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Airline travel

Dear Rudy,

What if a genie appeared to settlers who were making their way across the country by wagon train. Their trip took months, they were often hungry and always tired, their lives were in danger, and they knew that when they reached their destination they would have to build their own house. They may have had to discard some of their most valuable possessions along the way. Talk about problems with luggage!!!

Anyway, this genie offered them an option: They could get jammed into a cigar-shaped tube that was crowded and with insufficient leg room. They would be fed a meal, but it wouldn't be terribly tasty. (They wouldn't have to bring their own pots, pans, sugar, and flour, however, and they wouldn't have to do their own cooking.) They would be escorted by professionals who were overworked and might not be able to promptly deliver another glass of wine. They could, however, have breakfast on one side of the continent and dinner on the other.

I complain (nearly) as much as the next person about airline travel. But after having driven cross-country last summer -- a trip which I LOVED -- I was reminded how very big our country is, and how easy and accessible travel is. Sometimes I am struck by how terribly spoiled we are, and how little we appreciate the ease with which we can visit any place in the world. When your callers endlessly complain, sometimes I just want to tell them to get a grip!

Love your show!

Marcee


 

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