Planes, trains and automobiles....you can't get there from here

As most folks know, it takes various forms of transportation to get from one location to another. There are some people who will do just about anything to avoid getting on a plane, and choose their vacations accordingly. We, on the other hand, will jump on a plane at the drop of a hat, which affords us the opportunity to travel to just about anywhere (wait till you hear what we are doing next year). Now, I'm not saying that air travel is my favorite mode of transportation, put me on a slow boat to China, and I would be the happiest person on earth. Unfortunately, and this is a big consideration, I am limited in the time that I can be away from work. Therefore, the most efficient conveyance for the trip we are about to embark on, happens to be an airplane. So right about now, I'm thinking about that dreaded overnight, mind numbing, overseas flight which is less than 72 hours away for us. I always do my best to prepare for any long, tortuous flight by gathering a number of accoutrements to dull the "pain" (sometimes literally and physically) of the first 8 hours of our vacation. In no particular order, the following will be tucked safely away on my carryon, until we board the plane:

1. No Jet Lag pills-- to keep you feeling fresh as a daisy when you arrive at your destination (who knows, these may also help on a Monday morning at work after a particularly rough weekend)
2. Nasal spray--to keep your ears and head decongested when that lovely cabin pressure feels like it is driving an ice pick into your ear canals
3. Ear planes--little plastic things you insert in your ear canals before takeoff and landing to further prevent that inevitable ice pick pain
4. An inflatable neck pillow--to keep your head from rolling around while you sleep which insures that you don't wake up with the neck ache from hell (note it does not do a thing to inhibit drooling or snoring as you sleep--you are on your own with those two issues)
5. A "First Class Sleeper"--inflatable full body cushion (designed by a pilot after he had trouble sleeping on a plane--not to worry, he was not actually flying it during those particular trips) that supports you from head to toe, while trying to sleep in one of those oh-so-comfortable coach seats
6. Ear plugs (AFTER you've removed the Ear Planes)--to keep the engine and people noise to a dull minimum
7. Eye mask--to keep the cabin lights and your fellow passengers lights to a dull minimum while trying to sleep (trying being the key word here--I'm less than successful on that account, so far in most of my overseas travel)
8. Small blanket--to keep that persistent air flow (from your loved one's A/C nozzle) off of you
9. Water & snacks for the obvious reasons (remember, we are talking about me here)
10. IPad--to keep the child in me occupied with books and games, when I'm not trying to sleep
11. And last but not least--cash for that "gourmet food-in-box" that they now sell since complimentary meals are a thing of the past (overseas flights may not always fall into this category--one time they actually woke us up (evil, pure evil) during the flight to serve food and drink...I'm still scratching my head over that one????)

Now mind you, this list of goodies is only for the flight......ahead of us, we still have trains in Rome and Florence, the metro/subway in London and Barcelona, a high speed ferry, open air taxi, chair lift and funicular in Capri, a people mover and vaporetto in Venice, a bus in Dubrovnik, an automobile in France and the ultimate in luxury transportation services...our cruise ship!!! Gone are the simple days of flying to a port, hopping on a ship, and leisurely cruising back home to FL---did I mention we have to get back ON a plane to get home this time???? Yikes!!!!


(motion sickness pills are for Rog--I prefer the homeopathic Ginger pills if we run into high seas)

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone