I Finally Took My First Flight – At 45

One of my life goals was to travel to distant places like Egypt and France.  Can’t do that in a car.  So at the age of 45 we got a trip to Cancun as a Christmas present.  I couldn’t turn it down.  In fact, prior to going I read some books on Mexico (more on its rich history), and was excited about the trip.

But I wasn’t excited about my first plane ride.  I had never taken a Valium but I was trolling for some.  I got a couple from someone I knew.  I still wasn’t looking forward to it.

In fact, I envisioned the scene in Airplane where a woman is going crazy and everyone goes up to her to punch her (or hit her with something) to shut her up.  Even a nun hit her!  I could imagine myself being that screaming woman.

My friend, who is a travel agent, made sure we got to sit in the first seat (is that bulkhead) so I’d have more foot room (I’m claustrophobic, which is part of my fear of flying).  Needless to say, staring at a blank wall didn’t help with that and I have never sat there since.

I couldn’t sleep for weeks before the flight.  In fact, when we boarded I kept my eye on the exit door.  I was honestly thinking of bolting.  Then the valium must have started kicking in.

I was amazed at the smooth flight.  I don’t remember any turbulance or anything very exciting with the exception of hitting my head on the drop-down tv screen that we couldn’t even see.  It made a loud thump that made it sound like it hurt, but it didn’t.  It was just embarrassing.  They played a trivia game and I won a Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt.  Flying wasn’t too bad after all.  Or was it the Valium?

On our landing back home in Chicago we were greeted with 55 mph winds and it was a very rough landing.  My fingers dug into my boyfriend’s leg.  After we landed, I asked, “Is that normal?”  He said, “I’m so proud of you.  That’s the worst landing I’ve ever had.”

Cancun was nice although it was very built-up, something I wasn’t expecting.  It was like being downtown Chicago with palm trees, iguanas and an ocean in back.  It was fun visiting Mayan ruins and a natural “aquarium” we could swim in.  I do love Mexico and would love to return but I don’t think we’d do Cancun again.

I’m flying now, I have no excuse not to visit my folks

I can’t quite remember which trip it was, but it was among the 2nd or 3rd or 4th flight I ever took that I finally ended up in Arizona.  And for the record, I took Valium on my 2nd trip and I was groggy for days.  I never took it again.

It’s a balmy 18 degrees today in the southwest suburbs of Chicago.  Woo hoo!