Catchin' Zzzzzzzz

There's no glossy interpretation...sleeping on a plane is challenging and ugly. The air is dry, the blankets are scratchy, the seats get smaller every other year(we aren't getting bigger, are we?) and the lights and noises of the cabin are intrusive. The planes are fuller than ever with reduced capacity and less flight service. To top it off, airlines charge for the use of pillows so our necks bob with the turbulence. It is just ugly.

As the story goes, my father used to drive me in my infant years around town in the front seat of the old Ford when I couldn't sleep. It supposedly settled me enough to sleep. I'm have no memory of this, of course, but the story contradicts my current predicament. I cannot sleep while in transit. Not even a little. It's so bad, I will probably awaken in the hearse on the way to the grave. I have absolutely no idea why this occurs, but it is real. I have tried over-the-counter, prescription and "under-the-counter" medication. My body/mind will not relax; I'm neither nervous nor anxious, just not sleepy. It is odd.

For the rest of the world, sleep may be possible. Try chamomile tea or glass of milk. Some swear by padded eye masks and ear plugs. Others won't go anywhere without noise reduction head phones (Bose) or a buckwheat pillow/neck collar. I say try them all and discard those without benefit. Lack of sleep and poor hydration are the two main causes of jet lag. And jet lag can be nasty, even ruining the first several days of a much earned vacation. Don't take this too lightly. I try and will continue to try everything. Maybe someday I will find something that works for me. Happy snoozing.

Al. the Travel Valet
Pick of the Day(56-13-1)...Phillies