Then and Now of Travel - How has Travel changed over the years?

Remember the old days of travel?  Stories told by our grandparents (maybe Great-grandparents) of horse buggies, walking up hill both ways to school in the snow without shoes, and the word "Internet" was not even a part of the English vocabulary.

Travel has changed so much, even just in the past 10 years.  New fees and more regulations due to National security and post 9-11 fears.  We can no longer bring any liquids we please, carry sharp objects or cross the United States border without a passport.   

Lets take a moment to sit back and reminisce the good ol' days of travel.  Some good, some bad, but nevertheless...all gone in the past!

THEN:  You rode in the back of the station wagon, crawling over seats, driving your parents nuts and thought seat belts were for race car drivers.
NOW:  Children as old as tweens are sometimes required to use a child seat (due to height or weight) and we don't get out of the garage without the car BEEPING like crazy if a passenger has forgotten their seat belt. But I must say I don't mind the rules when it comes to my kids safety.

THEN:  Riding in an airplane felt like a train because the person next to you, just may have lit up like one with a cigarette in the cabin.  Can you imagine? Smoking on an airplane? 

NOW:  Don't think twice about it - and you'd better bet you'll be hauled off in hand-cuffs if you mess with the smoke-detector on a plane.  I have to laugh as I pass by the glass boxed "smoking section" some airports provide; Take note: the ceilings are yellow!

THEN: FREE Pillow, blanket, full sized snack or hot meal and a smile were what your flight-attendant provided on every flight.
NOW: Snacks and meals provided with a FEE. Don't forget that credit card or cash, or you may be asking your neighbor if he's gonna eat his entire bag of 10 peanuts! And as heard over the PA - "flight attendants are there primarily for your safety", so think twice before pushing that help button.

THEN: Did you pack your Walkman? The first portable cassette player entered our travels in 1979.
NOW: MP3, iPhone and other devices hold 1000's of songs, books and even movies to go!

THEN: Paper tic-tac-toe, hangman, "99 bottles of beer on the wall" and other classics kept you busy while on that family road trip.
NOW: Wi-fi, portable DVD players, iPad and other handheld devices keep kids entertained.  Even your only child sadly no longer needs a playmate in the backseat.

THEN: Cruising was for the elite and unless your father worked on Wall-Street you probably never even considered the day you'd sail away for 7 nights to the Caribbean!
NOW: Cruising is much more affordable for many and with the price of gas you can probably find one cheaper than that week long road-trip your planning.

How has Travel changed since you were a child?

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