Socal Mom by Donna Schwartz Mills

Flying Solo

"You don't need to come with me. I know how to get on a plane," my daughter whined.

Thanks to LAUSD budget cuts, for the first time ever, she got the entire Thanksgiving week off from school. Of course, my sister tried to convince us to drive up Monday.

Unfortunately, that wasn't possible for my husband and me -- but there was no good reason to keep Megan home with us. We got her a one-way ticket on Southwest, and so yesterday, for the very first time, she flew alone.

"I'm over 12. I don't need anyone to accompany me," she complained.

Yes, she's 14 and she's been flying all her life. I know she knows how to comport herself in an airport.

But she's still my baby, and I didn't want to just drop her off.

I needed to see her get on the plane.

I've never gotten used to the post 9/11 world that keeps non-travelers away from the airport gate. When my friends and family fly in, I picture myself meeting them as they're getting off the plane.

My daughter doesn't realize that until very recently, that's just what you did. And I keep forgetting you can't do it any more.

Fortunately, as the parent of a minor flying alone, the TSA did allow me to wait with her. I just had to check in with the airline for a special pass that would allow me through.

I'm happy to report there were no junk-touching incidents, either. Just the usual polite workers dealing with harried travelers who had to remove their shoes and jackets for the scanners. I don't envy their jobs -- especially when I'm the one who is cranky and anxious because by the time I remove my shoes, my jacket, my cell phone, my laptop and handbag, I've usually got a line of people behind me who want me to hurry on through the line.

It was nice to go through the checkpoint with only a purse in hand.

Once inside, Megan seemed a little bit happy I was with her. But only a little bit.

For one thing, with me there, she did not have to lug around her heavy backpack while she scoped out the gift shop.

I'm the one who needed to be there. And once I saw her get on the plane, I went home...

...missing her.

 

Packing "Light"

While planning this trip, I was determined that THIS was the year I would finally manage to pack light.

Fat chance of that.

This is similar to my many New Year's resolutions to live more simply. I start out with good intentions... but some cool gadget catches my eye and it all goes downhill from there.

Part of the problem is the unpredictability of the British weather. I'm told that London is lovely right now... but that could change by the time we land tomorrow. And we've been advised to plan for all kinds of weather emergencies during our stay in the Lake District.

"Waterproof clothing is vital as the Lake District is one of the wettest places in the UK and what starts out as a nice day can quickly change. It can get windy and old on ridges and fell summits so bringing many layers of clothing is a good idea."

We will be spending an entire week in the cottage my brother-in-law rented for us up there. So in addition to my usual summer t-shirts, I've packed every cold-weather sweater I own. And my UGGS.

But before we go to the Lake District, we'll be in London... and Megan and I might want to take in a high tea. And I still remember being forcibly ejected from the lobby of the Ritz because my jeans and t-shirt did not conform to the hotel's dress code (which only doesn't apply when you are a guest). So my suitcase also contains a little summer dress... which likely still won't pass muster with the bouncers at London's highest class hotels, but should be adequate for tea in our price range.

And then, there's the plethora of grooming items I need to keep from looking like the crypt keeper at my advanced age. The budget hotel we are using in London does not provide basic amenities like soap and shampoo, so I've stocked up on tiny bottles of Pantene and shower gel. Some of the reviews at TripAdvisor mentioned extremely thin pillows on the beds... so I'm bringing my comfy down one from home.

So it's turning into a challenge to get everything I'll need for the next two weeks into my 24" bag.

Ah, but most of that stuff could go in my carry-on, right?

That's what I used to do when I first started making this trip. But these days, I don't go anywhere without a ton of electronics. A computer, phone, flash drives, two digital cameras, pocket camcorder, iPod, chargers and cables for all of those devices, extra rechargeable AA batteries, and battery charger.

The fact that we're traveling to another country on the edge of Europe adds another level of complication to our stash of electronics. Standard electrical frequencies in Britain are different from the US: Our appliances run on 120 volts/60 Hertz... theirs are 230 volts/50 Hertz. I'm not sure what that means... except for the fact that you will end up frying your device if it cannot handle the voltage.

In the old days (like a decade ago), we might have had to purchase a converter in order to use our electronics. But most modern electronic devices are manufactured for the global market and automatically convert (exceptions tend to be personal grooming tools like hair dryers and shavers).

I checked the voltage on all of the items I'm bringing and was relieved to see that all will work in the UK (including the battery charger, which was worrying me). We even purchased a special surge protector that not only converts, but will accommodate US plugs (oh yeah. Even though we don't need a converter, we had to purchase some adapters so we can plug our stuff in at all).

So a simple thing like packing isn't as simple as one would like.

On that note, I'd better get back to it.