Changes in altitudes
The late Jimmy Buffett is one of my favorite songwriters, mainly because of his witty and poignant lyrics. Yes, the writer of Margaritaville could certainly create some clever rhyming quips, but his songs also often struck a note with so many people who love to travel, including myself. One of my favorite Jimmy Buffett songs is called “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” and talks about the joys and benefits of travel and changing locations and how it can improve your outlook on life.
“These changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains quite the same.
Through all of the islands and all of the highlands
If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.” – Jimmy Buffett
I was reminded of those lyrics recently during a ski trip out West to Colorado and started chuckling when my mind changed the word attitude to altitude. You see, we were in Breckenridge, Colo., which sits at an altitude of 9,600 feet. If you’ve never experienced high altitude living, be assured that it can most certainly change your attitude and not always in a good way.
For starters, high altitude means the air is thinner and your body is getting less oxygen. That’s why some high-performance athletes have sometimes trained at high altitude before the Olympics or other competitions because it really gets you into great cardiovascular shape.
The only problem is the process of getting into that great shape started with a lot of huffing and puffing the first couple of days in town, stopping halfway up the footpath to the ski lifts to catch my breath (especially when toting my skis and walking in ski boots), and having to make several stops for a breather on the way down the slopes. Now, by the end of the week, I was adjusted to the altitude, in better cardiovascular shape, didn’t have to stop on the way to the lifts and could conquer Breck’s entire long ski runs without a break. The only problem? It was time to leave!
That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, when you consider the other drawbacks (for me) of high altitude also include insomnia. Also, the dry mountain air meant my nose and mouth were constantly like sandpaper.
We had a wonderful vacation, the skiing was outstanding, the food was great, and the people were friendly. Still, by the time we headed to the airport, a little voice inside my head was saying it couldn’t wait until we landed at a lower altitude with higher humidity. Those changes in altitude can certainly improve your attitude with gorgeous mountain views and terrific skiing, but the lower oxygen levels and bone-dry humidity can also be a bummer.
As we landed in Pittsburgh, I remember breathing a little easier and feeling relieved that my nose would no longer feel like the Sahara desert. Changes in altitude, changes in attitude, indeed!
Kristin Emery can be reached at kristinemery1@yahoo.com.