underdogishere

I am sitting here, typing, sick to my stomach.

I'm due to fly tomorrow. It's not just a flight -- it's an international flight. Not to England or Europe, only to the Caribbean, but an international flight nonetheless.

I've been preparing myself for the adjustments. Get to the airport an extra hour-and-a-half early. Pack all liquids and gels in my checked bags. I can do this.

Until... I heard about somethng that hadn't even occurred to me:

My destination appears to have even more stringent restrictions on carry-ons that the U.S. does. As in, it does not allow any carry-on baggage at all. None. So... it might be fine for me to board in Orlando and fly there with my laptop and camera. But in a week, when it's time to come home, I may not be able to carry them back.

The laptop is no big deal. I could leave it behind, or even pack it in my checked bag -- inside it's carrying case, it's pretty well padded. But my camera is another story. I'm not stowing my thousand-dollar camera in a bag that's going to get thrown around like sack of potatoes.

I love to take pictures. The fact that I own a thousand-dollar camera may have tipped you off to that fact already. But now I'm facing the prospect of spending a week on a Caribbean island -- one I've never visited before -- without being able to take pictures. I'm sick to my stomach.

It's already been suggested that I wait until I get there and buy disposable cameras. I know, I know. But to someone who's used to a D70, using a disposable camera is like saying to a race car driver, "Yes, you can compete in next year's Indy 500, but you have to drive a pedal-powered Radio Flyer."

I've posted to two newsgroups to find out the details about my destination's carry-on restrictions. Maybe it will work out. But if you happen to be in, say, Bonaire next week, and you see an aging guy with thinning hair, a moustache, and glasses, snapping away with a disposable camera, well...

...that might be me.

Labels: Travel