Protect your melon; pack the right hat.

by Pam Mandel on

This is kind of gross, and I’m a little bit sorry for that, but I still have scaly bits on the tops of my ears. This because I burned the daylights out of them by wearing the wrong hat while on a recent adventure. I made it worse by neglecting to apply sunscreen to my poor ears — I’ll skip the part about what happened when I started to peel.

I pack a baseball style cap for my travels. I’d picked up a Sun Tripper cap from Sunday Afternoons while at the Outdoor Retailer show. It’s really cute, it’s that military shape, it’s got a split bill so it packs down nice and flat, and it’s got a stretchy drawstring on the back so it stays on your head in the wind. This matters; I watched the wind take a travel-mate’s cap and hurl it into the desert, there was no retrieving it. My cap stayed securely on my head the whole time. I also found that the funny little pocket in the top of the hat was actually useful. I tucked my ID and a little bit of cash in there, it was nice to have a secret stash and I didn’t worry about my head being pick-pocketed.

But as I’ve mentioned, I needed coverage for my ears. This was a tactical error on my part — I should have gone with a safari hat instead of just a cap. Sure, the extra coverage looks a little silly, but my ears hurt like hell and did I mention, they were kind of gross about a week later. Sunburn isn’t a joke, even when it’s limited to the tops of your ears, and I could hear my doctor’s voice in my head giving me the melanoma lecture. What I’m saying, is go with the extra coverage. Sunday Afternoons has some other options that I’d have done better to choose for this trip. I won’t soon forget that painful sunburn and I don’t expect to make that same mistake again. Get the coverage, people. The Sun Tripper cap is 24.00, the safari range starts there and goes up to 48.00. There’s a convertible cap too — just snap on the ear and neck coverage — that goes for 28.00. That would have kept the sunburn at bay.

In addition to sun coverage, I was delighted to find that I still had my SmartWool beanie in my photo bag. I’d used it to wrap up some camera gear I wasn’t using, but I ended up wearing it on cold mornings and evenings in camp. This stretchy little reversible beanie takes up negotiable space in my kit (really, I’d no idea it was in there!) and I was delighted to find that it had hitched along with me on my camping trip. SmartWool brands this little cap as a “training beanie” — whatever with that. I’m calling it a travel beanie and leaving it right where it is, stowed in my photo backpack, holding my lens polarizer. I’ll be happy the next time I find the wind is biting my ears or the night is a little cold. 25.00 from SmartWool.

10 budgeting mistakes even smart travelers make

by Jessica Festa on

When traveling, it’s easy to go overboard and spend more money than you expected. What’s important is that you spend your extra cash having fun experiences instead of on mistakes that could have been prevented with some planning. Read these 10 common money mistakes often made by travelers to help save money on your next trip.

Mistake #1: Overpacking

This is a mistake that can rack up travel costs for many reasons. First of all, depending on what airline you are flying with, you may be charged a fee for each bag you bring. Not only that, but travelers must pay not only based on how many bags they bring, but also on how much they weigh. Once you are off the plane and at your accommodation, if you have brought more luggage than you can carry yourself you will have to consider porter and bellhop costs. Just do yourself a favor and only bring items you can see yourself using and wearing multiple times.Mistake #2: Not knowing the exchange rate

If you’re looking to save money, it’s a good idea to do a little research and figure out what destinations will give you the most mileage for your dollar. For example, many regions in Canada, Australia, and Western Europe have strong currencies, meaning you may end up losing money in the exchange. However, if you plan a trip to, say, Hanoi, Vietnam, or Prague in the Czech Republic, you can end up saving a lot of cash.

When traveling, you should also pay attention to what currency exchange offices offer the best rates. For instance, airport currency exchanges are usually not the best places to change your money.

Mistake #3: Forgetting to check the weather of your destination

Last June I went to Paris, France, traveling under the assumption that France is always hot (on television the French always seem to be sipping wine in sunny vineyards and relaxing in little clothing in quaint little cafes). If I had checked the weather beforehand, I would have known that shorts and sleeveless shirts were not practical for when I was going, and I wouldn’t have had to buy new clothing, a jacket, and an umbrella that I ended up leaving behind anyway.

The moral of the story? Check the weather of your destination before you leave so you can pack appropriately and save yourself from having to buy a whole new wardrobe.

Mistake #4: Not knowing international phone rates

If you really don’t need your phone, leave it home, as you can save a lot of added costs. There are many other ways to stay in touch with people at home, such as e-mail or web chat (find areas with free Wi-Fi or see if your hotel provides it). If you must have your phone, invest in an international calling plan. While every phone company offers a different plan, I have always found that services such as Skype and PennyTalk offer the best deals. Another low-cost option is to purchase a local SIM card in the country you are visiting.

Mistake #5: Traveling like everyone else

Not only is traveling during high-peak season more crowded and chaotic, it’s more expensive. If there’s an activity you love, try an off-the-beaten path destination to do it instead of following the crowd. Instead of going away in the summer, find a destination that offers your ideal weather in the spring. This can not only save you money, but can also introduce you to new, unexplored destinations.

Mistake #6: Not knowing the tipping etiquette

Tipping etiquette differs from country to country, so don’t just assume that just because in your home town you leave 20% gratuity when going out to eat you must do that everywhere. For example, an article on MSNBC.com says that tipping in Fiji is discouraged, while a server in Mexico will expect a 10%-15% tip. Know the customs before you go to avoid throwing away money unnecessarily.

Mistake #7: Not purchasing travel insurance

While travel insurance isn’t free, it can also end up saving you a ton of money if an emergency does occur. Hospital bills, cancelled flights, and natural disasters aren’t cheap and you can get very affordable travel insurance plans at Access America and World Nomads. Also, if you have health insurance or a travel credit card at home, call their customer service numbers to ask what you are already covered for abroad.

Mistake #8: Not knowing your transportation options

While taxis may be the most convenient way to get around a place, they are often the most expensive. Using public transportation options such as trains, buses, tro-tros, tuk tuks, and metros can save travelers literally hundreds of dollars. If you are unsure of how to get to a place ask your accommodation to help you plan the cheapest route. Also, before even stepping on the plane to go abroad, contact your hotel and ask them what the most cost-efficient method to reach the hotel from the airport is, what stop to get off at, and specific walking directions.

Mistake #9: Not taking advantage of frequent flier programs

If you travel regularly, it pays to either signup for a frequent flier program or apply for a credit card that will give you miles. Having loyalty to specific airlines may be difficult for some people to commit to, however, it can lead to free flights and discounted travel.

Mistake #10: Always being a tourist

This is an easy mistake to make, as when people are in a place for the first time they usually end up being drawn to all the flashy signs and salespeople offering experiences at must-see attractions. While you should see the big sights, there are often free museums, open air entertainment, and complimentary attractions in every place you visit. This goes for restaurants, too. While the big, sparkling venue with the extensive (and pricey!) menu in English may look good, wouldn’t it be nice to have an authentic (and budget-friendly) dining experience at a smaller, local eatery? Street-food is also a money-saving option, as well as grocery stores (bonus if you’re accommodation has a kitchen or serves free breakfast). Also, ask your hotel when museums, restaurants, and attractions offer discounts and promotions, such as free entry on Monday nights at an art gallery or complimentary tapas at a Spanish restaurant with a drink purchase.

Cockpit Chronicles: One long date with Hurricane Irene

by Kent Wien on

Plunk, plunk, plunk, went the water as it dripped from the ceiling into a trash can behind me.

“I’d just as soon call it quits here and go to a hotel.” the captain said, looking at the latest weather report for Santo Domingo and the radar picture of hurricane Irene which was just northwest of our destination. All of Puerto Rico, where we were contemplating our decision, had just been through the hurricane and much of the island was without power. In our 200 square foot operations room at the San Juan airport, water was leaking all around the room.

Plunk, plunk, plunk.

We had just flown down from New York heading to Santo Domingo (SDQ) on what was supposed to be a turn-a one day trip, just down and back-but prior to beginning the approach, we were sent a message from our dispatch telling us to divert to San Juan.

Another flight just six minutes ahead of us had just touched down after breaking out of the clouds shortly before the minimum height required to see the runway. They said it was just heavy rain on the approach.

There were four surprised pilots in our cockpit at that moment; the captain and myself, along with the relief co-pilot and a check airman who was giving a line check to the captain. All of us were in agreement that we needed to go to San Juan. Dispatch could have had information that we just weren’t privy to at the moment. The same policy applies (at our company) if any pilot had said ‘go-around’ during the approach, the flying-pilot is required to climb away from the ground and ask questions later. In this case, dispatch is very much part of our team. In this case, we didn’t have time to discuss the particulars with our dispatcher. We had to trust that they had information about the airport, terminal, gate, runway, or some other operational need to get us back to San Juan.

After working our way around the tail end of the hurricane, we were now faced with turning back and flying through the same turbulent weather on our way to San Juan. Fortunately fuel wasn’t a concern, since we had more than four hours available for our 45-minute flight to our alternate airport.

The climb out was just as bumpy as the arrival. Most of the time we were in the clear, but the chop would still be an issue for our passengers, who were probably nervous after we discontinued the approach into Santo Domingo.Approaching San Juan, we were faced with two runways, one of which had ILS approach that was inoperative, and the other had no runway lights. Fortunately it was daylight, but seeing that runway in the heavy rain could be a challenge.

As we intercepted the glide slope at 2,500 feet, which is done by joining a radio beam that goes from the runway threshold out along the centerline at a three degree angle for more than 10 miles, the airplane began to descend on the autopilot. The glideslope then seemed to bump up, causing the airplane to climb when it was supposed to be descending. After it settled down, we were now high, and we weren’t likely going to be able to ‘capture’ the glideslope in a way that would be stable.

As I’ve detailed in a previous Cockpit Chronicles, an approach that is no longer stable must be discontinued. We have a ‘no-fault’ go-around policy at the airline which is designed to remove any chance a pilot would want to continue an approach that doesn’t look right. The captain made the right choice and elected to intercept it again after going around.

“Go-around, leave the flaps at 5, positive rate, gear up.” The captain called out while flying the go-around manually.

“Tower, one-five three-eight is going around,” I told the tower as we climbed through 2,500 feet.

A go-around is a busy moment. And just as you’re going through the litany of calls and performing the actions required, ATC becomes interested in just why you’re going around.

“Roger fifteen thirty-eight, can you turn left to 360 degrees?” they ask, assuming we’re going around because of the weather.

The heading looked fine to me, and I glanced at the captain who was flying. “Sure.” He said busily performing the missed approach.

By this point, the 226 passengers on board were justifiably nervous. But neither go-around was caused by the weather conditions immediately in front of us, and at this point, we were too busy to give them an update or explanation for our second go-around of the flight.

Coming back for the second time, the captain elected to hand-fly the airplane in case another ‘bump’ of the glideslope occurred. With 100 feet to go before arriving at our decision altitude, the runway came into view. The relief pilot didn’t wait for the captain to call for the windshield wipers and reached up between us to turn them on. With all the fuel on board, we were heavy, and since the runway was likely covered in water, it was important to touch down early and stop quickly. The captain did just that, and as we turned around at the end of the runway to back-taxi to the exit taxiway, I felt spent.

On Cockpit Chronicles, I probably incorrectly give the impression that every flight is easy and routine. That’s the case far more often than not, but there are days where you earn every penny. Before we left on this trip, the captain had been talking about retiring as early as next week, and I have to think this flight made the decision easier.

Plunk, plunk, plunk.

“Captain, do you have an estimate on when you can go? I need to tell the passengers something,” the gate agent said while standing in the doorway of the office.

“Let me talk it over with these guys and I’ll let you know,” said the captain while motioning to his two first officers.

The agent closed the door and went back to the gate.


Our view of Hurricane Irene as it left the Dominican Republic

We talked about the weather in Santo Domingo and what the radar was depicting. SDQ was reporting good ceilings and visibility. The hurricane was a few hundred miles west of the airport, but we’d likely have a similar bumpy ride back. The radar depiction (shown above) looked far uglier than what was outside.

We talked to dispatch over the phone and they said planes were getting in to SDQ. Staying in San Juan would have been difficult anyway as there were likely no hotels available anyway, and the agent told us the power was out in much of the city.

“I’m good to go,” I said, while the relief pilot agreed enthusiastically.

“Ok, I’ll pull up the paperwork,” the captain replied.

Two passengers elected to stay in San Juan probably because of the long and eventful flight getting here and the ominous lightning off in the distance, and I can’t blame them if they were scared. But this was going to be an exceedingly safe flight as far as I was concerned.

The rest of the passengers were boarded again and we pushed back two and a half hours after we arrived. It was my turn to fly and while there were clouds along the route of flight, the ride wasn’t too bumpy. I was relieved to see the lights from the Santo Domingo airport nearly ten miles out.

The outbound passengers were glad to see us, and seemingly happy to get off the island after experiencing the effects of hurricane Irene. Little did they know the same hurricane would be arriving in New York just four days later.

Three pilots are on all flights that are scheduled to exceed 8 hours, and while ours was originally supposed to go over by just five minutes, I was glad to have the relief pilot on board after clocking in a challenging ten hours. The three of us all slept during our breaks in the back (the check airman, deciding that the captain had passed his check ride, elected to go back to New York on a direct flight from San Juan.)

While on my fifty-five minute break, I slipped into a deep dream-something that rarely happens during my crew rest period. But this time I dreamt about an oversized female dispatcher staring at a computer screen while picking up a phone.

And I think her name was Irene.

A postscript:

Unfortunately this isn’t my last rendezvous with hurricane Irene. I was scheduled to fly to Rome Saturday night but that trip from JFK has obviously been cancelled. So now I get to have a closer look at the hurricane, this time while on the ground in New York.

Cockpit Chronicles takes you along on some of Kent’s trips as an international co-pilot on the Boeing 757 and 767 based in New York. Have any questions for Kent? Check out the Cockpit Chronicles Facebook page or follow Kent on Twitter @veryjr.

Photo of the day: Roll cloud over Wisconsin

by Elizabeth Seward on

Tornadoes are everywhere this season, but where there are tornadoes, there are sometimes roll clouds. This shot was taken by me while I rode in the passenger seat through a wicked storm in Western Wisconsin last sumer. As my fiance and I drove closer to the rotating cloud, a sight we’d never before seen, we were a little intimidated. The radio was relaying to us tornado warnings and despite the presence of this ominous cloud, everything seemed eerily calm. As soon as we passed under the roll cloud, however, we were slammed with a torrential downpour of rain and hail. The storm darkened our field of vision tremendously. We found out later that day that this particular storm system had also spawned 3 separate tornadoes–fortunately, we didn’t see any of them.

A roll cloud is a type of Arcus Cloud. Roll clouds are low and tube-shaped and, generally speaking, pretty rare.

The weather delay blues

by Kraig Becker on

Ahh… travel. It can be such a magnificent, wonderful thing. Exploring other cultures, visiting beautiful destinations, and sampling local cuisines are all magically sublime experiences. But when things don’t quite go as planned, it can be an extremely frustrating affair. One that makes us wonder why we ever left home in the first place.

I received a sobering reminder of this little fact just this past week while preparing to head out of the country on yet another travel adventure. My destination was suppose to be San Pedro de Atacama, a quaint little village located in a mountainous desert region of northern Chile. Little did I know however, that I would spend all day in airports and on airplanes, just to eventually arrive back where I began the day. What could possibly have kept me from reaching my destination you ask? Why the very lovely Mother Nature of course!

My travel day began innocuously enough. I boarded a plane bound for Dallas, Texas from my hometown of Austin. The weather was a bit overcast, but didn’t appear particularly threatening. After all, Austin is in the middle of a bad drought, and we haven’t had any significant rainfall in weeks. That pattern held up, and soon I was on a short, 35-minute flight to the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The flight is so short in fact, that the airline doesn’t even bother to roll out the drink cart.

After arriving safely at DFW, I quickly scanned the departures board and found the gate for my flight to Miami, where I would eventually catch an over-nighter to Santiago. With two hours to spare, I casually strolled over to the gate, grabbing some lunch en route, and settled in to get some work done while I waited the start of the next leg of my journey. Those couple of hours passed rather quickly, and before I knew it, I was walking down the jetway to board the plane. It was only then that the forces of nature began to conspire against me, plotting to send me spiraling down into a ring of Hell that even Dante hadn’t imagined.

As I approached the entrance to the plane, I could hear the sounds of the wind howling on the other side of the thin walls of the jetway. Worse yet, it was gusting to such a degree that the entire structure was swaying back in fourth, causing some of the passengers to scramble for a handhold. Outside, the clouds had turned an ominous shade of black, and by the time I reached my seat at the rear of the plane, the rain was falling in sheets and lighting crackled across the sky in intricate spiderweb patterns.

It soon became abundantly clear that we weren’t going anywhere for awhile, but knowing that I had a three-hour window to catch my international flight in Miami, I didn’t panic in the least. Instead, I nestled into my seat, pulled out my laptop, and tried to take advantage of the time to be a bit productive. Two hours later, I was still being productive and we still hadn’t gone anywhere.

It was about this time that frustration began to set in. Circumstances beyond my control were keeping me grounded in Dallas, and that window for catching my next flight was rapidly closing. I kept telling myself that if we got in the air soon, perhaps we could make up some time, and I could still catch that flight. I knew that if I didn’t make it, it meant spending the night, not to mention the entire next day, in Miami, just to catch another over night flight to Chile. Considering my time in South America wasn’t going to be that long to begin with, that didn’t sound like a very appealing proposition.

Another hour passed and we continued to sit on the ground. All hopes of reaching Miami in time were dashed, and my frustration had turned into a feeling of helplessness. I had just spent the last three hours on a very warm, very crowded, plane that hadn’t moved an inch. On top of that, a foul odor had begun to waft its way out of the bathroom, which was located just two rows of seats behind me. It was as if the stench had somehow become sentient, and decided to come out to join the rest of us. Fortunately, the flight attendants had passed out water and granola bars in a vane attempt to make everything better. It didn’t really help the situation much however.

It was about this time that they decided to open the door to the plane and allow us to stretch our legs if we were so inclined. I took the opportunity to stroll out to the concourse and make a few phone calls, one of which was to my contact handling the trip to Chile. After a brief conversation about the situation, we agreed to call off the trip and reschedule it for another time. This decision immediately brought my level of frustration down. I would no longer have to deal with a stay in Miami, and it meant that I could go home to my own bed, provided the airline was feeling cooperative. A wonderful sense of relief and calm came over me. The feeling wouldn’t last.

As I got in line to talk to the gate agent about my options, I took the opportunity to glance around the airport. With the weather still preventing flights in or out, the place was jam packed with people, all sharing the same emotions that I was. We all simply wanted to get to our destinations, and we wanted to know that somehow everything was going to be all right. By now 6 PM, and flights weren’t really moving all that much, but the skies had cleared, the rain had moved off, and there was a faint glimmer of hope in the air.

As I stood in line waiting, and waiting, and then waiting some more, I kept my fingers crossed that I could get a flight back to Austin that night. If not, I told myself, I could always rent a car and drive home. After all, it’s only about a three hour drive, and it was still relatively early in the evening. Later, as the night dragged on, I would come to wish that I had rented a car, as it would have meant that I would have gotten home at a much earlier hour.

The line moved incredibly slow. For some reason, there was only one person at the counter trying to help a very long line of customers. Other employees came and went on a regular basis, occasionally stopping long enough to hop on a second computer terminal, punch away at the keyboard for awhile, mutter a few things under their breath, and then slink off into the sea of humanity that surrounded us, never to be seen again. It was disheartening to stand there with the line not moving, sometimes for as much as 15 to 20 minutes, while the lone gate agent assisted a single person.

Now, I don’t want to say specifically which airline it was that I was dealing with, suffice as to say that it is an American airline, if you get my not so subtle drift. Obviously, not being the CEO of a major airlines, I don’t want to tell them how to run their business, but it seems that a little customer service would have gone a long way that day. For instance, breaking out the food and drink cart after the first, or even the second hour, stuck on the tarmac would have been good. Perhaps having a few more qualified staff to help work though the long lines would have been a wise choice as well.

Eventually I did reach the counter, and the woman at the terminal was very nice and helpful. Without much of an effort at all, she was able to rebook me on a flight back to Austin, and after just a few minutes, and several thousand clicks of her keyboard, she printed me a boarding pass for an 8:15 flight that had already been delayed until 9:00 PM. I thanked her profusely and happy to be heading home, I went off in search of my gate, which was listed as B24 on the video monitors. Just a half-dozen gates away from where I currently stood. After gathering up a drink and some snacks, I was soon settled in once again, and busily typing away on my computer.

After about another 45 minutes or so, I thought it might be a good idea to check the departures board once again just to make sure I was still at the right gate. After all, the airport was a mess, and gate changes are not uncommon in these situations. Gathering my things I wandered over to a nearby monitor and found that my plane had been moved to Gate C10, which wasn’t just a short distance away at all, but actually in an entirely different terminal. It was 8 PM however and I still had plenty of time. With that in mind, I didn’t panic, I simply set off to find the tram that would carry me to the C concourse, where I could resume waiting for a lift home.

Ten minutes later I was exiting the train and wandering down a flight of steps in the new terminal, when I happened to glance at yet another monitor listing the gates of departure. I had just stepped off the escalator, and my eyes locked on the listing for my flight to Austin. The gate read D21. Yep, in the time it had taken me to ride the train over to Terminal C, they had moved my jet to another gate once again, and it was in yet another building.

Promptly turning around, I marched right back up the stairs, waited for the next tram, and zipped on over to Terminal D. At this point, I was really getting the tour of DFW, and wondered if perhaps I would be visiting yet another terminal before the night was through. After all, there were still two other buildings I hadn’t been to yet.

As I exited the train once again, and wandered down the stairs toward Gate D21, I heard a voice come over the loud speaker, and I swear on my life, it was announcing yet another gate change for my flight. This time it was only moved a few spots down however, finally settling in at Gate D29. With a heavy sigh, I wandered over to this final spot, only to see that the flight time had been adjusted from 9:00 PM to 9:35. That seemed about par for the course for the day.

It was about 10:15 when we finally began boarding the plane. While we stood in line some of the passengers began to share war stories about how bad their day was. The conversations went back and fourth in an odd game of one-upmanship, with each tale of woe sounding worse than the last. I shut a lot of them up by simply saying “I’m suppose to be on a flight to South America right now.”

Eventually we all shuffled onto the plane and found our seats, settling in once again. There were murmurs of appreciation for what should be a short flight back to Austin, but some of us held our breath and took a wait-and-see attitude. That same feeling began to pervade over the others as we once again sat at the gate waiting to get underway. Hours had passed, yet here we were, back on another plane, and still not going anywhere.

Eventually we did push back however, and the engines revved up as we taxied over to take our place in line. There was a steady stream of planes on their way out by now, and you could see the red taillights disappearing in all directions. The night sky was clear and stars had popped out over head, and it felt like perhaps, at long last, I was going to get to go somewhere, even if it was just back to where I had started the day.

But then a funny thing happened. The engines idled down and we continued to sit. Why weren’t we taking off? What ill wind had blown in at this late hour to snuff out my flame of hope? After a few more minutes passed, the captain came on the speaker and presented us with yet more wonderful news. A line of thunderstorms had developed between Dallas and Austin, and they had decided that we would need to fly around those storms if we hoped to safely reach our final destination. Unfortunately however, they hadn’t planned for this contingency, so the plane didn’t have enough fuel in its tanks to cover the extra distance. Groans of despair rose up from the cabin as we turned around to return to the gate to take on more fuel. I wondered if I should be thankful that the airline was aware enough to know that we needed more gas for this extended flight, or worried that they hadn’t left much room for error in the first place.

Back at the gate, the pilot stepped off the plane to fill out some paperwork and get the details on the new flight path. Meanwhile, the ground crew went to work adding more fuel to the jet, while we continued to wait. It was now after 11 PM, and I had sat on planes that didn’t go anywhere for over five hours that day. I love to travel, but at that point I wasn’t sure I’d ever want to see the inside of a plane again.

Eventually, we did get gassed up, and the pilot returned to the cockpit, where he informed us that we were now, at long last, ready to get underway. But this American airline had yet one more cruel joke to play on the passengers. After filling the tank with fuel, it seemed that all of the ground crew scurried off to attend to other duties, and there was no one around to push us back from the gate. We sat waiting for another twenty minutes, before someone returned to finally get us underway. It was 11:45 PM by the time we took flight, 12 hours after I first boarded the plane in Austin. During that time, I had managed to travel roughly 200 miles, and was now on my way back home. Thoughts of fun and adventure in the Atacama Desert of Chile were the furthest thing from my mind. By that time, I was simply ready for my own bed.

The flight back to Austin was, fortunately, uneventful. It was, however, longer than normal thanks to those untimely storms hanging over central Texas. Eventually we did reach our destination though, and at about 1 AM, I was in my car and ready for the 40 minute drive home from the airport. As I drove, I reflected on what had become a very long day, and for all the wrong reason. I was suppose to be on a flight to South America, but instead i was on my way home. It had turned out to be one of the most frustrating days of travel I had ever had to endure, and a sobering reminder of how helpless you can feel when things are completely out of your control.

Any frequent traveler can probably sympathize with this tale to some degree. We’ve all been stranded somewhere due to mechanical issues or bad weather, and it never gets any less frustrating. But these challenging days of travel are far outweighed by the ones that go just right, delivering us the experiences that we love so much. While the weather delays can be tough to endure, they are soon a distant memory when you’ve arrived at your destination, and you’re reminded of all the things that make travel worthwhile. It isn’t always easy to see that when an untimely thunderstorm leaves you stranded in an airport somewhere, but those moments are fleeting, while the joy of a fantastic trip will last a lifetime.


[Photo credits: Postdif, Bidgee and Fir0002 via WikiMedia]