Flying Not Quite So High

Over the last few years, I’ve come to loathe flying. From the inane taking-off-the-shoes at security and noisy, crowded airport lounges,to the dearth of fresh air in the cabin and overextended schedules that virtually guarantee you a delay on the tarmac while you wait for the previous plane to move away from your gate, the entire ordeal leaves me tired, grumpy, and—more often than not these days—feeling rather ill.

Obviously, this is a bit of a problem for someone who loves traveling.

I wish I could take the train everywhere. I love the train. The seats are much roomier and more comfortable, you can enjoy the view passing by your window, and—best of all—you can get up and head to the bar car whenever you want. It’s all just so much more civilized. Unfortunately, it’s also often more expensive than flying, it’s impractical if you’re in a hurry, and then there’s that little catch about not being able to travel across oceans. Sigh.

Man, I cannot WAIT until someone invents the transporter …

Blog of the Day

Since I've been flying all afternoon and evening, my brain isn't really on a linear track at the moment, so I thought this would be a good time to link to Oregon writer Jennifer Willis' blog, Thoughts from the Spiral. Jen's actually been doing this since October 2004, which is quite an achievement in itself!

Comments

[Roxanne]

I just had this conversation over the weekend. Remember when travel was fun? Either I'm getting old and nostalgic, or flying has turned into a serious ordeal.