Monday, April 7, 2008

Air Travel

My first ever plane flight was to Brazil in the 1970's. It was all very exciting. It was the only time I ever flew on a Boeing 707, one of the planes that made commercial jet travel possible and affordable for the masses. I have vivid memories of the pain in my jaw as we landed, unable to clear the congestion. As a six year old, it was agonizing.

I have many memories of that trip, but the novelty of air travel for the first time is something I will never forget. AIr travel for me now is a necessary evil. I don't mind doing it, but I hate the lines, the cramped spaces in airports, the lousy overpriced food and waiting for a delayed aircraft. As I write this, I'm sitting in the Las Vegas Airport waiting for the plane to arrive that we will travel on. We were supposed to leave minutes ago, and the plane hasn't even arrived from it's first flight of the day.

Sigh.

And so I sit, waiting, and writing. I miss the days of walking across the tarmac to the plane. I loved the old Boeing 727's where you could exit out the back stairs instead of everyone going to the same door. That plane was designed with passenger convenience in mind. It seems that is all but forgotten in these heady, unregulated days of air travel.

I guess you can categorize this blog entry as "sappy memories of days of yore"

Joel

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