurants and theatres.

Most budget airlines anywhere in the world are going to leave you dissatisfied after using them.