AFTER LOGGING 6700 miles in six days by myself, I reinforced several ideas that I hope to put in place with my family when we travel internationally in coach class.
I like long spells in one seat because I can often leverage that time away from the internet to focus on quiet tasks. I didn't run out of battery power on the Microsoft Surface while crossing the Atlantic and continuing onwards with Amtrak. On the way back, I worked between the Surface and the Lumia 1520 because I wanted to remove any threat of cramped wrists. I also brought a European power cord with me and its six outlets ensured I could recharge all my devices simultaneously when seated in window seats aboard Amtrak.
I need to get a headset with active noise cancellation. I watched several people aboard US Airways use theirs to cut out the loud ambient noise of the aircraft in-flight (as well as muting all the overhead announcements).
I paid $50 to use the Admiral's Club in Philadelphia and planned my return journey to use the lovely facility for more than four hours on the eastbound leg. The Admiral's Club is an oasis of free finger food, coffee, tea, juice, soup and water. It's clean and used by clever parents with young children in tow.
As a family, we need to start traveling across the Atlantic more frequently than once every four years. I'm sure we'll have compelling reasons to run from Ireland to Pennsylvania every other year because of several important family events in the near future.
[Photo by @topgold in seat 9A. Blog post updated aboard Bus Eireann.]
