Stone Soup by Jan Eliot for February 10, 2014

You want to go, you pay the toll.

Do they live in British Columbia?

Google tells me that Portland to Johannesburg is 16,650 kms and a one stop flight is 23 hrs: 45 mins. Add another two hours for the flight to Cape Town plus waiting for your connection in Johannesburg. Then there is the jet lag, because South Africa is about six/seven hours ahead of Oregon. Phew, almost as bad as flying to Australia from South Africa. I’m not sure of Oregon’s time zone; I know when I read my comics the Arcamax site is 7 hours behind and Gocomics is eight hours behind in your winter.

I’ve just checked the time zone in Oregon; they are ten hours behind our time right now.

The longest trip I’ve taken on an airplane is 9 or so hours to Europe. That was plenty to drive me crazy with the snorers, screaming kids, loud talkers, and the ones who feel like they need to walk the aisles all night hitting my chair every time they pass. I can’t imagine having to do a longer flight.

How wonderful Africa must look out the plane’s window!

It’s more likely the first stop was in Frankfurt.

I’ve often wondered where this strip is supposed to take place. Not near the coast, and some place that gets winter.

I’ve been studying the panels and note that quite a bit of time has passed between the first and last one. In the last panel, Evie and her seatmate have gotten something on their clothes, he has sprouted whiskers and is leaning against her (and snoring), Evie has donned her neck-rest in a futile attempt to sleep, and the child has tuned up. I formerly thought that the boy was yelling, “Are we there yet?” but Evie is thinking it! Well done, Jan.

It’s interesting that she is getting into the gritty details of Evie’s travel. Usually we just see her happily at her destination. It’s not so easy.

Took that flight the other way. From Jberg, stopped in Senegal to be searched, Atlanta and Salt Lake City for changes of planes and the on to Oregon.

Oh boy.

Evie shouldn’t complain; not that long ago, she would have had to take a ship to South Africa.

About that time, I would get up make the guy move, walk around the cabin, get some juice and check to see if there are any empty seats in back so I could relax with a few zzz’s of my own.

I visited South Africa in 2001. My route was 25,000 miles: HNL-DFW-ATL-CPT — CPT-JNB-SID-ATL-LAX-HNL. HNL-DFW (7.5 hours) was non-stop as was ATL-CPT (14 hours). CPT-JNB (2 hours with a 6 hour layover). JNB-ATL stopped at Cape Verde to refuel and change crew. (Total time on this plane was 17 hours and 45 minutes). Went through customs and changed airlines at ATL. ATL-HNL stopped at LAX to refuel and change crew.

And this is why I don’t intend to fly ANYWHERE until I’m wealthy enough to go First Class the whole way! (Guess it’s lucky I don’t actually want to go anywhere…)

This one reason I try to stay off airplanes… ;)

…“talk about a 21 hour flight from Australia to Los Angeles non stop.” That’s 21 too many hours for me! ;)