When Flying Used to Be Fun

I used to love flying.  I loved it so much that in 1979 I took flying lessons. My first solo flight was on December 7, 1978! As the plane lifted off the ground in Florida I felt an exhilirating joy at being ALONE in the air, flying like a bird into the clouds.  I took my final check ride and completed all qualifications for my Single Engine Land Private Pilot's License on Friday, April 13, 1979!  Yep, Friday the 13th! I love memorable dates!

All that being said, I am no longer a big fan of flying. Let me explain that by saying that I no longer fly solo; having decided that my vision and age are somewhat restricting my ability to do so.  Now when I need to go somewhere I must fly commercial airlines.  I used to enjoy flying commercially too, but things have definitely changed since 1979!

I used to look forward to traveling by air from one destination to another.  The seats were fairly spacious, the people fairly gracious and most even well dressed.  That is not the case any more!  Now, the airports are crowded with people pushing and shoving and running their wheeled luggage over your feet without so much as an "oops, I'm sorry."  Then there is the TSA Security Check! OMG...most of the time i get the "pre-check" status and it isn't too bad.  But, on my last trip when I tried to check in online (I was traveling with an 88-year-old lady and an 86-year-old lady) I was notified that I couldn't check in online as "one" in our party needed to check in at the airport!  Ugh!
That meant that I had to arrive at the airport an hour earlier than I had anticipated.  Oh well.

Our check in went okay except for the fact that in spite of the fact I had ordered TWO wheelchairs, NONE were waiting for us.  The agent informed me that the gate was only about 200 "meters" away, so we decided to go for it.  Well, it was waaaaaaay more than 200 meters away.  Then the Security people rifled through each and every one of our bags...really?    Oh well, we made it through and finally arrived at the gate.  Wouldn't you think that if the twenty something and thirty something healthy people were sitting and the eighty somethings were standing SOMEONE would volunteer to give up their seat? Not!  Courtesy and respect for elders is also GONE!

Once we boarded the plane, I was on an aisle seat again..hmmmmm.  I am going to have to rethink that choice in the future, because I still have a huge bruise on my left arm where a careless person boarding the plane after I was seated clobbered me with their oversized carryon!  Again, no oops or gee I'm sorry.  Ugh.

Then there are the tight seats...wow, we are all crammed in like sardines, with barely room to put our legs between the seats.  But, even worse are those people who are traveling with impossibly ill-behaved children!  Oh My God! Whatever happened to discipline?  If any child of mine had screamed and thrown fits in public when they were two plus years of age, there would have been SOME kind of repercussion! Not any more!  People, if you can't control your child, you don't belong on an airplane full of people!  On one three hour leg of our flight home, there was a two-year-old child who screamed at the top of his lungs every minute or two about who knows what! When we were disembarking the plane, the carnage of crackers, cookies and other food and drinks around the area where this child had been was horrendous! The Flight Attendant said she had never seen worse! Please people, I have raised four children, I have eight grandchildren...none of whom would have been allowed to show such disrespect for others.

Then when we had to clear customs coming back into the USA, our luggage was searched by TSA.  I really wouldn't have been upset, except that my medications had the tops removed and not put back on before putting them back into the suitcase and the pills were EVERYWHERE when I opened my suitcase upon arriving at home.  This is unacceptable.  The suitcase inside looked like a gorilla had rifled through it!

By the time I arrived home, I was sick of inconsiderate people, rowdy kids and the TSA!  Flying is no longer FUN!  It is actually a chore.  What a shame.  I really do wish we could go back to the time when flying and traveling were exciting events.  I really do wish people would understand that discipline and respect are important.  Well, maybe I'm just OLD! But, somehow I do believe things have gotten out of hand, and we need to back up and take a look at consideration, respect and discipline.  We need to speak up and tell the airlines and the TSA what is acceptable and what is NOT!!  I'm thinking about doing a lot more driving and a lot less flying whenever I can!

Next Up - Italy!

This is just one of the many views we plan to see on our journey to Italy.  Lovely, isn't it.

We board our flight on Tuesday and arrive in Venice via Paris on Wednesday.  All our hotels have been booked in the three cities we will be visiting.  My son, Charles, has taken care of all of this.  He has been multiple times, and wants me to share this magnificent part of the world!  We will be joining he and Jon in Venice and then on to Florence and Rome before returning to our home in Utah.

I have had a great time today deciding which tours I needed to schedule for Kevin and I.  We are going to cram as much into this trip as is possible…lots of fun, family and food and wine.  We are so excited we can hardly wait.  I have taken great pains to forget nothing on this trip.  Passports and other travel receipts and documents are safely stored in my carry on luggage…it is going to be a wonderful experience.

There is so much I want to see in these three cities that it was hard to decide exactly where to begin!  I am an artist at heart and all of this is food for my soul.  Kevin loves history and so the experience brings so much of what he has read about the Medici's and others to life.

I will be blogging/posting as we travel our way through Italy.  I have scheduled a trip outside Florence to Tuscany to visit to ancient cities there.   My son has booked a wonderfully romantic sounding evening for a night in Venice, and we will be seeing Murano (beautiful glass) and Burano (amazingly colorful houses lining the canals) and so much more!

I researched the weather for April in Italy.  Sounds like a great time to visit before the Summer heat and crowds arrive.  I have everything laid out to pack and even contacted my physician about antibiotics to take along in case we catch anything!  I also packed fun stuff like Pepto Bismol, Immodium, etc.  I don't want ANYTHING to get in the way of this being a spectacular trip.

We are closing on our new home here in Utah on Friday, and so that won't be on our minds as we travel Italy.  When we get back, we will hit the ground running to accomplish our move by May 1st!
It really is an exciting time for us and I certainly don't feel my age!

Can't wait to share our experiences and pictures with all of you.  I encourage each and every one of you to travel any time you have the opportunity.  One thing I have learned for sure (and I have been traveling off and on since the early seventies) is that you don't learn anything about other countries and the people and politics there until you GO there.

I am just a little excited, in case you can't tell!  I plan on sharing some new recipes with you too!

See you in my blog when I return!

PEACE, LOVE AND JOY

TOP TEN TRAVEL TIPS FOR TRAVELING WITH KIDS

Top Ten Tips For Traveling With Kids

Things certainly have changed since I first started traveling with kids. I almost hate to admit it, but we actually didn’t have to put them in a car seat! We didn’t travel nearly as much either.

I have learned a lot since those early days, and I would love to share some of those tips with you. Of course, a lot depends on the age of the child, and their interests, but I hope all of you can find a few helpful ideas here.

The mode of transportation has a lot of influence on what you plan when traveling with a child.

1. The airlines do not currently require babies/toddlers to be restrained in a proper restraint system. However, it is a fact that in sudden, severe turbulence, you probably will NOT be able to hang onto your precious little cargo. Please investigate Child Restraint Systems before taking your child on an airplane trip.

One such CRS is the CARES Child Restraint System which is designed specifically for aviation use for children age 1 and older who weigh between 22 and 44 pounds. These children are old enough to be in their own seats, but too small for the seat belt alone to protect them. It is FAA approved as an alternative to a car seat. And believe me, carrying that car seat aboard is difficult at times. This CRS weighs just one pound and will fit into a 6” stuff sack. Check that car seat as Baggage, and save yourself a headache. CARES is manufactured by AmSafe Aviation.

2. TSA restrictions have become quite rigid in recent years, and while there are allowances for formula and baby food (you will be able to declare it and expect an extra inspection at Security), you can not carry water or juice through Security. Plan to buy any drinks you want for your child on the other side of the Security Checkpoint. And believe me when I say, NOTHING in your One quart zip lock bag can be over 3.4 ounces.

3. Whether traveling by automobile or by car, plan ahead to take snacks which your children like and will be able to eat in confined quarters. This is the one time to forget the rules about junk food. And don't forget the wet wipes. If it will help the child, and you, get through the travel experience...take it with you!

4. Traveling by automobile and looking at the scenery may be great fun and interesting for adults, but most toddlers will not be satisfied in a moving car for more than 4 hours no matter how you entertain them. Older children can probably stand up to 6 hours, so it is best to plan frequent stops (potty breaks, stretch your legs, scenic overlooks) and not travel more than six hours each day. And you might want to consider one of those little portable potty chairs with disposable liners for those times when there just isn't a bathroom available.

5. I found that sometimes when a long drive is unavoidable, it is better to plan the trip for a time when the kiddies will be going to bed. Most children fall asleep fairly easily in the car, especially when it is dark. Dress them in their pajamas, make sure they have comfortable pillows, blankets, etc. and play some soft music. They might just sleep through most of the trip, and arrive at your destination rested.

6. For younger children, a Portable DVD player can be a Godsend. You don’t have to have one installed in your vehicle, there are laptop versions readily available. If your children are of different ages, you might want to invest in two so that they can put on their earphones and watch age appropriate movies. The expense ($50 and up) is minimal in comparison to your state of mind. You can either purchase their favorite movies, or stop at a Red Box or other location and rent to return later. Toddlers can appreciate a Leapfrog Leapster, and older children also enjoy their GameBoy or DS. These can be packed in a “backpack” which the child can wear, or in their own little “carry on”.

7. Always take at least one extra set of clothing in an easily accessible location for each child. Also if you have a child in diapers, always take three more than you think you will need. It might even be a good idea to have a spare set of clothing for yourself, you never know when there might be an “accident” where your clothing is the target, and it is mighty uncomfortable to travel in soiled clothing. I was once traveling with my six-month-old daughter during a particularly hot day, the plane was small, and a woman in front of us was wearing a terribly strong perfume. It was nauseating! Suddenly, my daughter who was in a sling attached to my chest vomited her entire stomach right down inside the front of my sundress....aaauuucckk. The poor stewardess was beside herself trying to assist me as there was no water aboard. She handed me a bottle of club soda and some napkins and I had to make due for the flight from Barcelona to Madrid. As I said, it pays to be prepared...I wasn’t. When we landed I had to go to the restroom and do my best to cleanse myself and my clothing for the balance of the trip back to Paris. I did have an extra outfit for the baby, but not for myself. Lesson learned.

8. Although they have some really wonderful strollers out there these days, the best one for airline travel is still the old fashioned umbrella stroller. Again, if you want to take the big one for use after you arrive, check it as baggage. The child will be able to stay in the umbrella stroller until right before you get on the plane, and may even nap in it. Then just as you board, you may easily fold the stroller and stow it aboard. Believe me, the airline staff will appreciate this too.

9. If you are flying with young children who have ear canals smaller than ours, it is a good idea to take candy to suck on or gum to chew during takeoff and landing. This will help to equalize the pressure in their ear canals and avoid uncomfortable and tearful trips. Infants can be encouraged to suck on a bottle.

10. Last, but not least, take a plastic bag in the car, in the diaper bag or stroller for disposing of trash, or bagging soiled clothing. And, please, please don’t ask your steward or stewardess to take a dirty diaper and put in the bag they collect trash in. Take your infant to the restroom for changes, and dispose of the diaper there. Your airline staff will really appreciate it as will surrounding passengers.

Remember to have FUN when you are traveling with children. Don’t take sick children or infants on airplanes, trains or busses. Make beautiful memories with your children that will last all of you a lifetime.

AND, just as another thought, check out Cruising with Children...the options offered now are incredible for both you and your kids. We will talk about that another time.

Airline Travel Today

I have always loved flying. I even hold a Private Pilot's license. There is something magical about speeding along the runway in a huge metal tube and feeling the lift as the wheels leave the runway. Then up and over the clouds to bright blue sunny skies no matter what it is doing on the ground! It is hard to believe that all that weight and mass can lift off the ground and carry us speedily along to another destination hundreds of miles away within hours.

I love looking down on the beautiful white clouds and the patchwork of fields down below as we cruise miles above the earth. Flying used to be a lot easier years ago, before we had to worry about terrorists and crazies being aboard, and before the airlines made the seats smaller and closer so that they could cram more people aboard and make more money per flight. Now you can carry small bag aboard and one "personal" item, but they charge $25 or $35 each for your checked bags. They have done this in order to show the cost for flying lower than it actually is. For instance, your flight to Miami from Atlanta may show up at $158 round trip, but if you check just one bag that will increase your cost to $208. And, God forbid, if you check two your cost will be $258!

You no longer get free meals aboard your flight. The other day I paid $2.50 for ONE chocolate chip cookie. It was a very good and large cookie, but $2.50? My goodness!
You do still get a free beverage as long as it doesn't contain alcohol. I had to laugh though at the "peanuts" we got...1/4 ounce! One mouthful of peanuts. That is just a tease. My biggest problem is with the short distance between the rows of seats. I have very long legs, and on a long flight my knees are crammed up against the back of the seat in front of me so tightly that I can hardly move. Very uncomfortable.

Going through security in some airports, Miami for example, can be quite tedious and difficult. Atlanta has a marvelous system however, and I have never had to wait more than a few minutes in spite of the fact that Atlanta is the busiest airport in the world. If you have an iPhone and I am sure other smart phones, you can download maps of each airport to make navigating them simpler. These "maps" show the locations of restaurants, bathrooms and other facilities. Nice!

Dressing to fly has definitely changed over the years. People who were traveling in the past used to be dressed like they were going to church. Nowadays, you might see anything from pajamas to business suits, from the highest of high heels to flip flops. I am kind of inclined to lean toward the flip flops since you have to shed your shoes to get through security. You must also remove jackets, sweaters, belts and watches, so I would advise putting those things in your carry on or Personal Bag (which can be a computer bag, large purse or canvas bag which must fit under the seat in front of you).

You must pack any of your liquids, which must be 3 ounces or less, in a one quart Zip lock bag to be placed in the bins going through security. So, put them in an area where you can easily access them, unless they are going in a checked bag...then you don't have to worry about it! I am finding that it is just easier to use the shampoo, conditioner and whatever that the hotels provide than carrying my own.

One thing that I do find irritating is that you can't carry a bottled water through security...even if it has NOT been opened! If you want water or food, you will have to buy it on the other side of security checkpoint where you will pay considerably more for it.

In spite of the fact that flying is a bit more inconvenient, security can be slow sometimes, and the seats are smaller, I still love flying. Traveling and seeing far away places is a wonderful, mind-expanding thing which I will never get tired of. I watch for sales on Cheap Tickets, Orbitz and Travelocity as well as others, and I will continue to travel as long as this old body will allow me to!

Get out there and explore your world, you won't be sorry you did.