Things I learned today....

• Anyone who said "It's about the journey, not the destination," never took commercial airlines to get to that destination. Ditto with the US "rail system" a/k/a Amtrak.
• From the Pacific NW, it takes a long time to fly anywhere interesting. Sure, we've got gorgeous scenery, ocean, mountains, and all things outdoors. However, if you just want to go someplace that actually looks different than it does around here, then you need to go a long way by plane or train.
• Very very very few flights across the USA are done in anything larger than a 757. Most are done in the "ultra-efficient" 737-700,-800, or -900. What does this mean? While new planes are nice, they are more and more adept at shoehorning more and more people in each plane as the airframe evolves. Accordingly, you get less space and are much less likely to get seated next to someone hot as you are the traveling salesman who's eaten once too many times at Applebee's or Garlic Jim's. Of course, if you're traveling with someone, then the chances of getting someone hot next to you go up. If you're traveling with child(ren), then substitute "cute" for "hot", since referring to your kid as "hot" probably doesn't go over well with strangers.

Why do I mention all of this nonsense?

I will be going to Houston, Boston, and then Tel Aviv all in the next 3 or so months. While the Tel Aviv trip will most likely have a 777 for the international portion, all the domestic flights will be on single-aisle jets for 4-6 hours at a shot. Ugh. The headphones can only cancel out so much noise from the person next to me who seems to have some sort of walrus-like breathing issue.

I like my personal space and prefer to share it only with those I invite into it. Airline travel basically invokes Imminent Domain and forces you into situations that normally would cause panic or at least erratic driving. Alas, though, this is the way of modern "convenience." Pack more in! More features, less space! Look at the Efficiency!

Ick.

I used to love flying, and part of me still does, although mostly the takeoff and landing routines. The strange contra-dance-like flight patterns at some of the airports can be fun, simply because of the things you see. Landings can be neat when the airport seems to come out of nowhere; landing at Oakland comes to mind where you come in over the Bay for a while then suddenly the runway pops up beneath the plane like someone pulling a pizza from the oven at a pizaa shop. That's pretty cool.

I've heard from my Dad and others that the landing pattern in Hong Kong is like that, only there are a lot more buildings involved. Same with Osaka, I think, if that's the one that's basically an airport that's 4-6 feet above sea-level on a man-made island.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Between the rally-driving that some of the approaches and takeoffs can be, well, there's about 4 hours of the flying equivalent of NASCAR. Yawn...left turn....yawn...slow right turn....yawn...meal service....yawn...whadda you mean $6 for this so-called sandwich?

Yeah, the sheen of flying's worn off. I don't even do it that much anymore. Guess I'm just on a trajectory to become a curmudgeon like Andy Rooney. Actually, there's no guessing.

I know it'll happen; I'm going to be a coot.