Ed Zubrow wrote:

>Now, we have been told repeatedly to "pack light," and then before leaving
>to eliminate half of what we've packed.  That being the case, my wife has
>laid down the law and told me I can't follow my normal routine when we go
>to Nantucket for a week each summer of packing a duffle bag full of CDs and
>books.
>
>I am looking forward to the trip and the things we will see and experience.
>But I'm dreading the 9 hour flight.  What suggestions do you "savvy"
>travelers have for me so that I won't suffer withdrawl from CD's and book?

If you're flying to Italy overnight, your best bet, of course would be to
try to sleep.  I often find the adrenalin, or whatever, keeping me awake
on such trips, however.  Assuming you don't care for the in flight movie,
you can turn on at least one, possibly two channels of classical music,
but this will generally consist of isolated movements and the selection is
generally of the "top 40" variety.  I've never listened to taped music and
the one or two times I brought a portable CD player along, I found myself
to preoccupied to listen to the CDs.  Thus, when all is said and done, a
detective novel or something similarly superficial, has been my favorite
way of spending waking flight hours.

But if your temperament is different, what is to prevent you from putting
your portable CD player (w/ replacement batteries), along w/ a selection
of CDs into a small shoulder carrier, draped over you like a camera, which
won't count against your carry-on allowance? Also, if you want to read
during your flight, it's always possible to stuff a paperback into your
carry on or into a coat pocket.

Enjoy your trip.

Walter Meyer