rigorousintuition.ca

I've just returned from an overseas trip and it has left me exhausted. The destination itself was the shits, but it was the airplanes and airports that REALLY got to me.

I'm not a patient woman, but I managed to keep my cool for the total of about 48 hours that I was either waiting for a flight or on one. That being said there were times when I wanted to burst into tears and cry like a little girl. And I only went to France. I can't imagine trying to get to Thailand or anywhere in East Asia.

Air travel has become so unpleasant that I truly wonder why anyone who does not have to fly actually subjects themselves to it. Nevermind the heinous airport security measures of the TSA... I wasn't subjected to those, although on the final leg of my return journey in the domestic Canada flights security line I was "randomly selected" for the full body scan. I was so tired that I didn't care. I opted out of the scary glass cage and they made a reluctant female officer pat me down. She was NOT happy, since I didn't beep, and I'd already gone through that very security booth a half hour earlier (I had gone back out because my flight was delayed and I wanted a smoke.) They were all quite amazed that 'she didn't choose the scanner'

I could list all the problems I personally dealt with but why bother? I'm sure you can guess. Missed conections, staff you can't communicate with, the security hokey-pokey, repeatedly showing your papers, endless line-ups, numb-asses, heat, terrible food, crying babies, last minute changes & delays, lack of smoking areas, heavy luggage, huge prices.. etc

It makes you feel less than human. It wasn't like this in the past, and I find it sad. The one thing I did notice though was how easy it is to bond with other travelers. the nicest people I met on this whole trip were passengers waiting for one flight or another.

/pointless post.

My wife had to fly to Ottawa a couple of weeks ago, and I was shocked she had to submit to a scanner for the return flight. She shrugged it off, until I asked her if she'd have trusted the security to administer her a dental x-ray.

Yeah - domestic hop, Ottawa-Toronto.

Pretty soon, all the Wendigos will be forced to ride the Greyhound.

ahh, she was a lucky one, too, huh?
she chose the scanner? she should have made them stop what they were doing and give her the pat down. It seemed to titillate the male 'supervisor' (I guess, since he gave the order, anyway).. but the female guard wasn't too happy, which made me feel at least a little bit powerful.

yeah, and shocking that it came at the very last leg - I'd been all over the place.. but Toronto-Kingston is where they chose to deem me a candidate.

Via Rail really needs to capitalize on this. It's about time we had a high speed rail line in this monstrous country.