Farewell les enfants
We need a vacation.
Okay, maybe Deeps doesn’t need a vacation – but I do. I’m a woman on the verge.
Originally, we’d planned on doing a trip to Italy in late September. Then we talked about it a bit and decided that perhaps we should do something less stressful – like an American vacation. We’ve never actually taken one in the US.
We talked and planned and discussed and came up with a trip to California to visit old friends and to extend the summer – we’d go in October (after we see Jon Stewart).
And then the latest airport security fiasco unfolded and I cancelled our California plans. Here’s the thing, before new security measures were implemented before 9/11 flying was a pain. I can’t tell you how many times I was stuck in a plane waiting on a tarmac for hours at a time. My luggage would get lost. I had stuff removed from my luggage (I’d call it stolen) and in general I found the airlines treated their customers like third class citizens, no matter how many upgrades I had.
After 9/11 when security tightened considerably and the airlines business suffered because people were afraid to fly things only got worse. Service was even spottier, it was harder to get information from the airlines and they cut back on the few frills they offered (like food and water). With this latest round of security restrictions, I can’t imagine that the airlines are going to step up to fill the gap.
We have a choice, and we choose not to fly. For now – until things get settled and the TSA figures out what the new rules are and how they’ll be implemented.
I know that there was once some notion about the glamour of travel. I haven’t seen that glamour for a while. I flew a lot when I worked in consulting, so it’s unfair to blame the small-scale disasters that unfold at airports exclusively on 9/11. For the most part the security process – while cumbersome – was pretty clear. But now things are in flux and I’ll wait it out.
I’ll admit to flying in flip flops and sweat pants to reduce my chances of being searched or being forced to remove extra shoes and clothing. There is no glamour in flops and gym pants. Getting stressed out about what I can take on a long flight is not relaxing. And I think we can all agree eating at the airport food court is no vacation.
We need a vacation.
Okay, maybe Deeps doesn’t need a vacation – but I do. I’m a woman on the verge.
Originally, we’d planned on doing a trip to Italy in late September. Then we talked about it a bit and decided that perhaps we should do something less stressful – like an American vacation. We’ve never actually taken one in the US.
We talked and planned and discussed and came up with a trip to California to visit old friends and to extend the summer – we’d go in October (after we see Jon Stewart).
And then the latest airport security fiasco unfolded and I cancelled our California plans. Here’s the thing, before new security measures were implemented before 9/11 flying was a pain. I can’t tell you how many times I was stuck in a plane waiting on a tarmac for hours at a time. My luggage would get lost. I had stuff removed from my luggage (I’d call it stolen) and in general I found the airlines treated their customers like third class citizens, no matter how many upgrades I had.
After 9/11 when security tightened considerably and the airlines business suffered because people were afraid to fly things only got worse. Service was even spottier, it was harder to get information from the airlines and they cut back on the few frills they offered (like food and water). With this latest round of security restrictions, I can’t imagine that the airlines are going to step up to fill the gap.
We have a choice, and we choose not to fly. For now – until things get settled and the TSA figures out what the new rules are and how they’ll be implemented.
I know that there was once some notion about the glamour of travel. I haven’t seen that glamour for a while. I flew a lot when I worked in consulting, so it’s unfair to blame the small-scale disasters that unfold at airports exclusively on 9/11. For the most part the security process – while cumbersome – was pretty clear. But now things are in flux and I’ll wait it out.
I’ll admit to flying in flip flops and sweat pants to reduce my chances of being searched or being forced to remove extra shoes and clothing. There is no glamour in flops and gym pants. Getting stressed out about what I can take on a long flight is not relaxing. And I think we can all agree eating at the airport food court is no vacation.
Labels: 2006
2 Comments:
Exactly! I'm supposed to go to five different conferences between now and next August... all of them requiring flights. I'm totally rethinking all of them.
Hey there,
I totally agree - since 9/11 we've made a point to only fly international - with no domestic layovers if we can help it, and once we are OUT of the US, it seems much easier to get around. And worth it. Breezing through customs in Cambodia is sometimes worth the delay getting of the ground in San Francisco...and we shouldn't have to put our passions and outlets on hold.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home