Dan's travel tips.

So I leave this afternoon to fly back home to Honolulu for my 20th high school reunion. Don't know how many people are gonna show up. Or If I'll even know anyone there. But I thought I should go to at least one of them and see what happened to those folks from Castle grad class of 1987! Man I'm old.

But that blog will be on Sunday, when I get back from Matt's baby shower. Today's blog is all about being a conscientious traveler.

Let's face it, flying SUCKS. Doesn't matter how far you are going, or what airlines you are on. Airlines are not out there for our safety and service. They are there to make a buck and stuff as many people in to this flying tube as they can. I remember flying this super cheap airlines once home to Hawai'i for the holidays. Two funny things happened. First, on the fight over, I got up to go to the restroom, and the seats in the back of the plane that weren't sold, had cargo in them. Small and large boxes. Second. After being home for a day or so, I saw the same plane on the 6 o'clock news being used to fly prisoners from the over crowded jails in Hawai'i to the relatively empty jails in Texas. Whatever they can do to make a buck.

We all hate flying. I haven't met a person over the age of 12 that gets excited about the idea of stuffing into a plane. Well, except maybe me, when I'm flying business class for some tour. If we all made an effort, it could be better, without the help of the airlines. Think Gandhi. He got things done in India with civil disobedience. We don't need to be disobedient, and stage sit ins or marches at the airport, we just need to work together as paid customers to make the experience more enjoyable for both myself and my fellow passengers.

There are some basic things that I follow when I'm flying.

For me, flying starts at home. I try to pack sensibly. Since 9/11 the world of flying has changed and in an effort to make it safer, the FCC and the airlines have imposed some "guidelines" for luggage and carry-ons.

Remember the good old days when you could stuff 70 lbs. of crap into your suitcase? Now the airlines have reduced that number to 50 lbs. You can still stuff 70 lbs. into a suitcase, but you get the "UGH" groan from the ticketing agent, and then the even more painful, additional weight charge of $25 to $50 dollars depending on the airlines. Most airlines now won't take anything over 75 lbs. Without charging it with a "freight" charge.

When I started touring all those years ago, I had one suitcase I checked in, full of all my junk. It was easier to have one case that you'd wheel around. It was better for the tour buses because the bay space under the bus is shared. Now, I pack two suit cases. I guess the plus side is I can now carry 100 lbs. of tariff free poop (then again, I could have carried 140 lbs of poop before 9/11, but I never had that much). But the downside is, I have two. I have to wheel around two cases, put two in the bay of the bus, and find space for two suitcases in the hotel room. Not to mention my carry-ons.

I make sure they'll be under the 50 lbs. limit. Sometime I use the bathroom scale. I've seen a guy with 51 lbs. in their bags being told they have to remove one pound or pay the fee. ONE POUND!!! Don't be that guy, holding up the check in line, while you try to find a place for your electric shaver, or argue with the agent. If I can't make it under the 50 lbs limit, for what ever reason, I'm prepared to pay the fee. All airlines websites have a listing of the limits and fees. I show up at the desk, credit card in hand.

I think all these luggage restrictions is just a way for the airlines to make a buck. I don't see how 20 lbs. less in my suitcase makes flying safer. But it can make the airlines $25 -$50 dollars more off a poor sucker. I remember once traveling with my bike to Hawai'i. I had checked on-line and there was a $90 fee for the bike case. So I went to the kiosk, and checked in and chose, additional luggage, oversize, and paid the fee. The agent then came over and weighed the bag. She said, that it was more than 50 lbs. and that I had to pay the over weight fee as well. Without sounding angry, I said, "Really? Because I just paid the oversize fee and it said nothing about it also having to be under 50 lbs." "Yes sir, came the reply, oversize fee is for anything larger than a 26" suitcase that is less than 51 lbs. overweight fee is for anything over 50 lbs. This bag qualifies for both." I put on my best dumb passenger look and stared at her. She called over a manager who agreed with her, but then also said, "I think this is a stupid policy, he's paid the more expensive fee, so just take his bag."

Even the employees think it's ridiculous.

I also try to pack my carry-on properly. The only things I need on a plane is: My plane ticket, my ID, a book to read and music to listen to, and all the expensive things I can't check in (computer, camera, cell phone, money). That's it. There are a few additional things I bring when traveling over seas (extra underwear, travel toothbrush, deodorant), but if I'm flying domestic, or at least some place where they accept the same money, you don't need to take anything else on the plane. Most domestic flights are less than 8 hours. What do I need disparately in those 8 hours? Nothing, just entertainment for my brain, and all the things that are too expensive or fragile for the luggage monkeys.

Put it all in your suitcase and check it. You won't have to lug it through security, lug it through the airport to the gate, give yourself a hernia trying to lift it into the overhead bin only to discover it's too big and have to check it anyway. But before you hand it over for check-in, you have to empty out all the things that you need: Your plane ticket, your ID, a book to read or music to listen to, and all the expensive things you can't check in.

Those of you who live in the world of, "The airlines will loose my luggage and I'll have no clean underwear or toothbrush," fear not. The local stores sell that stuff and accept the same money you carried on. Buy a cheap pair of underwear and a toothbrush. You'll be fine. And if the airlines does loose your luggage, most give you a stipend of some sort to buy things you need, or at least have a package with the essentials in it they can give you.

Now I'm off to the airport. When I roll my two check ins through the airport, I keep a low profile because there are a lot of people who've not read this blog and have their luggage in the way. I roll one suitcase ahead of me, and one behind, and maneuver like a snake. Once in the check in line, I get out everything I need to check-in, my pre-printed boarding pass, my ID (passport), frequent flier miles card, and a credit card. More often than not, these new "self check in" computers require you to swipe a credit card, or know your reservation number. For me, it's just easier to get out the credit card. Especially if I know I'm going to be paying an overweight fee.

I get up there, get in there, check in. Often, people standing in line at the self serve kiosks, are done checking in and are really just waiting for the one person to come and check in their bags. If they aren't pushing the touch screen, A simple, "Excuse me." usually works and I can get to the kiosk.

And now for my favorite part of the journey, security. As a traveler, here is where it all comes to a grinding halt. Someone is not familiar with the procedure. I know there are some first time fliers or people who don't travel a lot who don't know the rules. But for the rest of us who do travel extensively, we should know better.

Once through, I grab my stuff get out of the way, more people are coming. Most security areas have benches and/or tables where you can gather your stuff, put it all back in the bag and put on your shoes. I make it a point to put my carry on bag through first and then my computer, that way, on the other end, I grab the bag, prop it up and when the computer comes through, I stuff it in the bag straightaway.

I get prepared for security even before I get in the line. After check in, I pull off to a corner or somewhere out of foot traffic, I make sure my pockets are empty, I unhook my sandals from my ankles (I never fly in shoes anymore, not even to some place cold in the winter), and I unzip the pocket my laptop is in. So when I get to the X ray machine, I put down the bag, pull out the computer, take off my shoes and coat, and I'm ready to go.

One tip for men, get one of these. They have made travel for me so much easier, pockets for all my poop and I just pull it off and put it in the X ray. Big bonus, I look good in it. And they just lowered the price!

Now that I'm in the airport, I buy a bottle of water, hydration is important.

When I board the plane, if I had to bring a rolling carry on (usually, I just have my backpack), when I get to the airplane, I retract the handle and carry it in front of me. We've all seen the person who rolls it down the aisle and proceeds to hit every single chair. Just pick it up!

I use only the bin space above my seat, or if it's taken, somewhere near me, and forward of my seat. Best not to put it behind me because when the plane lands, everyone stands up and goes forward. Hard to move backwards through a sea of people. But I've seen it done. I always put the bag in wheels first to check if it will fit. Most planes have adjusted the bin space to accommodate 22" rolling carry ons lengthwise. That way you can fit more in.

I've seen people who walk on to a plane and the first bin they see, they put their bag in, and then proceed to their seat in the rear. If you had to carried it on and put it where you can't access it easily, then why not just check it in?

Now we're all in and the plane takes off. If I have to stand up for any reason, do not grab the seat in front of me and pull. All this does is turn the seat into a head catapult and once you release, the head goes flying. Not fun especially when that head was sleeping. If I'm on the window and have to stand up, I make the other passengers get out into the aisle. I don't say, "It's okay, I can step over you." It's not okay, it's awkward and almost certainly will end with me hopping out into the aisle and bumping someone else. Once everyone has gotten into the aisle, I push up on my own armrests to stand (don't grab the seat in front of you! Head catapult!), turn around, and step out sideways with my butt facing the nose of the plane. This way, if I have to grab something, I grab my seat, or the empty seats and armrest next to me. No one is inconvenienced.

I don't play elbow wars. I give the armrest (at least at the start) to the person in the middle seat. Their life already sucks, don't make it worse. I've got the aisle or I've got the window. Be human. Let them get comfortable too.

And lastly, when the plane lands, I don't stand up and sprint from the back of the plane to the front the moment the "fasten seat belt" light goes out. We're all gonna get off this plane, and if I run to the front, I stop other people from standing up and getting out.

Aight, I gotta stop now and pack, I'm sure I'll have more to say when I land.