Just seeing this stresses me out beyond belief.
This is the best flight situation you could hope for. No one sitting anywhere close and lots of leg room. Though, lots of leg room is never an option for me. And her feet must be freezing!
So tomorrow morning at 8AM my flight leaves from Salt Lake International to Denver then to NYC. Can I tell you a secret? I am more stressed out about the flight than I am excited about my trip. They need to go ahead and develop teleportation of apparition, stat so I don't have to experience the misery that is flying. I hate flying with every fiber of my being. I always have. Once when I was 8, I was on my way back from Disney World and we had a layover in Maryland. I had experienced severe nausea and pain in my ears and neck while flying and I did not want to get on that plane home. When it was time to board, I sat in my chair and refused to go. I told my parents to go get the car and come back to get me. They did everything they could, but I wouldn't budge. They even tried walking away and boarding the plane, thinking I would get scared and run after them but we're talking about the same girl who wrote a will, took her bike, and ran away, but was stopped by construction less than two minutes from her house. You could say I had a flare for the dramatic. I would not move. I know eventually I boarded the plane and the stewardess gave me an American Airlines pin.
To tell you the truth, I still feel like pulling that same trick, but being as I'm flying alone, I don't think that would quite work. For this trip, I was only supposed to be going to Boston. I was using old flight credit from Frontier. The only problem was, they only had a 2 layover trip. Taking off and landing is the worst for me, so I was not pleased. On a whim, I told the person helping me to book the flight to New York. It's not the first time my parents have driven 3.5 hours into NYC to pick me up or drop me off. That is how it turned into this big trip to Boston and New York. I'm kind of a brat huh? Ya. It's okay. I know. If you knew what flying was like for me though, you'd understand. The pain in my ears has thankfully gotten less intense, and I have found methods that help me to not get so sick, but I still get queasy and you can guarantee that I will throw up at least once per flight. That, along with minimal leg room and the stale air and vomit smell you breathe in upon boarding, just makes for an awful time.
Living in Utah and being from Massachusetts means a lot of flying. Though I still feel like I'm going to die when I fly, I have come up with some techniques that make it a little more bearable.
1. I take Bonine. and lots of it. On my cruise I went on in high school I was sick the whole time. Dramamine failed me. It wasn't until the second to last day that someone recommended Bonine. It worked great. It's obviously not perfect, but it minimizes my nausea. One time while leaving the Dominican Republic I forgot to take it. I was sick the entire flight. a Dominican man kept getting up and asking if he could help me every time I lost it. As you can see, me without Bonine is not a pretty sight.
2. I take an iPod/CDs. As soon as I board, I put my headphones on and my hoodie up so no one sees my electronic device in action- I have yet to crash a plane by keeping it on, and I close my eyes. I have a very specific playlist that I create just for flying. It includes Copeland's "I'm Safer on an Airplane," The Shins' "Sea Legs," and Jack's Mannequin's "Annie Use Your Telescope." My music keeps me calm and focusing on something else besides the fact that we're taking off.
3. I chew gum constantly while taking off and landing. Once we're leveled off it's okay and I feel a bit better, but I always know the worst is coming with the landing.
4. I make sure I know right where the sick bag is and make it easily accessible. Just in case.
5. I bring Ernie Pillow with me. People are probably disgusted by his misshaped-ness, but I don't care even a little bit. I lay him on my lap, bend in half, and go to sleep. I try to sleep the whole flight if I can. I usually deprive myself of sleep most of the night before so I'm extra tired.
6. I wear sneakers. Your feet can get pretty cold on a plane! I know mine do!
7. I ask for Gingerale if I'm awake when they bring drinks. Or if an air flight attendant is really nice, she'll notice me when I'm throwing up and bring me a cup anyways. Gingerale is magic.
8. I focus on anything but taking off and landing. I go to my happy place, which I think is somewhere in a field of tulips in Holland, as seen below. Wierd, I know, but it gets me through it.
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| Via Travelling Two |
10. I think of flights in terms of movies or TV. Like, "My flight to Denver is only an episode and a half of Law and Order SVU. I can handle that!" Or, "My flight from Denver to Laguardia is about two movies long. How easy is it for me to watch two movies? It feels like the time flies by (No pun intended)!"
I am a creature of habit when it comes to flying. I know what works and what doesn't. For myself, at least. I hate flying with a burning, fiery passion, but at this point, it's a necessary evil in my life. Now I'm going to go day dream about being Harry Potter and just apparating wherever I want. Scientists of the world, why are you not figuring that out right now! Anyways, that's all I have for today. Peace!
1 comment:
Wishing you good things while you fly!
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