Extreme Day Trips - Why Now
In my first article, I spoke about the new(ish) trend of hopping on a plane to another country and returning later that same day.
It’s something that interested me as soon as I heard about it, but despite that interest, I’d never tried it until now.
What was it that led me to take the plunge now?
Fuel for thought
The first factor is a geo-political one. I live in the UK and the UK imports between 50-65% of its aviation fuel from the middle east. With the situation involving Iran and the straight of Hormuz, that supply line has been severely affected, with fears over shortages and higher costs as a result.
Luckily, many low cost carriers hedge their fuel, i.e. they sign long term contracts that commit them to buy a certain quantity of fuel at an agreed price many months in advance, so although the cost of jet fuel has doubled since the conflict in Iran started in late February, the full impact on air fares has not yet materialised.
Jet fuel accounts for about 40% of an airline’s costs, so it is very likely that air fares are going to go up significantly after the peak summer season, so I decided to take advantage now, whilst the prices are still low.
It does add more risk as there is a genuine chance that flights may be cancelled to preserve dwlindling reserves of fuel and most travel insurance policies have clauses that exclude travel cancelations as the result of ongoing conflicts.
In Europe at least, consumer protection is pretty good, airlines have the responsibility to get you home safely if they cancel your flights and offer additional compensation for any accommodation costs occurred as the result of their cancelations but there is still some risk.
For example, if my outbound flight on one airline was cancelled, I would be entitled to a full refund for that flight but if my return flight on another airline is not cancelled, then I wouldn’t be entitled to a refund for that flight but thus far, there have been very few cancellations. Airlines need to keep flying regardless due to aircraft and crew positioning, for freight haulage and to keep their valuable airport slots.
Weighing on my mind
The next factor is a much more personal one. On 28th July 2022, I weighed 34 stone 2 pounds, that’s 478 pounds or 216.8 kilograms. At that size, every aspect of travelling was difficult. I would have to buy two seats on a plane for my own comfort and for that of other passengers. I had to wear a seatbelt extender in cars and on planes. Using toilets on a plane was impossible. I loved to travel, but being that size held me back.
At the time of writing, I now weigh 20 stone 9.5 pounds, 289.5 pounds or 131.3 kilograms. I’m still overweight and I am continuing my weight loss journey but my health and fitness has improved massively from where it was. My blood pressure is normal, I’ve gone from wearing 8xl tops and 66” waist trousers from specialist online clothing shops to 2XL t-shirts and 46” waist trousers from standard high street stores. I don’t need to book two seats on a plane anymore. I don’t need seat belt extenders. I can actually fold down the tray table and sit comfortably with the arm rests down. I walk regularly, sometimes distances as far as 15 miles (24 kilometres).
My quality of life is so much better and it’s the simple things that people take for granted that mean the most to me. It has opened up a new world of possibilities and opportunities and I want to make up for lost time, making the most out of this second chance that I’ve been given to actually live life rather than just exist.
I share my story in the hope that it will inspire others.
If you’re struggling with your weight or mental health, don’t give up. It’s ok to not be perfect and have ups and downs. It is a real struggle at times but the view from the top of the mountain is worth the climb, so just keep going, one step at a time.
If you’re interested in booking an extreme day trip, subscribe as in my next article, I will be telling you the tools I used to do it and how you could do it too.