International Air Travel

I had two thoughts when writing this;

1. Somehow you get used to it.

2. You always hate it

In the next four weeks I will make a 'premier' status on an airline I rarely fly on (American). South America is not my thing really, but that's where I'm going (back and forth). Asia was always my travel routes, and I thought I was done with all that.

So, tomorrow I go to Peru (again). Not my most favorite of places. The flights are weird. Going there is one thing, but coming home, the flights stink...unless you switch airlines and go through Panama City.

Going to Peru I will be going through Miami, and on the way home, Dallas. It's weird flying north and south like this; I'm so used to flying east and west. Most (all) of the equipment holds overnight in Lima, so inbound flights arrive at midnight, and return flights leave after midnight (i.e. redeye) We arrive back in the USA in the morning...somewhere (Houston, Dallas, Miami, Newark). ...and then make our way home.

I've traveled so many million miles, anymore it's just a joke to me. I worry about nothing anymore, I only get spooked by CAT in the middle of the night when I'm asleep. I'm so tired...I see all these wide eyed travelers, so excited to get to their destinations, and sometimes it's hard to not be enthusiastic for them, but after so much time in the "bucket"....it's just another "ride".

Just another long "ride"

I hope some understand.

It's funny the emails we send to each other (my colleagues).

You never know what to expect, or where you're going...or how to get there once you get on the ground.

The emails are just kind of jokes, like "See you on Wednesday" (when you need to be there on Monday morning at 8am)...and you have to fly all weekend to get there.

And how many times have we slept in some hotel lobby when we showed up after midnight, and they didn't have a room ready. (Like always, it seems).

And then there's the puddle jumpers, to that remote place where you "just had to be"....and there's only a vending machine with some crappy old candy....and home is 15,000 miles away. And, somehow you're just happy the candy machine works. And, sometimes there's not even a hotel...and you get to sleep in an aircraft hangar when it's 90 degrees at midnight, and you're just happy for that!

And then there's the lovely MAC flights. Man, "first class" on those flights are the BEST!!! Better hope you brought some fresh ear-plugs!!

ETA - I'd rather sleep under an APC or tank, just strap off to the tracks and lay on the floor! (over being buckled into the wall).

I used to travel a lot.

I'd forget what city I was in; I'd go to the wrong hotel; I'd walk to the wrong car rental desk, etc. It all becomes a blur after a while.

I don't miss it at all.

a reply to: TheTruthRocks

Stay home!

Being a "road warrior" is not a good thing. Many dream of doing it, but I can't imagine why.

Enjoy every minute at home.

When some S# goes haywire somewhere on planet Earth, be glad they don't call you. Hug your wife and your children, or you dog.

Know there is satisfaction in being "that guy" they call, but after a while it gets really, really, old!!

Know, the time zones on Earth are all over the place. 3pm to someone in crisis is easily 1am for me. Always a bag packed, never knowing how long. I'm old now. Too old. But when you're a "global" ERT member, you just go, as hard as it is.

I think I'll be leaving my line of work soon, for something more sedate. I've thrived on danger for so long I've become numb to it now. Even scares my wife now days....and I guess me too, a little bit, in retrospect.

But I'll go this time...just because...it's who I am.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

You should travel by wormhole. Its much faster. Worm lag sucks but you will adjust.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Sounds dangerous and exhausting.

You have such a full life at home that your profession sounds sedate in comparison.

Take care out there and make it home safe and sound to your lovely wife.

I feel you pain. I used to travel a lot in the air force. Oncd did sn 18 hour stint to Saudi Arabia on a c141....on jump seats. Which are basicslly fold out lawn chairs. Then a 23 hour hop to Sydney. Nowadays....i just enjoy terra firma as much as poss.

a reply to: lakenheath24

"Once did an 18 hour stint to Saudi Arabia on a c141."

Were you supporting the ELF-1 Program? If so, we probably crossed paths several times.

a reply to: TheTruthRocks

Ya know...i actually forget. I was with Moody and F16's in 92. I remember we got our butts chewed cuz our patch was a running knight that showed the bottom of his foot. Lol....who knew.

a reply to: TheTruthRocks

Ya know...i actually forget. I was with Moody and F16's in 92. I remember we got our butts chewed cuz our patch was a running knight that showed the bottom of his foot. Lol....who knew.

I know you have posted recently about the struggles to get water to your herd of cattle. Do you have somebody you trust to deal with that when you leave?

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

13 hours on a plane, ANYWHERE, is hell.. economy at least. Never again.

I will never do it again. I don't care who or what is on the other side, I just will not. You're trapped in a missile and every move is scrutinised. You only get 2 glasses of wine. And the food is rubbish, and you have to use a toilet invented to stand up in.

Never again.. Sleep? Ha. HA ha. nope. just watch the Revenant twice, play Plants Vs Zombies, and all on a 7 inch tablet glued into the twats seat before you, as he pushed it back and back and back crushing your knees. As the Jewish guy in the other aisle wraps straps around himself and does so weird slow macarena which you've never seen before and start to think negative scenarios. And you have to PAY for your own internet service... it's a god damned HELL I tell you. 13 friggen hours. To land in hell itself after. FU LAX.

Never again.

What mess are you helping to clean up?

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Make sure you get the WiFi package. My Aunt and Uncle do a lot of trips to Peru. My Aunt is an Biologist and Applied Scientist, my uncle is was career navy (grunt, pilot then submarines) also an applied scientist with specifics to Sonography.... he studies pink river dolphins.

They take the boat from Peru right into the Amazon Rain forest. Someone above me here mentioned

What are you going to clean up?

Dave and Dot( uncle and aunt ) have been dispatched to clean environmental disasters before.


Wouldn't surprise me one bit that you and my relatives crossed paths at some point.

a reply to: Justso

Many moons ago, when I first started out, I began this line of work because I felt like every life needed a story to tell in order to be meaningful.

Now, I realize in retrospect, there's not really anyone to tell that story to, nobody wants to hear it. I think people would just say "yeah, yeah...whatever".

I mean, I've enjoyed what I do, all the experiences. Seems I always looked for the hardest thing I could imagine, and that's what I would focus on. I can't explain it really. Almost as if I'm some kind of glutton for punishment. But this latest deal is the worst, almost unimaginably impossible effort ever...and it's not enjoyable at all. Somehow I thought, at some point, you got to 'graduate' from stupid, but there's far more stupid in the World than I ever thought possible.

A few more years, and I'll hang up my carry-on bag (about the 5th one now) and call it good. I only hope it wasn't all for naught, and I wind up like a present day Roy Batty citing my own version of the famous 'Tears in the Rain' sollioquy...

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments...will be lost in time, ...like tears in rain. ...Time to die.
- Blade Runner

a reply to: KansasGirl

A Perimeter Intrusion Detection system (i.e. radar, IR, distributed acoustic sensing using fiber optics, etc.)

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
In the next four weeks I will make a 'premier' status on an airline...

The only thing that keeps me flying is my status, the perks are too good to give up.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I know you recently have been spending up doing your kitchen etc, but you have your livestock - isn't it about time you took it easy. You sound like you need a change.

You should have a retirement objective and start enjoying life again.

Make the right choice. You're wife will probably say "about time"

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Oh, I just meant "that" airline (American in this case). Usually I fly United where I'm a 1k, and have been since about '97, but UA is becoming a PITA and the routes I'm flying these days (South America) UA's schedules don't work for me.

I knew a guy with our company who had so many miles on Delta they'd bring him a pizza at the gate after every flight (he loved pizza). Not kidding either. The guy was kind of a legend at Delta, and it was a tradition with him & Delta. I think he pretty much lived on the airplane. They didn't even have a rating for that many miles. I guess he was a "Pizza Premier Platinum" member. I don't know for certain, but there was a story which said he flew every single day. Nice enough guy, but a little bit odd too.

They can keep the pizza.

ETA - From the sounds of it, you fly more than I do. You're probably Global Services rated. How's that Mercedes ride for the connections?

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments...will be lost in time, ...like tears in rain. ...Time to die. 
- Blade Runner 

Love reading your post, always have and stated it before.

WHO ARE YOU???
Orion is in pieces now.. there is a chip of metal somewhere in this house..