How we used to fly.

Back in the 70s and early 80s when I first started taking notice of such things, we used to be served on aeroplanes with proper meals, with proper METAL cutlery - can you imagine such things in this day and age.

The food arrived on an individual tray and depending on the time of day, would generally include a hot dish of actually recognisable food, a small batch with butter and a pudding.  There would also be a glass of orange juice and a cup for either tea or coffee.

A lot of the trays and most of the cutlery seemed to find its way into my Granddad's hand luggage, in fact I have only just recently thrown out the last of the cutlery (although it was metal, it was only really child sized).  Mum still has at least one of the trays as I used one earlier today!

At this time, food was included in the cost of the holiday unlike now when it is an optional extra.

Because hold luggage was included in the price of the holiday as well, there was never any issue with overhead locker space.  Also, people only tended to take one piece of carry-on luggage when there was really no limit, unlike these days when it is specified that only ONE piece of hand luggage can be carried on but people seem to think that anything between 1 and 5 pieces count as 1.

A lot of travel companies gave you a free carry on bag when you booked your holiday.  You don't see that these days.

If you travelled to Spain back in the day, you generally had to walk between two lines of armed, yes armed, police on the way from the plane to the terminal, which was probably no more than a large hangar, that could be quite daunting.

There would be a meet and greet session on the first afternoon in resort, there would be orange juice or sparkling wine and you would get to know your rep and find out all about what the resort had to offer, remember there was no TripAdvisor back then.

You had to dress for dinner every evening, and if you didn't dress to the standard required you were not allowed access to the dining room, breakfast and lunch were slightly more casual, although shorts or swimwear were NOT allowed.

There were no kids clubs either, parents and grandparents had to look after and entertain their own offspring although there was family entertainment in the evenings, usually a local singer and/or a flamenco show.

I miss those days.

Pay Day Loan Companies, My View.

There has been a lot in the news lately about Pay Day Loan companies but, personally, I don't have a problem with them.

Whilst their interest rates are extremely high, they are all advertised, they are not hidden.  I have, in the past, used their previous incarnations which were places where you could cash a cheque which would not be banked until an agreed date, this of course all came at a fee.  I haven't used this service for several years now having sat myself down and worked out a budget - so much on bills, so much for savings, so much for spending etc.

Now the issue seems to be that children can see the adverts for these services and pester their parents into getting loans so that they can buy them the latest gadgets and clothes.  What is wrong with the parents saying no?  Or is that word not acceptable these days?

I know that when I was little, I could ask once and if I was told 'no', that was an end to it.  If I did have the devil in me and tried to pester, I would end up with a smacked bottom and an early night.

But in these days of benefits, easy money and instant gratification, I guess that people will continue to get into debt instead of saving for something because that takes time.