Travel Prep

One of my friends shared this article and I thought this section about travel was entertaining.

Travel

We travel, and we're rather good at it. Some of us have traveled from a very early age, even if it's been just back and forth from Princeton and Newport. We may travel to see relatives, to take a semester away, or to go to rehab. We go to Europe because it's there, and there is so very much to learn from Europeans.

In Europe, we learn how to kiss people on both cheeks, how to do math when we convert the dollar into the euro, and how to make ourselves understood in adverse conditions. We get to practice the little bits of foreign languages we've retained from school, and to see that Italian men can carry off the sweater-around-their-shoulders look easily.

Prep Travel Commandments

1. Thou shalt not fly first-class.
2. Thou shalt use thy frequent-flier miles whenever possible.
3. Thou mayest fly business class if thy destination is more than five hours away.
4. On board, the wine will not be fine; therefore drinkest beer or spirits.
5. Naturellement, thou never wearest shorts, sweatpants, or flip-flops on an airplane, and thou shalt attempt not to sit next to a miscreant in such garments.
6. If thou takest a sleeping pill, thou must try not to snore, Pookie.
7. Thou must not complain about jet lag.
8. Thou must take loads of photographs.
9. Thou art encouraged to rent cars in strange places and get into colorful misunderstandings with local drivers.
10. If there is a Harry's Bar at thy destination, thou shalt eat there. (Try the carpaccio and the cannelloni.)
11. Exotic locations are to be encouraged.
12. Thou must not try to lose thy passport, but, indeed, it could happen, and will provide dinner-table fodder for many happy years to come.
13. Although thou art traveling in order to “broaden thy horizons” and meet different kinds of people, thou will prefer looking up friends of friends who are also traveling.
14. Thou shalt tryest the tonic water in other lands, as it tastes different from thy domestic tonic water.
15. Thou will always have (had) a wonderful time.

Our private economic code is useful when on the road. As stated before, we do not waste money on first-class travel. Unless McKinsey or Aunt Toot is footing the bill, we fly coach. (On the other hand, it would be rude to turn down a no-expense upgrade.) It is consistent with everything we've been talking about. First class lasts several hours but costs a fortune. On the other hand, we have been known to splurge on luxury hotels. Wouldn't it be better to apply those savings to a wonderful room in a wonderful hotel? (Or, at the very least, a small room facing a wall in a wonderful hotel?)

If you cannot stay at the wonderful hotel with the famous bar, you must at least drink at the famous bar. Lunch is also lovely there. During holiday, we always drink at lunch, and, of course, we “walk it off.” Lunchtime drinking is not an obligation, but, well, yes it is. You're on vacation, the ultimate in prep experiences!