I is for I as in me. I may have begun to learn that I must curtail my traveling a bit at 82. Yesterday I endured an 11-hour day flying day with one nearly three-hour layover at O’Hare. The day included three gate changes, including a concourse change, at O’Hare, a $24 lunch of a large meatball with three strips of bread coated with melted cheese, 7000 steps at O’Hare alone, and a one-hour delay while already boarded for a tire change before taking off for my final destination. Happily, my rental car agent was pleasant, my hotel desk person not so much, but then my IHOP server very, very pleasant. After this travel day, the senior breakfast was a hit at 7pm and less than a third in cost of my O’Hare meatball. Today promises to be a smoother day!
Write Along with Me 
Oh my goodness…what a day! Sending hugs that today is smoother, for sure! 🥰
LikeLike
It was! After lots of sleep, I enjoyed being back in a city where I once lived. My conference starts tomorrow, and I’m happy I had this recoup day first.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Welcome back, safe and sound! We are enjoying your alphabetic challenge!
LikeLike
I hope my trip home this weekend is with less hassle!
LikeLike
Lois. Let’s see if this works—I am not fond of this WordPress application, have commented in the past and where did it go? No matter. (Ann in Chapel Hill, Marianna’s friend.)
I have opinions and feel passionate about lifestyles for the older adult. I have had a complete life affording me the opportunity to travel worldwide and to live in Okinawa and Morocco due to the Navy. I was young. I left nursing, re-trained in computer science and worked 20years retiring at age 59.
I last flew in Oct, 2021 at age 76 – a short hop from RDU to Newark. Never again, said I and admonish the old farts around me that flying is dangerous for my own laundry list of reasons. Still in the aftermath of COVID with tales of truth at airports of inadequate gate staff, short all personnel really. I was due home at 2245. What? no plane? What? no gate? What? change concourses x2 (you know how large Newark is…..) I got to my house at 0200. I have zero tolerance for fatigue, lack of sleep, rigors of movement when I am depleted….Never again. I have no stomach for feeling less than 100%.
I have friends who get sick, really sick whenever they fly….COVID, RSV, pneumonia etc. I will not sign up for that. Plus getting sick out of the US hits me with terror.
I leave you with this: have you been to New Zealand? Flew it alone, 36 hours at age 55. Highlight of my life. But, DONE. I know we all don’t have such planets in alignment.
Do be well and be careful out there. ________________________________
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ann,
Now it’s my turn to have my long response disappear! My phone went dead and that was it. But before I sleep I want to tell you I hear you and have zero tolerance for the exact same things you do! More later!
LikeLike
Ann, I had to get back to this to tell you that I also flew solo to NZ. Four years ago, age 78. Boarded Viking, made all our great stops, and enroute to Australia, both countries closed due to Covid. It took a day for our captain to get permission to dock anywhere. After three days of rocking and rolling on the tempestuous Tasman Sea, we disembarked at Melbourne and had to go directly to the airport. 30 hours later I arrived home to SD. It was an adventure! And a nightmare. I also decided no foreign travel by myself anymore! And after this past week in airports with my trip to MI, I am very happy to be home and to stay put awhile. Maybe a long while!
LikeLike
Thanks for prompting my memory because I recall Marianna telling me about some DownUnder trip of yours but tossed it off that you went to Antartica.
Three buddies in Jax, FL took a trip to see our friend Caroline, same person I did the NZ trip with, in March, 1999. C was working for 3 years in Melbourne for the National Bank. We covered ONLY the state of Victoria and put C’s company car on a huge cruise ship to go from Melbourne to Hobart, Tasmania—yes, across the most treacherous waters in the world, the Tasman Sea. The ship pitched all night, the reason that the 4 bunk beds had belly belts. We had taken Dramamine as soon as this yawling experience started, playing cards in the bar after dinner. I slept not one wink obsessed with how will I get back to home port? that I could not get back on that vessel. We covered all of Tasmania by car and trip back to Melbourne was over glassy smooth waters.
I took 3 trips to Europe after NZ: 2004 (retirement treat), 2011 (college besties) and 2013 (my immediate family), leaving off at age 68—done. I am thinking that where you live dictates flying; I consider long distance driving equally pesky; and, last time I did that in 2022, I ended up with A-Fib—another story.
Take it easy and be careful out there. Ann
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll try! Our stop at Hobart was also cancelled and once we got to Melbourne I could only pretend wave to a niece who had wine and chocolate waiting for my visit. She since is back to the US, but it would have been so good to see her at her temporary home. Lois
LikeLike
These are ALL keepers, Lois. I’m having trouble keeping up as I want to respond at length to each. I better get going because you are flinging these out so FAST.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Wendy. I’m trying to keep up too😂.
LikeLike