Jet Setting

Jet setting off to West Palm Beach

I took of on a four-day weekend to West Palm Beach, Florida earlier in the month. I'll post about it soon (Visit my Instagram page if you want to see a few photos), but in the meantime, here are a few thoughts about taking off. 

~

In late October, I found myself dreading the impending time change and the grey gloom of November. That in between time, when it’s not quite ski season and not quite biking and backpacking season, always leaves me a bit antsy. The Veterans Day holiday was on a Thursday, so it would be easy to take off for a few days. Mike was extremely busy with work, and I would be on my own for the four-day weekend. What’s a Bozeman girl to do? One answer is to go jet setting; a quick jaunt out of town for a drastic change of scenery and a chance to recharge. 

Friends of mine who live in or near major cities have access to huge airports and can flit about with ease. I hear their stories of flying off to California, Chicago, and Boston for the weekend, and while I don’t wish to take off on short trips as often as they do, it is nice to do so once every few years. 

In Bozeman, air service is limited and it’s a long way to anywhere. Although flight availability has improved over the years, (Bozeman-Yellowstone International Airport now boasts non-stop service to over 20 destinations) many of the added flights are seasonal and the selection is

very limited in November. So, while it is possible to jet set in Bozeman, but it’s not easy. 

Where could I go to alleviate my fidgetiness over the Veterans Day holiday? San Francisco and Denver are both quick destinations, but my friend Deno had recently moved out of San Francisco and was less than a month into a new job, and my Denver friend Tony was out of town. I perused cities serviced by the Bozeman airport and noticed Fort Lauderdale, not far from where my best college buddy Jen is currently living. While there are no direct flight there this time of year, I could get there relatively quickly with one layover. 

Jen just moved to West Palm Beach as her husband’s work has him based there for two year. They’re renting an apartment right in the center of town so getting out would be easy. Additionally, Jen isn’t working so she has time on her hands and was eager for company. Everything was falling into place. I booked my ticket and took off ten days later. 

“People dress up here,” Jen said in our last phone conversation before I jumped on the plane. “I found out the hard way when I went to the Hardware store in shorts and a t-shirt.”

So, I packed three dresses, two skirts, a pair of shorts, and three pairs of sandals. I was going jet setting, and I would look fabulous doing it. All of these wardrobe changes fit in a small carry-on and took up less space than two changes of winter clothing. It would be a fun and novel way to travel. My mood was already perking up. Warm weather, stylish clothing, a long-time friend. I was stoked.

More About Jet-Setting

The term “jet set” was introduced shortly after the world’s first commercial flights premiered in 1952. At that time, air travel was quite expensive thus available only to those with means. The jet set was used to describe people with time and money to travel at leisure (via jet) to glamorous locations.

These days, with the cost of airfare relatively less expensive than it was decades ago, a wider swath of the population now can take off for a long weekend so most anyone can jet set. All it takes is a desire to travel and a willingness to make it happen. 

If You Go...
Jet Setting in the 21st Century

There are several characteristic of a modern jet set trip. 

• First, these are short trips up to four days. Years ago, when I lived in Jackson Hole I knew some folks, retirees who served on the board of directors at my job, who had access to a private jet. They were known to head to San Francisco for lunch at trendy new restaurants. So, you can jet set for just an afternoon but hopefully, in today’s age of greater awareness of one’s carbon footprint, you’ll think carefully before doing so.

• Ease of travel is important and jet set destinations are easy to get to. You should be able to get there in a direct flight; one layover is the maximum. I’d say you can even jet set using a train as your mode of transportation as long as you follow the same rules.

• Keep the fuss minimal. You don’t want to drive to a jet set destination and you don’t want to rent a car. (Although you can take cabs or have friends drive you around at your destination.) Your jet set activities should keep you relatively close to your arrival point, so you can avoid spending your limited time in transit. Take only one small bag.

• Good friends, either those traveling with you or those you visit, are a key part of the equation. Jet set with people you know well, are easy to be around, and who share the same ideas about how to travel. As important as friends are to jet setting, a solo trips can be fun and very therapeutic so don’t let lack of travel companions keep you from taking off. 

• Jet set trips take you to magnificent locations and should offer opportunities for arts, culture, restaurants, and interesting places (Natural and urban) to explore.

I’m writing this from a cabin along the Yellowstone River in Gardiner, Montana just outside of Yellowstone National Park. While it is great to get out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday, and it is a fun escape, it is not jet setting. We drove here and did not pack light – cross-country ski gear, bags and a cooler full of food, cooking pans in case the cabin wasn’t well stocked, computer, and abundant reading materials. After my trip to West Palm Beach this is my second escape this month, and getting out of town continues to do wonders for my mood. I would encourage everyone to make it a point make short trips out of town from time to time.  Whether they be jet setting trips or car-based excursions, the change of scenery will do you good.

~

More about getting out of town...

• Not really jet setting but a fun piece about train travel: http://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2021/01/train-story.html

• A piece of satire inspired by a trip to Portland in 2017: http://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/2017/11/my-favorite-street.html