Leaving On A Jet Plane

Up until last week, I had travelled by plane 15 times.  I don't know whether that seems a lot or not to anyone else, but to me it's suprisingly low.  I have done my fair share of travelling over the years, so to have only travelled on 15 planes left me feeling like I'd got my maths wrong the other day while I was thinking about such matters.  I guess the main reason for this, is that I prefer to tavel overland as I feel you get to see so much more of the country.

Another smaller reason, is that I have always considered flying to be a bit special; the sort of thing you don't do often, but as a treat.  There is just something so awe-inspiring about getting on a plane and flying high to some exotic destination.  I'm always a little disappointed when I land and find there isn't a brass band waiting to welcome you.  Afterall, you have just been 'flying!'  Maybe it's because of the scarcity of flight in my travels that I still find it hard to believe at times that I am in the sky, flying!  OK, so not actually flying myself, but you get the point.  This is an incredible thing, to be 'soaring' through the air, above the clouds and all other creatures on the planet.  Whenever I look out of the window I feel I have a giant Google Earth map.  I admit it, flying in a plane gives me a child-like appreciation that I miss travelling on other modes of transportation.  It also scares the hell out of me!

How can anyone not be terrified while they are in the air.  It's not natural to be that high up without some earth beneath our feet.  I tense up whenever the plane hits some turbulance and pretend to read or listen to some music until it's finished.  It's not a fear that would ever make me think twice about flying, though.  I get too much of a kick out of it for that to happen.  Flying in a plane, however, is both the most incredible and stupid thing a person can do if you ever stop to think about it!  I'm sure this 'fear' will go away the more I fly, but then I would lose that wide-eyed amazement too.

Despite the 'horror' that I experience every time I fly, I would much rather be on the plane than stuck in an airport.  Last week, between flights number 16 (Istanbul to Riga) and 17 (Riga to Yerevan), I suffered what most people with connecting flights usually go through; hours and hours of mind-numbing tedium.  Having 6 hours to kill in the 'transfer centre' with no money (they didn't accept dollars and I wasn't about to change over any money at the rate they were charging!) and 5 seats to cater for about a thousand people is not my idea of relaxation.  Fortunately, I had eaten before boarding the plane in Istanbul otherwise a case of cannabalism may have been reported in Latvia!

The good news is that it at least gave me much needed practice before I repeat the exercise next month in Doha on my way to Vietnam.  Good times...