Stranded Travelers In The East

ANOTHER REASON TO RETHINK TRAVELING TO BLIZZARD-SPEAKING COUNTRIES during the holidays.

Several years ago, I flew back in February with a group to the US from Tel Aviv to Newark, three days after a major snowstorm on the East Coast. The above photo somewhat captures the scene when we arrived. Adults with children and aging parents were sleeping and living on floors, on steps, in waiting areas and every conceivable nook and cranny throughout the terminal for days. It was the closest I've come to Bangladesh. Officials had just re-opened the airport to incoming flights and there were miles-long lines snaking everywhere just to get to a ticket agent.

Right then and there, I made a decision never to knowingly get myself in such travel pandemonium again. That, of course, was before having grandchildren with parents who decided---wisely---they were yet too young to travel gracefully....

Still due to a very last minute change of circumstances due to a very sick relative in D.C. whom I was due to visit, before taking the train from Union to Penn stations, I ended up driving all the way to The Big Apple to try to avoid getting sick myself. So today I hope to circumvent airport and train station chaos and take to the New Jersey, then Pennsylvania Turnpikes slowly and carefully in order to get back to I-81, then home in a day or two.

I hope stranded travelers will get un-stranded soon. It's no fun, especially when your Blackberry loses its charge!

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