Travelers’ Daunted; Readers Wanted.
There’s an interesting story in the on-line newsletter from Travelers United about people fainting on airplanes. It’s happening more and more and a combination of factors seems to be the cause. The first two are painfully familiar to us all: narrow seating and insufficient leg room.
Two other factors, also beyond the control of passengers, can contribute to fainting spells: lower than normal oxygen levels, and warm cabin temperatures.
For every passenger who keels over tottering toward one of the lavatories, I have no doubt there are two or three more who are feeling light-headed with a touch of nausea. It happens more frequently on long-haul and international flights. I have to believe it’s just a question of time before the FAA steps in and . . . Oh, wait! I keep forgetting: this is the Age of Trump and we’re getting rid of regulations, not adding them.
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It does appear that my little book, Fascinating Facts about Hawaii (see below), is actually selling pretty well . . . no thanks to me, however. About a month ago—well after the Christmas season, of course—the obvious finally occurred to me: that the book would make a really nice addition to the gift baskets that are finked with crack seed, macadamia nuts, coconut candy and other goodies and sent from here to the mainland every year at Christmas time.
So, with my publisher’s blessing, I sent a copy of the book to 15 or 20 of the companies listed on the internet as selling Hawaiian gift baskets Result? Zero . . . zip . . . nada. Not one call. That’s how finely tuned the ex-ad guy’s marketing instincts are!
Believe it or not, the idea for this book was born in Amtrak dining cars. The railroad’s “community dining” policy seats you at a table with other passengers and when my table-mates find out I live in Hawaii, the questions start. That’s when I pass along some of the little-known facts about these incredible islands. After mentioning one such encounter to my wife on my first night home from a trip, she said, “All those interesting factoids would make a nice little book.” Smart, dat lady, eh?
