Travel Daze

What can I say about travel days?  Some say driving there is half the fun but it can be stressful too.  No matter how hard I try to be organized something unexpected occurs (unreliable GPS info, detours, forgetting something important).  During these times, I wish Star Trek’s Scotty would beam me from my home to my vacation destination – no fuss … no muss … no stress … just let the vacation begin!  Don’t even get me started on flying somewhere!  Okay, now that I have said it …

Travel days can fill me with “foot-tapping” nervous energy. Will our flight be delayed or cancelled?  Will we have time to make our connecting flight?    Will there be any mechanical problems with the plane?  Will we encounter any air turbulence?  Will our seats be near someone who is coughing?  Will our baggage be on the luggage carouse when we arrive at our destination?

Saying a prayer for our health and safety helps to ease my travel day worries.

“Lord, be our guide and our protector
on the journey we are about to take.
Watch over us. Protect us from accidents.
Keep us free from harm to body and soul.
Help us be patient in any trouble which may come our way.
Keep us always mindful of Your presence and love.
Amen.“

Now, let the day begin.  First, we go through airport security.  We move through the maze of pathways zig-zagging back and forth until we reach the security point.  We take off our shoes and coats and walk through the x-ray machine while our carry-on pieces are being scanned.  Passengers are not allowed to bring any liquids in bottles larger than 3 ounces.  I want to drink water to keep myself hydrated and I think the airport prices for bottled water are outrageous.  

Here is my solution – Put an empty water bottle in your carry-on bag.  After you pass through security, go to a drinking fountain – let the water run for a few seconds – and fill your water bottle for free! 

We check the airport monitors to confirm our flight time and gate (yeah, no gate changes and marked as “on-time”).  Today’s technology allows the airlines to provide us with “up to the minute” changes via Internet, text, or automated phone message.  At our gate, we wait for the boarding process to begin.  Then, like sheep being herded into a corral, we board the plane. 

I breathe a quiet sigh of relief when I climb into my assigned seat (I usually have the middle seat and my husband has the aisle seat).  For the most part, the words “comfort” and “coach class” are not synonymous.  Oh sure, you can pay extra for a little more leg room in an “economy comfort” seat or maybe get an exit row seat (for safety reasons seats directly in front of exit rows do not recline!) but the middle seat is still uncomfortable. 

Here’s a tip.  When you book your flight for two, select the window seat and aisle seat leaving the middle seat vacant.  If the flight is not full, you may have all three seats to yourselves.  If someone does claim the middle seat, most of the time they are willing to change seats because they don’t want the middle seat either.  Better yet, select two aisle seats across from each other.  You are still sitting next to your travel partner and you both have easy access to the aisle.  

If you can afford it, consider flying first-class.  But do the perks (priority boarding, slightly bigger seats, free drinks, mediocre light meal) outweigh the higher cost?  That is your decision. 

Looking for seat advice when selecting your seats?  Click on the following link

Seat Guru

Suggestions for Staying Healthy While You Travel:  Now, I’m not a germ phobic person but I want to stay healthy especially when I travel.  Since some germs may linger on hard surfaces (like plastic and metal) for up to 24 hours, I use an antibacterial wipe to clean any surface that I am likely to touch during the flight - don't forget that seat belt buckle!  If I need to look at an item stored in the seat pocket in front of me, I wash my hands (or use an alcohol-based sanitizer) after I'm done with it.  Also, I wash my hands before eating and I try not to touch my nose, eyes, or mouth during the flight.  

Keep in mind the restrooms on planes are notoriously germ-filled places.  I use the paper hand towels whenever I have to touch something (the toilet lid and flush handle, faucets, door handles). 

If my trip involves “can’t miss” things to do, I might go the extra mile and take a supplemental tablet to help boost my immune system.  It’s like the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. 

Another health concern I have is using the air nozzle above me.  I always got sick whenever I had the air blowing on me.  When I stopped using it, I did not get sick as often.  Despite a report from NBC news (dated March 4, 2011) that states the re-circulated air in planes is better than the air you breathe in an office building, I chose not to have the air blowing on me.  To read the NBC news article, please click on the following link:

Does Airplane Air Really make You Sick?

Preparing for take-off includes the safety talk.  While safety is a serious issue, there are the flight attendants who provide the obligatory departure speech in an entertaining way like, "There may be 50 ways to leave your lover but there are only two ways out of this aircraft." 

I imagine some of the ways might go like this:  Listen to the plan, Dan – Lights down the aisle, Kyle - Slip out the wing, Bing - Exit out the door, Thor – Get off the plane, Jane and get out safely.

After all the final checks have been completed, our plane is cleared for take-off.   Those of us traveling from the northern states during the winter months may require the additional precaution of de-icing the plane.   Again, the de-icing process is an important safety factor but it will reduce your layover time in your connecting city.   So, unless your flight is non-stop to your final destination, consider flights with a longer layover in your connecting city 



Over the years, we have encountered a few “white-knuckle” flights but usually the planes can fly above or around the potentially rough areas.  Generally speaking, flying is still the safest and fastest way to travel.            

Here are a few ideas for easing discomforts during the flight.  Chewing gum/swallowing during take-off and landing will help to equalize the pressure in your ears.  Another option to equalize your ear pressure is to hold your nose closed with your thumb and pointer fingers and try to gently blow out through your nose.  This may help “pop” your ears and relieve the pressure. 

For queasy stomachs, “barf bags” are located in the seat pocket in front of you.  To help prevent motion sickness, try eating some saltine crackers, sucking on a piece of peppermint candy, or drinking some ginger ale to settle your stomach.   Taking chewable motion sickness pills an hour or so before your flight leaves may help too.  Most of these options can be easily placed in your carry-on bag. 

Once we land, we make our way to the baggage claim area and anxiously await the arrival of our luggage.  The chance for lost/delayed luggage may occur more often with passengers who have experienced delayed, cancelled, and re-booked flights.    

Be Prepared:  In the event of lost/delayed luggage, your carry-on bag should always include an extra pair of socks, underwear, medications, etc.  Should TSA need to search your bag, I recommend placing these items in a clear plastic ziplock bag.  Even though they wear gloves, I don’t want anyone else “man-handling” my stuff.  I pack this way with items in my checked bags too.  The airlines may provide passengers who have experienced delayed/lost luggage with a small bag containing some personal items like a flimsy toothbrush, mini-tube of toothpaste, disposable shaving products, travel-size deodorant, etc. 

Now that our travel day is done and we have arrived at our final destination, I thank God for granting us a safe journey.  Whether you are traveling near or far, may God bless you with safe travel days too.