Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Flying-Airborn

Finally, what you paid for, actual flight. The average person doesn't usually even think twice about finally getting up there, but it's a freakin' miracle that you are soaring in the clouds. So many things have to be just right for your plane to be streaking across the sky and for those who appreciate it, paying a price you think is crazy seems a tad more to make sense than it did on the ground.
    As we were taking off, I was playing a game on my iPhone and the woman next to me glared at it like it was the detonator for a huge bomb directly under her seat. I could see her holding on to her armrest like it was the last piece of wood from the Titanic, as she floated hopelessly in the Atlantic. I calmed her down a few minutes in by pretending to make a call...haha.. Actually, I put it away and explained later that I had it in 'Airplane' mode (whatever that really means). I told her that if my phone could possibly be the culprit in bringing our plane down, then we had a lot bigger things to worry about. I think that made it worse for her, especially when I chuckled while saying it. We were finally up and levelled out.
    This is the moment where you hear a hundred 'clicks' and every nimrod who didn't whiz before the flight get up to use the bathro-..,washroo-.., tiny closet that I can only sit in to pee. I suppose that it is a moment that passengers who are afraid of flight might need after take-off though. I personally am not scared of flying at all, but will always ask the person next to me if they are comfortable or not before we leave. I need to know what I'm dealing with in case there are 'issues' during the flight. Is this person going to freak out? Will they need restraining? Will I have to knock them out before we go down? All pertinent questions I think. Once again I'm probably just making this person uneasy.
    Where's the food and drink? Oh yeah, they hardly serve anything anymore to the common folk. Last flight I had a choice between 4 salted almonds or a mini bag of multi coloured weird shaped objects that are supposed to be healthy. What are those things anyway?? Then I asked for my usual, tomato juice on ice, and kindly asked for the whole can as well. I got the 'phoofff' and the 'humphhh' from the steward as he reluctantly passed it to me. Seriously?! You can't spare that whole can of million dollar tomato juice?  It's going to break you when you have to use another can as mix for some old fart a couple seats back! I'll 'PHOOFFF' you alright!
    Just then I hear the intercom and it's the Captain of course, in that low, drool of a tone, "Thiiiiisssss issss yerrr Cap'n speakinnn. We arrre presently flyinnnn at ...... let's seeee, 32000 feet or sumthing like that..aaaaaaa" and he continues to draw it out for a while longer, explaining that all of the delays etc weren't going to be a problem for our landing time. I always question this. Why does it never effect our landing time when there are delays before the flight? I'll tell you why! Because, every flight could get to your destination quicker if they wanted to! They're messing with us! Using less fuel or flying at the most desirable altitude. It's not a four course meal at a high class restaurant. None of us want to wait for the entrĂ©e and enjoy our appy during the flight! We want to get there as soon as possible...and yes, I do love flying, remember that...
Final 'Flying' chapter coming soon-Landing, exit and baggage claim..

1 comment:

Jan Morrison said...

Yep - you nailed it! Having just flown yesterday - it is remarkably clear to me that whizzing through the air in a tin box is an unnatural act. Flying Transaat is great though. Comfortable chairs and quite good food,(complementary) a glass of wine, stupid movie both coming and going from Cuba though. Ah well.