Author takes to the skies with humourous look at travel
Air travel can make a lot of people excited and just as many people frustrated. Author Steve Burgess casts a humourous eye at both perspectives with his new book, "Reservations: The Pleasures and Perils of Travel."
“Being in an airport you go from pedestrian to Pegasus but in the process you experience a little taste of daily life in a medium security prison,” Burgess told CTV News Atlantic’s Todd Battis in an interview on Friday. “I find myself ashamed of my own behaviour at airports more than I do anywhere else because I end up losing it.”
Burgess takes a long-term view of travel in the book, examining how flights transformed from luxurious but expensive things for a select few to something more accessible.
“Travel has changed and people say it’s changed for the worse, but the other thing is there are so many more people on flights because it’s more affordable,” he said. “Era of mass travel.”
Burgess said travel can often change people’s views of the world, but in the modern age it also comes with new risks and even responsibilities.
“It’s a noble idea, you’re going to go and broaden your perspectives and I believe in it, it’s just that now it’s a lot more complicated because there are issues people didn’t have back then,” he said. “There are massive amounts of emissions and the potential to desecrate these sites that we are supposed to appreciate.”
Burgess said people yearning to explore while also keeping an eye on their carbon footprint should consider looking in their backyards.
“If you really want to be a mindful tourist, the best thing to do is keep your emissions low and stay local,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Dangerous brew: Ocean heat and La Nina combo likely mean more Atlantic hurricanes this summer
Get ready for what nearly all the experts think will be one of the busiest Atlantic hurricane seasons on record, thanks to unprecedented ocean heat and a brewing La Nina.
Was this the bug that stung you? Wasp sightings revive murder-hornet concerns; no detections confirmed
As temperatures rise out of a mild El Nino winter, Canada's buggy season is already upon us again, and this year, the bugs are looking especially big.
Minister tables bill to extend citizenship rights to children born abroad
Immigration Minister Marc Miller tabled legislation today that is intended to extend citizenship to some children born outside of the country.
Potential tornado 'surreal' for residents who witnessed damaging storm in southern Ontario
Witnessing a potential tornado was 'surreal' for residents who caught a glimpse of the damaging storm in southern Ontario on Wednesday night.
Hundreds have applied for this 'adventurer' job in Banff National Park
Coined as Banff's 'ultimate summer job,' the Moraine Lake Bus Company says hundreds of people from across the world have applied for its adventurer position.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
Jennifer Lopez's response to question about Ben Affleck is a reminder of their decades of love in the spotlight
Plenty of people are wondering if Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are having problems in their marriage, but one person had the nerve to ask in a public forum.
U.S. Justice Department says illegal monopoly by Ticketmaster and Live Nation drives up prices for fans
The U.S. Justice Department filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment on Thursday, accusing them of running an illegal monopoly over live events in America -- squelching competition and driving up prices for fans.