Bill Bryson flew nearly 1,00,000 miles a year and had enrolled in the frequent flyer programmes of several airlines. However, he failed to claim his mileage points because he always forgot to get them recorded. As a result, despite all his travels, he had only 212 miles to his credit, spread across 23 different airlines. This was a great source of frustration for him. His absentmindedness prevented him from enjoying the rewards that came easily to others, such as free flights and upgrades.