It was once socially acceptable to send children by post [pdf]

And that's how you learned about the birds and the bees?

Sorry, I'll show myself out...

My daughter went to pick up her ducklings, goslings, and chicks at the post office. They apologized that they had lost the box. They knew it was in there because they could hear it. They just had to move a bunch of stuff to find it.

But you can only mail day-old pheasants between April and August.

I went unaccompanied minor on BA once (I'm pretty sure it didn't cost money in those days). I was 15 and would have been fine without, but it turned out to be a great way to skip the queue at immigration at Sheremetyevo.

I took a flight by myself when I was 14. Not too bad. I'd assume if you're younger than a certain age then maybe they have attendants check on the children. For me it was probably the same as if I'd been an adult.

I used to fly all around the world as an "unaccompanied minor" , having parents who where in the services and posted mainly abroad, I used to travel upto 6 times a year by myself from the age of 8. I usualy flew British Airways (im british).

I'd certainly expect a 15 yo to be able to fly by themselves without any special procedures. I was flying at that age by myself and don't remember it as being any particular deal.

Did that a number of times. Was easier when it wasn't required after I was 12 or 14 or whatever the requirement was on Northwest at the time.

One time they asked me to walk down the aisle and hand out peanuts. A lot of people seemed to think that was totally cute. Seemed a little strange to me, but was more fun than sitting down and being bored. Was nice to be shown into the lounge area between connecting flights.

Unaccompanied flying is totally reasonable thing for children especially with the procedures airlines have in place for younger ones. Though it seems like airlines are making some of those procedures apply to older children now too, which is totally weird.

Trains have served food and water almost since they were first used by travelers, but there have always also been businesses offering those things at some stops[1].

The US used to have much cheaper and more expansive rail travel[2]. One could imagine that with such widespread usage, there would have been service between cities with fewer stops (much like the express trains in New York, which complement the regular, local trains).

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dining_car#History

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transportation_in_the_Uni...

weird