Traveling

I have been traveling on business this week with minimal access to the Internet. I was the only person around who did not have a blackberry or other email-enabled PDA. I felt very out of touch. I know my assistant felt that I was frustratingly inaccessible! Everybody else around me was able to keep up with emails throughout the days. I sat there thinking about how my messages were piling up.

Since I couldn't get the Ethernet connection in my room to work, I had to go to the lounge in the evenings to catch up on the day's messages. That was the only good part. I had the chance to knock back a couple of belts whilst handling my work. I must confess that the last few emails in the evenings had more typos than normal (and I suck as a typist under the best of circumstances).

Traveling used to be fun. No more. Security is always an issue. This was a quick trip, so I was not checking luggage. That meant I went without my favorite shampoo, face wash and hair "product". I took the travel sized versions of toothpaste and deodorant, and planned to use the hotel's other personal care products. My skin feels like tissue paper but my hair looks terrific. I guess the hotel soap was a little stronger than the stuff I'm used to, but they had great shampoo.

I seem to be fated to sit next to fat people who do not like to fly. Last summer returning from Europe, I was wedged into a seat in the very last row of the plane next to a very obese lady who was clearly unhappy to be flying. She fidgeted and sweated profusely for eight hours. On my flight yesterday, I was in the middle seat between a seasoned traveler, who slept from the time we started taxiing down the runway until the captain announced we were making our final approach to Orlando, and a very obese man who sweated profusely and kept putting a napkin to his mouth. I prayed like mad the whole time he would not barf. I have a very weak stomach. When other people throw up, I tend to join in. It was very nerve-wracking.

One thing I want to know: why do men always have to sit with their knees pointed out? My two seat-mates (even the sleeping one) spent the entire flight with their knees about 36" apart. As I said, I was in the middle seat. Do the math. By the time we landed, I was so stiff from trying to be very still and very small and not touch anybody.....

I am glad to be home.