The start of the Mexican Adventure - Reflections on Privilege

It's raining in Vancouver as I eat my free dinner, sit in a leather chair, and avoid interacting with the others exercising the privilege of the lounge. Everything about this reeks of privilege. As the edamame peas slide out of their pods, coaxed by my teeth, I wonder how many don't get to experience this.

I'm off to Baja, Mexico, for a trip for those of us with financial freedom - kayaking around an island and then driving up the penninsula, exploring a new-to-me land.

I just realized that I have forgotten my Mexican phrasebook, but aware that I have the privilege to replace it without difficulty.

So many lack the ability to do this, and this is distinctly unfair.

Let there be no mistake - I worked hard to earn the money for all of this, but others who have worked harder than I,  who have struggled and pushed through adversity and challenge; they do not have the opportunity to sample a new to them single malt (Dufftown Singleton 12... pretty tasty, and nicely sweet) en route to a foreign country.

It should not be a privilege to have your birth happen in the right place, to good parents, but it is.

For my flight to Mexico tomorrow, I had, a week ago, an opportunity to bid for an upgrade, with the starting bid being $400. I chose not to. Checking into my flights this morning it was down to $250, so I decided to splurge. Out of curiosity, I checked the cost of booking this option today, for the exact same flight. It was over $2000. The entire cost of this trip wasn't even close to what they are charging for the seat I just booked. I'm going to get a free breakfast out of the deal, along with whatever other perks come with flying business class.

Damn, I'm starting to like this scotch.

Now, to get that phrasebook before my flight.