Umm, Maybe I Won't Go To Venezuela

Lately people in our neck of the woods are warning each other about the recent heavy traffic, and are becoming experts at suggesting alternate routes that avoid the heaviest traffic areas and road work.  You see, it's the annual Little League World Series, nearby in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Every year in late August we serve hundreds of little baseball players in the local restaurants and hotels, all hungry for a shot at fame and glory.  I love the way Williamsport opens its arms and welcomes the world to this small corner of it.

So I say, folks, be patient.  It's one long week of extra traffic, and it's for a good cause.  These teams and their families bring business to the area and we would do well to be good hosts.  Have fun with it, and if you can, set some time aside to go and enjoy a game.

Having recently heard some griping about the "heavy" traffic in our area, I laughed when I accidentally came across this picture of the area right outside of the airport at Caracas, Venezuela.  To me, this is nightmarish traffic, and there is no  snowball's chance in hell  possibility that I will be going anywhere near THIS.

With all due respect to the kind Venezuelan people, I will pass.  Nor will I be traveling any time soon to  Russia, which has several cities known for their unnavigable roadways.

If I were able to find transportation that avoided the heavy areas, I know Russia has some sites of great significance that I would someday enjoy seeing.  

Here in Bangladesh, it looks pretty bad too.  What does one do if one suddenly needs a toilet?  It's not like you can easily pull over to the shoulder of the road and run up into the bushes and do what needs to be done.  (When my children were younger we had several of these incidents.  You know who you are.)  These are the things I think about when I see these jam-ups.

Hip to hip and bumper to bumper in Bangladesh

Now Japan is on my Bucket List.  Or was, until I saw this.  But maybe I will act like I didn't see this, and put it back on my list.  Either way, I didn't want to see this.

That there's a collage of traffic catastrophe.

A part of me wants to mistakenly believe all the horrific traffic is in other countries, but in reality, there are plenty of difficult traffic areas right here in the good old U. S. of A.  Here's Boston for example:

In some of these areas, I think even my GPS lady will get lost.  (Doesn't take much for her to get "off" as it is.)  

If there are any morals to this blog post, they are the following:

1.  Always carry water and a snack in your vehicle.

2.  Make sure you have a good map or GPS system.

3.  Learn to be a patient person before you ever travel.  Anywhere.

4.  Go to the bathroom before entering any vehicle.

Finally, if I had to choose, upon life or death, what traffic jam I would endure, here it is:

As this summer vacation season comes to a close, and as the "snowbirds" are preparing to move South, may all of your travels be safe.

BON VOYAGE!