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Episode 195– Traveling by Plane
Here I sit at 39,000 feet and
feeling miserable. My eyes burn; my butt is numb. Is there a secret to
flying
that I haven’t figured out? We retired folks can recall when
flying was a
luxury. We would put on some very nice clothes, look forward with
excitement to the trip, and marvel at air power. Western Airlines was
flying
out of Alaska in the 1970s. They offered a triangle flight out of
Anchorage
that went to Seattle, San Francisco, or Los Angeles. For another ten
dollars
you could book a return flight through Hawaii: ten dollars. Of course,
you
could stop as long as you wanted in Hawaii. They also served food(a
choice from
three entrées) on real plates, and it was an entire meal;
including fresh
bread, salad, and desert. They used real glasses, and filled them with
complimentary
wine or champagne. And even more important the seats were large enough
and
there was room for your legs and your overhead bag.
This is Retirement Talk. I’m Del
Lowery.
My how times have changed: today
I am crowded on a plane that was over-booked. There is no leg room. The
seats
are so narrow that everyone walking down the aisle bumps into my
shoulders –
and my friends think of me as skinny. For food, I am offered a tiny bag
of
pretzels. I can buy something that they refer to as a sandwich if I
have a
credit card. My grandchildren just arrived from Alaska a few weeks ago.
They
didn’t have a credit card. All they had was cash. It wasn’t
accepted on board
the flight. They had nothing to eat. There are just kids. The airlines
don’t
discriminate. They will treat anyone badly.
And of course we need to pay
extra if we wish to bring a suit case with us. The rate can vary
according to
airlines. If I want to extend my flight in any way, shape or form, I
first need
to pay them anywhere from one hundred dollars to two hundred fifty
dollars just
for the privilege of changing the ticket. Then I will need to pay the
extra
fair.
Of course, on top of all of that
other stuff, I am practically strip searched at the gate. Off come the
shoes,
empty my pockets, take off my belt, take off my hat, turn all of my
belongings
over to an x-ray machine and stand under the glare of several armed
security
people: people who are big enough to enforce most laws and yet to my
aging eyes
appear young enough to still be in school. Now they have taken it one
step
further with full body scans. A friend of mine just flew in and related
her
story of escaping the full body scan. She just had new knees put in.
That sets
off metal detectors so she was directed to a glass walled room and
given a full
pat down by hand. What a treat. Of course she is a grandmother of 70
years of
age. I suppose she fits the profile of a terrorist?
I recall a flight to Anchorage
for a Christmas holiday where Brenda and I both contracted the flu bug.
We
spent our entire two week trip with high fevers, throwing up, and
laying in a
darkened room - oh what fun! And my grandchildren; when they returned
home from
their recent visit also became sick; as did their dad. It all seems
suspicious
to me.
Now a book entitled “Heat” by
George Mombiot tells me that flying is one of the most environmentally
damaging
things we can do. Airplanes are doing incredible damage to the
atmosphere. It
takes more energy to fly from one place to the other than any other
form of
transportation – by far. He claims these love trips to see
grandchildren have
to stop, environmental tourism is an oxymoron – you do
environmental damage
just by the act of traveling. You don’t help the environment; you
damage it –
in a big way. No we don’t hear much about this in the press. No
one wants to
hear it. The airlines certainly don’t want to loose customers and
money. And
most of us don’t want to give up pleasure trips. We rationalize.
It reminds me
of the ill effects of smoking and the press. The studies were in and
the damage
was well verified but there was little admission or concern by most of
us.
There was money to be made and a lot of people liked to smoke.
I know; I don’t have to go. I
don’t have to fly. I can just sit at home and play my guitar,
drink coffee at
the local coffee shop, and exercise in my own neighborhood. (It sounds
very
good to me at the moment.) But we always find reasons. We don’t
want to admit,
that for us, the time for exotic travel may be a thing of the past.
I wrote the following few lines
in a beautiful condo just south of Puerto Vallarta – Conches
Chinas. The water
smashes against the sand and rocky beaches below. The blue water and
sky can be
seen running together endlessly out our walls of windows. Pelicans fly
over-head. The condo is all white with high ceilings. Lazy fans run in
every
room; earth red tile cover the floors. Mexican music plays on the
stereo – not
loud enough to drown out the crashing surf. Twelve straight hours of
sleep has
restored energy to my body and I am so glad we came. What a marvel air
travel
is! That was four years ago.
My wife is starting to hesitate
longer and longer between suggesting trips. It just doesn’t seem
like it is
worth it any more. She knows there will be resistance.
This is Retirement Talk. I’m Del
Lowery.
A resource from a listener: Best Free Online Degrees for Seniors guide is designed to assist seniors who aspire to enhance their intellect or consider starting a new career path. It features an overview of the top online degrees for seniors, emphasizing their numerous advantages, and a broad range of subjects to choose from. A friend's website: Terra Firma Designs: Fine Furniture, Stained Glass and woodworking workshops. Copyright 2010 RetirementTalk.org |
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