Pony Espresso Express
December 11, 2009
Dear PE’s-
Winter is just around the corner…and perhaps has already reared its ugly head if you live in certain parts of the country. If you are anything like me, you might be anticipating upcoming travel to warmer areas for vacation and/or business. I look forward to travel as an opportunity to meet new people, see new places and run in new environments. In this day and age travel has become a bit more cumbersome, especially if you’re planning air travel. None of us has to be reminded about the challenges of air travel…fewer flights, more lost baggage and, of course, the TSA. So, from many recent trips and personal experiences…some tips (in no particular order):
Plan and book early: This sounds much like the admonition to sign up early for races (especially, half marathons). With fewer flights available, the seats get reserved earlier and earlier. If you don’t plan ahead, you might find yourself on a more circuitous, expensive flight, or series of flights. More transfers means more lost luggage, more hassle, more time delays, and, perhaps, more expense to replace lost items. I’m told that booking on a Tuesday is likely to result in lower fares, although I can’t honestly say that I have found that true in my experience.
Travel Lightly: If at all possible, take only carry-on luggage. Assuming you don’t leave it on the plane, you’re much more likely to arrive at your destination with your possessions. If you are traveling to a run, most certainly, at a minimum, take your running shoes on the plane with you…on your feet or otherwise. If you have other special gear or medicines, make sure these accompany you as well. I have made this a habit for 30 years. Only once did I not follow my own advice, and, of course, the luggage got lost. We were traveling to a run in southern France, the Medoc Marathon. This is a race renowned for the fact that it is a costumed event. A hand sewn, designer costume was anonymously floating around the world somewhere when it should have been in my hotel room. Only through the intervention of divine providence did it arrive less than 12 hours before the race, and after a three day period of AWOL!
Get to the airport early: It is difficult to predict just how many others are likely to show up at the airport at the same time you arrive. Long lines at the ticketing counter and even longer lines at the TSA can cause a visceral reaction. There’s always someone who has more questions than the agent has answers, which inevitably leads to even longer delays. If possible, print your boarding pass at home before you leave for the airport! This is not always possible, as I recently learned. If you are traveling on multiple carriers, booked through a 3rd party such as Orbitz, and the 1st leg of the trip is not the primary carrier, you may need to get to the airport even earlier to get the boarding passes.
Go with the flow: The TSA is an unpleasant fact of life, but it’s unlikely to go away in the near future! Make sure all your liquids are in the correct size containers, packaged together in a quart sized baggie. Remember that certain “less than solid” foods, although still in the original sealed containers, are considered “liquids”. I found this out the hard way on a recent trip when my yogurt was confiscated L
Something for the stomach: Airline food has a long tradition of being notoriously bad. Now, you can add to that…expensive. If you plan ahead, you can have anything from the epicurean to the healthful to the deliciously sinful. You are an individual! Why shouldn’t your choices enhance the trip? You can bring a 5 course meal, if you like. No candelabra, however J
Something for the mind: This summer, I’ve been on airline flights ranging from 25 minutes to 23 hours (including airport time). You can spend a lot of time in transit…often more than you expected. Some people just like to just chill out. I like to get something accomplished. Catch up on old magazines, new books, a DVD or maybe even write a blog 🙂
Happy trails,
JRB