My last post, which discussed travel and reading, brought to mind the picsaresque tradition in literature:

picaresque novel, early form of novel, usually a first-person narrative, relating the adventures of a rogue or low-born adventurer (Spanish pícaro) as he drifts from place to place and from one social milieu to another in his effort to survive (Encyclopedia Britannica)

One of my favorites is a novel by the French philosophe, Diderot, called Jacques le fatliste from the 18th century. So how does this relate to long flights? Well, Diderot travelled from Paris to St. Petersburg in 1773. It took 4 months overland by carriage! And even though he wasn't in the carriage 24/7, imagine how awful that must have been over bumpy, dust roads. And what do you do in a carriage? Certainly not read. Try reading in a car on a bumpy road. Can't be done. So when we talk of grueling intercontinental flights, maybe we're being a little soft. A flight from the US to Hong Kong can take 15 hours. Yes, it's uncomfortable, but not a monumental obstacle. 

The hardest part about these flight is the havoc they wreck on our bodies. Deep-veined thrombosis is an actual health risk of long flights. The FAA claims that this is not "economy class syndrome." That it can occur in any class, and is related to inactivity. That may be true, but I have sure felt a lot better after flights where I've been upgraded to business class (I have never paid for the luxury). These days, in business class, you can actually get your seat fully horizontal. I think the body needs those daily horizontal hours, not just the sleep that comes with it. 

Here are some suggestions from the FAA

Increasing leg muscle activity during long periods of sitting improves blood flow in the legs. This may include walking around the cabin or exercising your lower legs and ankles while seated. 
• Drinking adequate fluids, and avoiding alcohol and caffeine, may also help by preventing dehydration.
• Loose-fitting clothing may be beneficial in avoiding constriction of veins.
• Some recommend taking short naps, instead of long ones, to avoid prolonged inactivity.

They don't mention compression stockings. Britain's National Health Service recommends this:

"Studies have concluded that airline passengers who wear compression stockings during flights of four hours or more can significantly reduce their risk of DVT as well as leg swelling"

I've never tried this, but will one of these days. There's no doubt that getting up every few hours will help, not just your body, but your mind - we all get a little stir crazy in those economy prisons.

Movies have made travel easier, but even though the selection has gotten greater, the quality seems to have gone down. It seems like the only recent releases are the recent disasters. Still, it's something to pass the time.

By Kevin O'Neill

Why Travel? Experts Weigh In

I overheard a locker room conversation recently that got me thinking. A guy was talking about his daughter wanting to volunteer in an orphanage in Nicaragua. He told his friend "Why should she help orphans in Nicaragua when she can do the same here? There are plenty of orphanages in the United States." He really thought it was a dumb idea to spend money doing what you can do at home for free. It apparently hadn't entered the mind of this clearly upper-middle class father that there might be more to his daughter's idea than just helping some kids. 

If you're like most Americans, your life has taken a fairly predictable path: high school, a few car trips with the family, part-time jobs, then college with the goal of a future career.

There's nothing wrong with that path.

But travel -- extended trips to faraway places that take you out of your comfort zone -- are an exciting way to enrich this life journey.

Don't just take our word for it. There are many advocates of serious travel, especially travel by young people.

For college students, study abroad offers an extraordinary door to the world. For one financial adviser, it paved the way to career-enhancing travel throughout his 20's, something he now recommends to all young people: take the plunge before the responsibilities of adulthood limit your options.

If study abroad doesn't fit your academic plans, consider doing an overseas internship, something that will set you apart from the competition, whether it's for grad schools or jobs. In fact, some see global internships as the key to getting a job. That's why ELI's internship programs are so popular: having these experiences on your resume shows prospective employers that you're an out-of-the-box thinker who can adapt to different work settings and succeed within the international community. It's a huge asset in today's global economy.

But travel isn't just limited to those in college: your entire 20's are the perfect time to explore the world. Some even suggest that it's a good idea for 20-somethings to quit their jobs and hit the road, especially in a lackluster economy. Inexpensive travel is a productive way to boost your resume and hone your social skills as you wait out the economic doldrums.

Whatever your reasons, setting out into the unknown (especially with a little help from ELI) can be a life-changer. At the very least, it will give you a greater understanding of our world. And that's a priceless gift in itself.

By Kevin O'Neill

When you're getting ready for a trip, is one of the first things your think of "What shall I bring to read?". If so, you're not alone. Of course, spending hours in airports, on planes, and in hotel rooms leaves plenty of time to fill, so there is a practical reason for this. But isn't there more? Aren't travel and reading really parallel activities? Both take you out of your habitual surroundings and transport you somewhere new. Travel does this both physically and mentally, reading only mentally (but often to times and places you could never visit otherwise). 

On my last trip to India, I was simultaneously traveling in early 19th century Paris thanks to the thousands of pages (101 titles) of Balzac that I had downloaded to my Kindle. Waking up at 2 in the morning with jetlag gives you plenty of time to read - but no, Kindle tells me that I'm only 2% through the complete works. I doubt I'll ever take a trip long enough to finish.

Not only are travel and reading parallel activities, travel has historically been a central topic of literature. Think of the Odyssey, the Divine Comedy, Moby Dick and most of the works of Jules Verne, to name a few. Travel tales are the perfect vehicle for showing growth and change in a person. And travel itself is a huge catalyst for growth and change in a person. In my last post, "Why Travel?" I discussed some of the many practical reasons for travel, but the personal reasons are just as important. This is what literature and storytelling have documented over millenia. 

If you Google books to take when you travel, you'll get a lot of "vacation" reading. That's a much different mindset than the kind of travel I'm talking about. Still, you might want to check some of these lists out. Also, I came across an article, "Why Do We Always Take a Book When We Travel?" that give another perspective on this subject.

By Kevin O'Neill

The British began to build the railway system in India in the 1850. Private companies including the British East India Company built the bulk of the network. It was certainly not a benevolent gesture! India was a huge source of British wealth for the century that followed. With independence in 1947 India inherited the system, but it was in a sorry state. During WWII the system was gutted to shift resources to other regions where they were needed to support the war effort.

One thing that remains intact to this day is the great railway stations. Chennai, one of the major hubs of the British system has two beautiful examples. My favorite is Egmore - pictured in this post. Even if you aren't going to travel by train, you should walk through one of these stations just to see the amazing activity that surrounds them. 

Because of the importance of railways in India, the stations have been maintained pretty well. Many of the old buildings in Chennai have fallen on hardtimes. There has been little emphasis on historic preservation. Even the museum complex, which has great Victorian architecture has plants growing out of the cracks in the wall. It is a beautiful complex, but in addition to its dilapidated state, an elevated road was built directly in front of it, cutting off any perspective of the buildings. Of course, historic preservation is expensive, so with all of the problems to face India, such "non-essential" expenses are put on the backburner. As you walk or drive around the city, you will see many buildings with potential to shine. Here's hoping!

There are many beautiful stations in India, but the most famous is in Mumbai. It is a World Heritage site. Here's a link to an amazing photo: Victoria Terminus, Mumbai

Check my previous post about another relic from the British past in Chennai here

By Kevin O'Neill