On my way back to the USA.  Hoping the flight back will be somewhat calmer than coming.  

 

On the way over here, I was surrounded by about 30 kids   And when I say “kids” I mean 20 year olds.  They were all pounding on their tray tables playing slapjack.  I’m pretty sure they were on their way to Spain to play music.   They all had instrument cases with them and were all wearing shirts that said something like “Does Not Suck Tour.”  Yah, well, you know what does suck?  Being on this plane with you…     Why is it that when a big group of kids travels together, they get this group-think mentality, start acting like 2-year olds, and feel the need to take over the plane?  I almost lost it on one that grabbed my foot while I was sleeping.  He claimed he was reaching for his bag...  Why couldn’t they just hold still…

 

My travel experiences once in Europe were not much better.  Traveling from country to country in Europe on low cost airline Ryanair, I know not to expect much. First off, I was on a small plane with a bunch of hooligans.  As if it’s not stressful enough walking onto a plane with innards colored bright livestrong yellow and seats way too close together, most of the people seem drunk and strung out for days judging from the smell and sheer lack of panic attacks.  Everyone always applauds and let’s out shouts of joy when the plane takes off or lands – as if they were not expecting it to happen.  Is it normal to feel violated after flying?  The other thing about airlines in Europe -- and this does not only apply to Ryanair --  is that more often than not, you are going to have to pay excess baggage charges because the weight limit is pretty low and I’m usually hauling some gear.  But it’s not this I mind.  I don’t mind paying extra in America because, in America, you can actually pay at the ticket desk.  They can swipe your visa right there and take your money.  However, in Europe, after standing in the ticket line, they give you an overweight baggage slip and you have to take that slip and your bags to another line to check in and then go back to the ticket line to get your ticket.  It doesn’t sound so bad when I’m laying it down here in words, but when you actually have to do it – it’s a pain. It’s the year 2008.  I can give a taxi my visa, but not an airline ticket counter??? Oy gevalt! (See Yiddish word of the week)

 

My last race was Criterium International. I was feeling good going into this one and I knew there would be big splits the first day because it was extremely windy.  I was surfing the front end of the field but, when the shit hit the fan, I missed the front group. I was pretty angry.  

 

On the way back to the States, it wasn’t that bad except the headphones didn’t work on my seat so I burned through to batteries on the PSP.   Probably lost a few pounds of water sweating through my hands. God of War isn’t the most calming game to play.  On the second leg of the flight, I got upgraded and things seemed to be looking up.  I was watching the Golden Compass waiting to see those big bears with armor.  Then, the stewardess announces that they are going to reboot the system because some of the movies aren’t working for people.   Well, after the reboot, mine stopped working.  

 

Now I’m reading Sky Mall magazine – I’m reading the details of an emergency generator.  It can do everything - even charge your ipod.  That’s what I would do in an emergency. I would charge my ipod.