Travel dispatches from a shrinking planet

Travel dispatches from a shrinking planet

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ASK ROLF
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How Can I Save on Transportation During a Round-the-World Trip?

Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel

THE LIST
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13 Great Travel Horror Movies

The Hollywood horror archives are filled with tales of bad trips. To celebrate Halloween, Eva Holland and Eli Ellison sift through the carnage to pick their favorites—and lose a little sleep doing so.

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Matt Weiland: Through 50 States With 50 Writers

The coeditor of “State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America” talks to Frank Bures about the book, the WPA and how the United States hasn’t been “bulldozed for speed”

HOW TO
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Love Herring in Sweden

From artery-clogging casseroles to a fermented concoction that smells alarmingly like vinegary flatulence, Lola Akinmade digs in to a smörgåsbord of herring and explains how to best appreciate Scandinavia’s favorite fish. 

BOOKS
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The Water Is Wide

Bronwen Dickey considers Tim Butcher’s “Blood River: A Journey to Africa’s Broken Heart,” which takes readers deep into the Congo

SPEAKER'S CORNER
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Vagrant Ruminations of a Compulsive Traveler

Where does the urge to hunt for that “fleeting fix of elsewhere” come from? Peter Wortsman recalls a life of travel inspiration. 

AUDIO SLIDESHOW
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Notes From an Unofficial Tourist Greeter

Summer is over, and so is Julia Ross‘ season as an ambassador to travelers in Washington, D.C.’s Woodley Park neighborhood. She’s happy to be off duty.


TRAVEL BLOG
8.27.08

The Long Descent: Woman’s Journey Down Baggage Belt

imageWe often put a sarcastic or humorous spin on tales of airport woe and aggravation, but this story struck me as just plain sad. Sure, it’s unfortunate that increasingly absurd airport measures are becoming the norm, but to imagine we’re at the point where a 78-year-old woman, in a huge misunderstanding with Swedish airport personnel, considers being asked to climb in a baggage chute as a reasonable request—and does so—is just ... unreasonable. 

The woman mistakenly believed she was following instructions by placing herself on the airport’s baggage belt, Agence France-Presse reports. Staff members were able to assist her, and the woman reported no serious injuries.

Related on World Hum:
* The Long Descent: The $300 Surfboard Fee
* The Long Descent: The $7 JetBlue Pillow, Blanket

Photo by markhillary via Flickr (Creative Commons).

Posted by Valerie Conners • 8.27.08
Categories: WeblogAir TravelSweden

Share this item at del.icio.us PermalinkComments (2)


COMMENTS

Poor lady. You know, this just goes to show how tensed up passengers are, and how scared, that they’ll do anything which they’re asked to, without questioning it. I’d say its high time airports got ‘humanised’ a bit and stopped treating passengers like numbers.

By Ling  on  8.27.08  at  09:14 PM

I thought it demonstrated foolishness on the passenger’s part. When waiting her turn at the counter, hadn’t she seen everyone else put their baggage on the chute? I know that when I am uncertain I look around for reasonable actions and follow them.

By  on  8.28.08  at  12:19 PM


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