Me and the “bag” are traveling back east, tonight. What a nightmare! I booked a “Basic” Economy flight, with United. Travelers in this price range need to see a representative, at the airport, to complete their check-in. You can’t check-in online. Someone has to look at your carry on bag and make sure that it is small enough to warrant going on the plane. If your bag is too large, you’ll need to check it and pay $30.00. In addition, because I wasn’t able to check-in online, my TSA number wasn’t included on my boarding pass, via the airport kiosks. I had to manually add the number and reprint the pass. Luckily, I am my mother’s daughter and I arrived at the airport two hours before my flight.

I travel a lot. At some point, you just stop caring about what happens. A delayed flight, not being allowed to the gate (17 minutes before the flight) and having your ticket canceled, maintenance problems with the plane, rude flight crews, smelly people, seat mates with bad breath, parents who seat their small children with other passengers and then go sit together somewhere else, is all part and parcel of the travel game.

(Australia, Haiti, Kenya, Hawaii, Dominica, South Africa, Australia, Australia)

(Thailand, China, South Africa, Ghana, New Zealand, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Zambia)

(Armenia, Alaska, Alaska, Kenya, Finland, Armenia, Thailand, Kenya)

I took my first flight, to Air Force basic training, March of 1975. Forty-four years later, I am still wheels up.

I have no idea of how many flights I’ve taken, from Detroit to San Antonio, from the USA to Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, to my Peace Corps site, in Armenia, only 18 days ago. My next stop will allow me ten full days of rest. I’m sick, with a head cold, and I need to rest. Some days, I’m every bit sixty-two years old.

If there’s one thing that age and all my years of travel has taught me, it’s this. Every now and then, your body wants you to sit your old butt down and chill. –GGT