Aging Adventurer

I used to write for an on-line site whose publisher considered this one of the most important factors when describing a site or activities. While this term usually applies to finance or economics I understood why travelers might consider it when making plans for their trip.

Do you go to a country that has political or medical issues? Do you fly on an airline that has had a crash or two? Do you worry about food and water safety? Do you take a cruise down a river in China? Do you look at weather reports and consider hurricane or monsoon seasons?

I ask these questions while thinking age and responsibilities play a correlative role…or maybe not…might just be me. I remember my parents deciding to fly on different airplanes years ago,  just in case (they had lots of kids at home). I am at a time in my life when my duties are more limited than ever before and it amazes me that I’ve become braver or more careless.  I tend to look at imaginary “odds” instead.

Sorry, no photos, a blogger’s no-no but hey, I’m no longer risk-averse!

This game I’m playing that involves flying as many miles as possible for the least amount of money, combined with trying to get to 5 new countries every year can get complicated. First of all, going to Europe in the summer is out of the question. Secondly, other trips usually are out of season as well. Thirdly, every time I talk with a fellow traveler I usually change my mind about a possible destination….because I can’t stand that they’ve been there and I have not!

Right now I’m looking at August and the choices are Addis Ababa, Dakar or Rio. The hands down winner when you look at miles and price is Ethiopia, the difficult part is that Delta, my usual airline, does not fly there so the trip would involve going to Nairobi and connecting with a low-cost carrier.

There are many plusses and minuses to consider….what do you think?

Sitting at the gate is much more interesting than waiting in an airline lounge….I am usually at the airport early enough to do both.  This last trip was truly eye-opening. The first picture is just one family’s carry-on luggage.  I’m pretty sure they were waiting for the agent to declare that all seats will be full and so any luggage one wanted to check would be FREE OF CHARGE.  The other option was that one of their party was in a wheelchair which meant they’d all get on the plane first and fill up the bins.

As a dog owner I’d love to be able to bring my pet along but she’d find a way to totally embarrass me.  This service animal was incredibly well-behaved, even allowing a little girl who was a complete stranger to the man and dog, pull on the big puppy’s tail, ears, and step all over its paws.

I stopped taking photos because I was being intrusive but there was much more action and interesting people; one woman in particular who must have taken 30 minutes to get through security with her belts, jewelry, and totally bedazzled clothing.

And then there’s always the fun or fear of anticipating who of my fellow travelers would be sitting next to me…..