I love to travel but ?

[Nemo2]

We put everything on credit card, use very little cash. If I buy something for $3 from the drugstore it goes on a credit card.

Awright!! We generally 'set' the lower limit at about $9.......I can see we need to raise lower our sights.

 

[ERD50]

Awright!! We generally 'set' the lower limit at about $9.......I can see we need to raise lower our sights.

I no longer have a lower limit. When I've done that in the past, I end up with a pocket full of change I never use. I have not seen a merchant sign that set a limit in a very long time, so I just go with it.

-ERD50

 

[Danmar]

OK So I agree with all the bad things listed previously. But we just arrived in Florence today , The weather is beautiful are we are staying at an unbelievable place called Villa San Michelle just outside of Florence. Now I remember why we travel so much. Just beautiful. Worth all the hassles.

 

[Koolau]

The amount of CO2 added to the atmosphere ands seas (while it is still capable of absorbing co2).

I only address this issue because I recently did a "thought experiment" on the subject of "fuel mileage" for air travel (yeah, I know, I need to get a life!!.)

Start w/assumption that you plan to travel either by car or air (not going isn't an option in my thought experiment - keep in mind that the plane is going whether you fly or not). I'm sure there are significant variations, depending upon equipment, but my thought experiment went like this: A 747 burns about 8 gal/mile on average. It easily transports 400 people. So, for 1 gal of fuel, it will transport 50 people 1 mile (or one person 50 miles/gal). Assume a typical car trip takes two passengers, so the 747 would deliver about 25 mpg for the equivalent number of people. I'm sure you could change the scenario around to show that air travel is not always as fuel efficient, but, as a first approximation, it's not a lot different in many typical situations.

I now return you to the subject of our symposium.

 

[rockyj]

Here is a devil's advocate point of view.

We are complaining about hassles, but consider that you are sitting in a chair and are magically transported through the sky to a faraway location. How would cavemen view our bitching?

I suspect many of you have seen this already, but perhaps it's on target here. Pretty funny in any case.


YouTube - ‪Everythings Amazing & Nobodys Happy‬‏

 

[RunningBum]

Getting up before 3am because I have a 3.5 hour drive to get to a decent sized airport.

Oh, and someone mentioned that seatback thing. The worst is the people who slam the seat back with no warning. At least ease it back so you don't hit me if I have my leg crossed or happen to be leaning forward! Then I will see people who still have it all the way reclined leaning forward to do their crossworld puzzle or something. Hoping today's flight is better than normal.

I also hate leaving the pets. I just adopted 2 cats and the 2nd one has finally bonded with me, now I get to find out if they will be mad when I'm gone for 3.5 days.

 

[TromboneAl]

I suspect many of you have seen this already, but perhaps it's on target here. Pretty funny in any case.


YouTube - ‪Everythings Amazing & Nobodys Happy‬‏

Thanks, Rocky, that's where I [-]stole [/-]got the idea for my post. I couldn't find that clip because I'd thought it was a different comedian.

 

[rockyj]

Thanks, Rocky, that's where I [-]stole [/-]got the idea for my post. I couldn't find that clip because I'd thought it was a different comedian.

No problem - I still chuckle when replaying this - and it's not like we're in academia here anyway.

One of your other posts earlier in this thread also reminded me of a time when DW got sick during a connection delay. It came on her suddenly so she couldn't make it to the bathroom and ended up throwing up into a trash container. While she was hanging over the can a passerby still thought it appropriate to toss in some trash - right past her head - no respect.

The upside was after the delay the four of us got bumped to first class for the remaining flight home - the kids got a big kick out of that (and their legs couldn't reach the seat in front of them so no problems there either).

 

[travelover]

I can take just about anything but kids kicking my seat. Even the unstable old people lurching from seat back to seat back giving aisle passengers whiplash.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Last summer a woman behind me put her bare foot between the seats in front of her so she could rest it on my armrest for much of an international flight. I'd elbow it, she'd move it, and then there it was again.

 

[steelyman]

One of the things I will greatly appreciate about ER is losing the business-related travel. I agree with all of the complaints people have brought up on this thread (especially turbulence!). But somehow it all seems like much less of a hassle when the purpose of my travel is pleasure rather than heading off to some city for meetings/conferences that I'm not especially interested in in the first place.

 

[kumquat]

Last summer a woman behind me put her bare foot between the seats in front of her so she could rest it on my armrest for much of an international flight. I'd elbow it, she'd move it, and then there it was again.

Too bad they eliminated the smoking section. If you were in it I'm sure you could have found an appropriate response.

 

[Moscyn]

I can take just about anything but kids kicking my seat.

On a shorthaul, a two year old kid was having his bad day and really kicking the seats around him - even causing other people's coffee to spill. One of the passengers complained to the air hostess and asked for another seat. Thereafter, the mother threw up a tantrum loudly accusing that the person who complained had no compassion and is not understanding enough about kids. Most of us thought that the mother was more badly behaved than the kid.

 

[Alan]

When we flew to Dublin from Manchester, England a couple of weeks back I saw a new way to irritate passengers. I had been through security and was sitting down putting my shoes back on when I saw a guy being told that the polythene bag he had put his small bottles in was not allowed. A ziplock bag is required "because it is airtight". The guy was told he could buy a bag there for £1 or go into the airport and buy one for 25p. When we flew back (from Cork) I made a point of noticing that Cork airport had the same rules and had ziplock bags on sale at security for 1 euro.

Fortunately I had our fluids in a ziplock bag, but I hadn't realized it was required to use an actual ziplock style, airtight bag. (why it has to be airtight is a mystery to me).

PS not the actual "ziplock" brand is required.

 

[RunningBum]

Center seat on both flights yesterday. On the long one, the guy in the aisle seat must've been a good rebounder in the NBA, because he was good at making space with his elbow.

otoh, sometimes you get a nice surprise. I was worried about having an economy compact with snow predicted up in Park City, and the rental company told me they were out of small cars, so would I take an SUV...for the same price? Sounds good to me. Looksl ike the bigger snow is higher, and there's white in the grass but the roads look to be just wet.

 

[kumquat]

Fortunately I had our fluids in a ziplock bag, but I hadn't realized it was required to use an actual ziplock style, airtight bag. (why it has to be airtight is a mystery to me).

I was going through security in Whitehorse, Yk (yes, they have security too) and put my keys, change and a Bic lighter in the little pan to be xrayed. When I got to the other side I was told that the lighter had to be in a plastic bag. The 'lady' then offered me a free bag to use. So, I put the lighter in the bag, walked back to the other side and sent it through. Then I took it out of the bag and put it my pocket with my keys and change and off to the plane. I felt so good that my tax dollars were finally doing something to eliminate the risk of terrorism.

 

[Alan]

How about you what part of traveling do you not like or could do without ?

Crashing.

It has only happened once to us - on a road trip - but it sure did ruin the trip. Kids were only 2 & 4 at the time. No one was hurt but the car was undrivable and had to be towed.

 

[Moemg]

Last year I went to visit my daughter and the next day she backed out of her garage and right into my rental car . She was so upset but I was just glad that no one was hurt . Her car had a slight scrape and my rental had a dented side panel . I'm leaving in three weeks to visit her again and I will be parking away from the garage .

 

[Moscyn]

Don't know whether it affects you all but my regular toilet habits go bonkers during travelling and I usually end up constipating. My sleep habits take time to adjust too. So, when travelling, I just miss the routine of things when I am home.

 

[Meadbh]

When we flew back (from Cork) I made a point of noticing that Cork airport had the same rules and had ziplock bags on sale at security for 1 euro.

Glad you got to visit my hometown, Alan! Looks like you are in good company. I hope you had as much fun as her Majesty seems to be having in this photo:

Fears misplaced as Queen's visit soothes rebel hearts

 

[Alan]

Glad you got to visit my hometown, Alan! Looks like you are in good company. I hope you had as much fun as her Majesty seems to be having in this photo:

Fears misplaced as Queen's visit soothes rebel hearts

We were in Cork for 4 nights, a few days before the Queen's visit, but all the man-hole covers had already been screwed or welded shut and marked with bright paint.

We really enjoyed our visit, and included day trips to Kinsale and Midleton.

 

[Brat]

The connection I remember the most was at ORD. My flight was late and a virtually ran to my connecting gate, was the last one seated and we immediately moved away from the gate. About 5 minutes after takeoff I had to go to the bathroom BAD. I called the stewardess who told me that was impossible until the pilot turned off the seatbelt light. I told her that I would sign a liability release because if she didn't let me go to the toilet they would have to clean the seat. I got to 'go'.

She later scolded me for not taking care of this before boarding. I told her that my inbound flight was late and this was the last flight that day to my destination. Sorry.

 

[Retch The Grate]

We really enjoyed our visit, and included day trips to Kinsale and Midleton.

Kinsale is lovely, I was there for a couple of days last year. Quite picturesque and a good driving point for visiting some surrounding landmarks.

 

[Alan]

Kinsale is lovely, I was there for a couple of days last year. Quite picturesque and a good driving point for visiting some surrounding landmarks.

It was more 'colorful' than I expected, extremely pretty indeed.

The 3 hr train journey from Dublin to Cork was a very pleasant run and cost only 10 Euros.

 

[Meadbh]

Oh ****, you guys are making me homesick!