Cathy Classics by Cathy Guisewite for June 27, 2010

I’m vacationing only in places to which I can drive. Yea, car! All window seats! Full-sized cosmetics! Roomy suitcases! All the water and soft drinks I want, when I want them! No removing the shoes! No lines to get into the car! I leave when I want to! And about 100 more reasons!

Boy, that attitude will get you a vacation alone, Irving. And I think I heard the sarcasm from here when Cathy said “loved one”.

I just went overseas for a 2 week trip, and used FF miles for my ticket. It was a wonderful trip, so don’t get grumpy about a little inconvenience.

Lucky you! I have to travel for nearly 24 hours just to see my family. And only 3 hours is in a car, the rest is first a bus, then a train, then three airplanes. Don’t even get me started on the amount of effort required just to pack! It’s like organizing D-day. And this year (namely Wednesday) I get to do it with a toddler, an infant, a husband who has never been out of this province, and a cat… I think I’m going to need a very stiff drink and a handful of tranquilizers.

How much did those two dogs pay?

Becoming less and less enthusiastic about our flight to Denver in a month - hope this arc ends in time for me to recuperate! ;)

I havn’t flown since I was 14, 12 years ago. This kind of hassle is why I’m scared/unenthusiastic/worried/take as you will to do so now.

I wonder when the divorce will come up…

“A little inconvenience”! HA HA HA! While I wouldn’t recommend taking your frustrations out on your “loved one”, I can certainly relate to the sentiments here, as I bet a lot of men and women can. There are many people out there who are rather wealthy, and/or whose jobs involve a lot of free travel, with which they can actually get enough frequent flyer miles to take a personal trip somewhere. They might even be able to fly in a comfortable seat in business/first class, with lots of included perks. Good for you! Most of the rest of us have to kill ourselves on the web trying to find a fare on the right airline at the right time for a price we can almost afford (not really), and the listed price usually does NOT include fees for baggage, any meals, and, as someone who is 6’3” and has back/ knee problems, the extras I can pay to get a seat that won’t cripple me (or at least keep me uncomfortably awake for a 12 -18 hour flight), assuming there are any left, since the airlines are cancelling flights left and right, squeezing as many of us as they can into the few that are left, cutting free perks left and right while raising prices, and even for people like me who want to travel regularly, and can afford it, we rarely can accumulate enough FF miles to do anything at all…I’m really glad that you happened to have a pleasant and free flight, but please realize that for many of us, flying anywhere (especially overseas) has become an absolute hell.

Flying sucks!! I too am going by car. We tried trains and that was a disaster in “first class” – so if it’s too far to drive we just aren’t going to do it.

And you’re right bubba – the luggage arrives, you get to wear all your clothes, nobody nukes you either getting on the plane or once you’re on it, and you don’t have to pay to pee and do it at the right time. And sometimes, it takes less time to get there.

I have ever flied for my own money. If I must sit two hours in airport and ten hours in an uncomfortable metal box, I expect to BE PAID for that! Luckily, my family lives within driving/ferrying distance.

I like trains, though. I come to work always by train, saves so much time, money and nerves compared to sitting in a car (another small metal box) during rush hours.

Wow, mark walton, sorry it’s so bad for you, but really I pay my dues. We travel overseas a lot (my 7 year old is on her second passport) with children and we frequently pay full price. I am a 6 foot tall woman with a chronic, degenerative disease and most of my height is in my legs, so I also know the pain of sleepless and very uncomfortable overnight flights. (Plus, most of them involve giving up as much of my seat as I can to one of my children). Also, try changing a diaper or helping a 3 year old in one of those little bathrooms. Oh and I love getting to the airport at least 2 hours early and getting through security with children. I was searched twice on my last trip. I especially feel for ejcapulet because I believe she’s coming from China and that flight is loong. (Good luck with your trip! Take a carry on filled with “new” toys for the kids) But having said all of that, I still strongly believe that expanding my horizons and experiencing the world is worth the hours (or days) of hassle. If you don’t think so, then there is plenty to see in this continent. Happy and safe travelling wherever you choose to go!