Stranded

My great-grand aunt Bert sailed around the world in the 19th Century on her father's sailing vessel, trading with the Orient in such ports as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Bangkok. The trip took over a year. My Irish grandmother crossed the Atlantic as a child of 12. The six-day stormy voyage so terrified my Nana that she never returned to her native Ireland. My parents' plane ride to Dublin lasted less than seven hours. Stewardesses served dinners with silverware and wine glasses. The rigors of present day journeys to Europe have been reduced to long lines, endless security measures, and plastic cutlery.

The ease of air travel was an accepted modern conveniences, until a dormant Icelandic volcano awoke with a series of eruptions spewing silica ash into the atmosphere. Aviation officials swiftly canceled hundreds and then thousands of European and Trans-Atlantic flights for fear of jet engine failure. This drastic measure has left millions of travelers stranded throughout the world and scientists are not predicting an end to the crisis.

The Eyjafjallajökull Volcano has melted the surrounding glaciers and authorities are concerned with a larger nearby volcano coming to life. If that was the case, then the twin emissions from the bowels of the earth would adversely hamper transportation across the globe for weeks if not months. The economic costs are estimated at almost $400 million a day for the airlines alone. The ripple effect will soon cost billions to the global markets on all levels.

No one is blaming Iceland for this natural calamity and the remote North Atlantic nation is bankrupt after the collapse of its banking system in 2008. This is an act of nature, however there might come a time in the future where the world will request Iceland to quell the angry volcano with human sacrifice as suggested by a myriad of internet pundits.

With Europe a no-fly zone Greek shipping magnates must be contemplating a return to the glory of ocean liners.

Anyone ready for the Titanic 2?