All grown-ups were once children. (But few of them remember it.)

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

How to Handle Getting Stuck in an Airport

National Public Radio contributor Harriet Baskas has made a career of being stranded — her experiences inspired her book Stuck at the Airport (Fireside, $13, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743205391/qid=1119543720/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/104-2659067-7263165?v=glance&s=books&n=507846).

Her first tip: "Don't sit and stew." Find the information booth to see what the airport has to offer. There may be an observation deck with views or a place to get a massage, like the one at Washington Dulles. The main airport in Austin, Texas, hosts local bands, and San Francisco's shows art from the city's museums. If you have access to a computer, log on to http://www.sleepinginairports.com/ for snoozing tips. Or check out Baskas's airport reviews at http://www.expedia.com/daily/airports/default.asp.

She also suggests asking at the hotel kiosks about day rates: "You can steam, swim laps, or go for a run." Peter Maass, a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine, often pays for peace and quiet, snacks, Internet access, and comfy chairs. "In many hub airports," he says, "you can use first-class lounges even if you're not a member for a onetime fee of $50 or so."

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