Flying the Not So Healthy Skies….

I spent the holidays (all two weeks of it basically) snowed in at my sister’s house in Virginia.  For this California girl, it was a rude awakening to what the word “weather” actually means.  All there really was to do was sit around, watch TV, work remotely and eat.  I am not sure how people in areas with heavy weather do it!

For my dog, Howie Long, who is used to being walked a mile a day, I thought it would be some weird form of torture.  Yes, I paid to take my Chihuahua on a plane across the country; I am down right silly like that.  When my sister and I finally decided to let Howie out, we made the startling realization he was part St Bernard!  Check out the video Snow Dog! of him frolicking in the snow when my sister decided to brave the weather; I stayed in and sipped cocoa.  My sister finally had to rescue him from the huge snow!  Next time, I am putting a thimble full of whiskey around his neck and sending him out to rescue lost squirrels.  

Although it wasn’t the healthiest of holidays, I was determined to start the new year out right.  For the most part, I was able to eat healthy for the final week I was in Virginia.  Well, that was until I left to fly home.  I flew from Norfolk, VA to Minneapolis, MN to San Jose, CA.  As we all know we can not take water through security (although I am the first to admit I have no idea why) and airlines now charge for their terrible meals.   But my flight from Norfolk left at 6:10am, so I wasn’t too concerned with food or water on the initial flight.  I am pretty sure my snoring kept the pilots awake all the way from Norfolk until about five minutes before we touched down in Minneapolis.

Howie and I had a 45 minute lay over in Minneapolis, where I decided some water and healthy munchies were needed for the next leg of the journey for us both.  After running across two terminals (who knew that Minneapolis was a five terminal international hub?), I found a small kiosk right out side of where our next flight was already boarding to grab something really, really quickly and hopefully, healthily.

What a disappointment!  First, water costs more then soda.  Although a large bag of chips was $2.50, a small pathetic looking container of fruit was over $4.  If the airport can have the dollar menu for McD’s and Taco Bell, why can’t they have healthy alternatives for a decent price?  I wound up buying Howie and myself a large water for over $4, Howie a chunk of cheese for $2 and myself the most pathetic looking fruit of all time.  Total with tax came to over $11.  I am not cheap, but that to me was the biggest waste of money possible.  While on the plane, I noticed the smart people had packed lunches for themselves.

Today’s lesson is: next time I fly, I pack my own food and keep an empty bottle in my bag.  I can always fill it up at a water fountain or at McD’s.