I began writing this “blog” while on a “stay-cation” not that I can’t afford to go somewhere while getting “PTO” and it’s not as if I’ve been everywhere and done everything. I just didn’t feel like planning it: first one has to decide where one wishes to go and with whom. When I was married, traveling was relatively easy, my former partner in this thing called life traveled often for work, was a “frequent flyer” and had a travel agent that handled all arrangements. We’d simply decide where and when we wanted to travel, called the agent and Presto-change-o, we were on our way, usually flying first class via the “bump” that frequent flyers are allowed more often than you’d think. If you can afford to fly first class and don’t, you are not as bright as the average 2nd grader, if you fly frequently and don’t use the “dump” as often as possible, you downgrade to a 1st grader. Even if you can’t afford it and are not a frequent flyer possible up-grader but are offered the chance to upgrade for an additional charge, go for it, especially if it’s a long flight, you’ll thank me later.
First Class: The first advantage to flying first class is that you get to board the plane first. No waiting for your “section” to be called (no matter where my seat assignment is, I seem to always be the last “section” called, unless I’m in first class that is). Now you sit, not in a seat too small for the aforementioned 2nd grader, but in an easy chair, usually leather and if you are on a long flight on a big enough plane, you get a seat that reclines into a bed, foot rest and all !! If the large plane has an upper deck (which is usually “business class”, which means the seats are just as large but “pleather” instead of leather but why quibble) you can watch the movie on a large screen, as opposed to the back of the seat in front of you. (caution: there is one slight drawback from sitting on the upper deck, there is no way out, no emergency exit other than back down the spiral staircase that you came up on. In other words, if the plane goes down anywhere and you are not killed immediately, you ain’t getting out alive, period. For me this is sheer bliss, knowing that your chances of surviving a crash are literally zero, takes all the stress out of the flight. No chance for survival = no worries, at least for me) which brings us to…
Seconds after you’ve sunken into your leather-pleather recliner, your flight attendant (I say “your” because there are usually 2 or 3 attendants (depending on the size of first class) for first class and 2 or 3 for the rest of the plane…and rightly so) Anyway, your attendant immediately offers you a beverage..”coffee, tea, wine, champagne, cocktail”? If it’s in the early AM, I’ll start with a mimosa, past 10 AM and I go straight for a gin and tonic. (sadly, I haven’t found an airline that carries Southern Comfort) Once the “thirsty-firsties” have our alcoholic beverages in hand it’s safe to board the rest of the passengers. Next time…dining in first class.
Tofu Dogs for all !! 