It seems like nearly every time I fly, I am in front of a child or in front of a person with very long legs.
Because every time, I get kicked in the back. Sometimes it’s by accident, so I wait til the third time.
Depending on how nice they look, it might be a simple, please stop kicking or if they look mean, I’ve resorted to telling them I have just had surgery.
How do you deal with annoying passengers to try to have an enjoyable flight?
Oh summer. Why are you running away so quickly? You don’t have to peace out right after Labor Day. There’s still plenty of time for you to hang out before fall shoves in.
Stay a little longer. Please.
Check out this suspicious bathroom activity.
If you have ever been on a plane, you know that the airplane’s bathroom is so not where you want to spend a significant amount of time.
If you have ever been on a plane, you also know the airplane’s bathroom is barely big enough for one person, much less two.
And if you have been on a plane in the US since 2001, you know security breaches are no laughing matter.
If you have traveled by air on any of the nine September 11 dates since 2001, you know security is visibly heightened.
And if that couple was trying to join the mile-high club I’d love to know how they didn’t get ill from that ever-present airplane bathroom stench and the remnants of pee on the seat from the person who was in there before you.
I had just quit my temporary job in Pennsylvania just before Labor Day and I was focusing on getting a job in Manhattan. I would waitress at night and look for jobs and set up interviews during the day.
Ten years ago today, I had an interview in New York City, on Madison Avenue. Ten years ago tomorrow, I had another, in the Empire State Building. At nine in the morning.
On my way leaving the city on Monday, September 10, I found myself transferring trains at the World Trade Center to catch the Path Train to Newark where I would catch a New Jersey Transit train home. While walking towards the Path Train in the basement of the Trade Center, I thought to myself, I should go up to the top of the Trade Center. I haven’t been up there since I was a kid.
I convinced myself not to take the ride up. I had a date later that night. I was getting picked up at home to head into Philly later that night. So I didn’t go to the top. I figured there would be more opportunities.
Little did I know, there wouldn’t be.
I had never heard of a Haimish Line before reading this New York Times article but after reading about it, I totally understand it.
This article points out the exact reasoning of why I enjoy staying in locally owned bed and breakfasts, and try to partake in locally owned business for tours and activities. It’s all about the local experience and the truly familial feel.
Do the boyfriend and I remember Malania and her husband, the owners of the B&B in Arenal, Costa Rica and their kindness? Do we remmber Malania’s husband, who spoke zero English, who kindly drove us to his favorite restaurant down the road from the B&B in the pouring rain (because we didn’t yet have a rental car)? Yes.
Do we remember Alejandro, Marta, Elda and Elda’s husband at the family run B&B in El Calafate, Argentina? They repeatedly brought me fresh ice for my knee after my glacier hike and told me the word for knee so I could get a brace for my aching knee. Do we remember how Elda kept telling me I would be fine when she was booking our horseback riding excursion, and not laughing when I asked her if she would come to the hospital if I happened to get hurt? Do we remember being dropped off by the Alejandro’s brother (Elda’s husband) at the airport, not just at the curb, but inside at check-in where there were hugs and handshakes and tears? Only my tears, but still. Of course we do.
What about having breakfast in the kitchen of the family, with the family, in Monteverde, Costa Rica where Reina, the mom, easily handed the boyfriend their baby daughter while she made our eggs…straight from their neighbor’s chickens. Again, yes.
What about Zoran who picked us up in Dubrovnik and drove us to Bosnia-Hercegovina, with one other couple from London in his family’s van? He took us to a local restaurant, did the ordering and introduced us to local Bosnian fare like burek (amazing doughy goodness stuffed with cheese or sausage or spinach) and cevapcici (spicy sausage sandwiches with a red pepper paste).
Zoran was our own personal guide and because we were such a small group, he was able to take us to see several towns along the way to Mostar. He spoke about the turbulent history from an extremely personal perspective (to be fair, everyone we met in Croatia that spoke about the war, had a very personal perspective). And as he handed over all of our passports at the border, he knew we all (well three of the four of us – guess who was indifferent) coveted a stamp from Bosnia, so he asked Border Patrol in the local language to stamp each of our passports, which they did.
What about Ana and Ralph at Delta Unplugged in Tigre, Argentina? We had an amazing day with them at their home and on their boat. In fact we are still penpals.
What about the feeling at some of the wineries on the Finger Lakes where they treat you like family, and not just another taster? Yes agains.
And what about Bube and her mother in Dubrovnik? Her mother, who spoke a few words of English, was the only one there to greet us after our 13 hour expedition to get from Newark, NJ to Dubrovnik, Croatia by way of a race through the airport in Frankfurt.
Bube’s mother showed us to our cottage where we dropped our bags, and then she brought us up to her roof, for an amazing view of Dubrovnik.
Once we realized that the walk up 300 or so steps (cars were not allowed where we were going) was absolutely, positively worth it, she asked us “Drink?”
After spending ten minutes with this lovely woman, we realized that her English vocabulary was limited. Wanting to make this as easy as possible I replied, “Water?”
She replied “Beer?”
And that was that! Yet another resounding yes.
These are just a few of these memories that make me smile. You don’t, typically, have these experiences in hotels where you are one of hundreds of guests. There are very few fond memories from my time staying in hotels. Do I remember the kindness and the hospitality they had? Yes, of course. But do I remember those memories as fondly as these truly personal touches of kindness and local hospitality? No, of course not.
Check out this water. The Hudson River has been this lovely shade of brown for days now.
Am I back in Argentina? Am I in Tigre, to be exact?
Unfortunately, no. And while Tigre’s water was brown, the locals took great care to keep it clean. This water…I wouldn’t dip my toes in much less wash dishes in.
Note: In order to get the full gist of this post, you will need to click both links!
Who are these people who block the door and push to get on a train or bus before people exit? Same with elevators.
Do these people not realize that they are slowing down the process by blocking the exiting passengers? And for the pushers, why? WHY WHY WHY? Don’t these pushers realize that the people exiting will actually create additional room in an already crowded space?
So they should move out of the way AND wait the TEN SECONDS to let people exit before they decide to push and shove their way on board.
Sincerely,
From someone who doesn’t push – but always seems to get pushed.
Just as Memorial Day is seen as the unofficial start of Summer, Labor Day is seen as the unofficial end of Summer. Big sad face. Summer is my favorite holiday and I feel like this summer flew, as usual.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s website, “Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”
It’s a little odd considering the latest jobs report in the US is pretty dismal. I’m pretty sure that plenty of people would love to be ‘laboring.’
simply three cents 