Travel Anyway!
Air travel is much less enjoyable lately – smaller seats, more delays, longer security lines, disgusting food, jets falling out of the sky… I used to love packing efficiently and strolling aboard to sit comfortably in my aisle seat, where I’d have my choice of meals after we left on time. No more. Now I dread heading to an airport. It’s just a necessary evil to get where I want to go.
Recent articles confirmed my sense that travel had become more stressful, unhealthy, and just plain weird. First, there’s the unhealthy part. Aside from jet lag, there’s the fact that we’re forced to sit and wait longer, contributing to circulation problems. A recent CT Mirror article explains all the sitting is made even riskier by dehydration (cabin humidity is only about 10%) and low oxygen levels (about equal to Denver.)
An article in Psychology Today helped me understand the weird part. People behave strangely in airports and on planes because they’re anxious and irritable. Or maybe because they started their vacation at the airport bar (see dehydration, above.) Airports are also “liminal zones,” in between places where boundaries fade, time is fuzzy, and the usual social rules are bent. The stress element, of course, makes perfect sense. Knowing we don’t have enough air traffic controllers, that airlines will avoid reimbursing you for delays by blaming the weather (which is, indeed, increasingly erratic) and that you will be elbow to elbow with strangers while deprived of healthy food for hours on end is certainly stress-inducing.
So why do we travel? For the amazing memories and experiences. I’ll always remember being called urgently into the cathedral atop Mont St. Michel to watch a monk swinging on a rope, ringing the bells for noon. He was laughing and the sun was pouring through stained glass windows, coloring the interior of the cathedral – just magical!
Little rhyme or reason, Deb, and very frustrating indeed. I can understand a few levels (coach, biz, first) and early bird vs. late pricing, but changing hourly or daily is insane.
…and the erratic ticket costs! I was planning a trip and the tickets went up $100 each over a two-day period. I waited too long. Not to mention just the increase in airfare costs in general. No wonder there are so many budget airlines popping up!
Es-tu encore en France, Liz?
Allez-y, Beth. Bon voyage!
Sounds like a fun trip! And thanks for the great suggestions, Jerry! I do some – bringing food, stretching in the airport, noise cancelling headphones, movies, traveling light – but need a better routine. Instead of carrying water, I get up and walk back to the galley – frequently – to ask for more. Hydrates me while also stretching my legs.
Robin, we’ve toyed with upgrading – usually after a particularly miserable flight. Then the memory fades. Maybe next time!
Hi Beth. We just got back from northern Italy (Milan, Dolamites, Lake Garda). Everyone should have a set of protocols for traveling more easefully. I bring a yoga travel mat and get to the airport early enough to do my yoga practice before boarding. I’m super relaxed and comfortable before I board. We always bring food and snacks so we can eat on our own schedule and are not forced to eat food not of our choosing. We bring water on board. We use noise cancelling headphones, which muffles the sound of engine noise and crying children while listening to our favorite tunes or podcasts. Taking a cannabis edible (or two on a long flight) also eases the journey. We always pack light so we can carry on our bags, avoiding the risk of lost luggage and eliminating the waiting time at the baggage carousel. Movies offered in-flight also helps pass the time. I saw four good ones during our last trip. Any tips you want to share?
Yes, we love the experience of being “there”–but oh the perils of travel. The cancellations and changed flights are very unnerving when one is out of the country and have to start the miserable task of contacting the airline as they provide the worst possible option for the change. The bare bones pricing is deceptive –middle seats, no luggage, no food. I have taken to business class on European trips–it’s expensive but my treat for myself–being able to sleep overnight and have a good meal really improves the experience in a major way.