Home
ShowsBefore You GoBulletin BoardContactAboutSearch
Show and Features |
Culture Watch | Question of the Week | Letters of the Week |
Traveler's Aid | Library | Host's View
 

 

Effortless Travel? It Can Happen to YOU!

Dear Rudy,

It seems like every travel publication asks readers for their worst travel experience. It's gotten to the point where you expect bad things to happen because you've read so many travel horror stories. I wonder if this might discourage novice travelers. To counteract all these negative nabobs, here's the best travel experience my husband and I have ever had *

About two years ago we spent a month in Tuscany. We arrived in Milan just before the opening of the new Malpense (bad thoughts?) Airport. During the month we were there, the newspapers were full of stories about all the problems at the airport, so it's not surprising that we were a little apprehensive about flying out of Malpense for the trip home.

When we arrived at the gate for our return flight, we were informed that our plane would be leaving 15 minutes early and that our business class tickets had been upgraded to first class. As we boarded the plane, I mused about the early departure. The passenger behind us explained the reason for it: All ground services at the airport were going on strike in 15 minutes and no planes would be able to leave.

We left just before the airport shut down. We settled into the heavenly luxury of first class and actually slept until we got to Chicago. There we transferred to our Los Angeles flight, where, to our astonishment, we had again been bumped up to first. We slept some more! When we arrived, refreshed and cheery, we went to the baggage claim area. Our luggage was the first off. We walked out to the curb to request a shuttle, and as luck should have it, there was one waiting at the curb. The driver dropped us off first, of course, and nobody had burglarized our house while we were gone.

Now, can anybody match that for the ultimate effortless travel experience?

Mimi

 

 

{ This Week's Index | Next Letter }

{ Main Letters Page }

American Public Media
American Public Media Home | Search | How to Listen
©2004 American Public Media |
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy