I absolutely hate flying! I get so stressed out and by the time I'm at the airport, I'm almost in headache mode - by the time the plane is ready to board, I AM in headache mode. One of these days I will learn to take Xanax with me.
I try to plan for these things, I had my friend Becky drive me there so she could take my car to her house to park. I'd just as soon pay her as the parking lot - Plus it's curb service grin emoticon
I'd put my drivers license and boarding pass in my pocket before Ieft, but I changed clothes so many times, the drivers license got left behind. And when did I discover this? Just as I got out of the car and it's too late to drive all the way back to Bolivar. Luckily, my friend Helmut had suggested me taking along my passport. Apparently he knew something I didn't know - I'm a still a serial blunderer.
I finally get through security (was lightly patted down). When she asked me if I had any sore spots, I just told her "not yet." and thankfully she had a sense of humor as we both laughed.
As I sat watching to make sure that no terrorists are getting on the plane with me, I'm trying to figure how to get my laptop bag attached to my carryon. I've had this bag for a year and have always wondered what that strap in the back is for. A year later it dawns on me that it's to slip over the carryon handle.
Then for the wait. The plane was supposed to leave at 12:54, but didn't start boarding until 1:20. After everyone was onboard, we taxied out and sat for another 30 minutes on the tarmac.(By the way, try to NOT take a 15" laptop down an aisle that is only 15 1/2" wide!) There are cross winds and the pilots were recalculating take-off. I figured, "hey! if you guys aren't used to taking off with a cross-wind, take ALL the time you need to figure it out!"
Finally, the dreaded lift-off (the second worst part - the other is landing). Once we're in the air it's easy to figure this isn't quite as unnormal as it seems. I always get a window seat because I never tire of watching the earth go by.
Circles on the ground appear and it's a patchwork of green and brown full circles, half circles and pac man circles for an hour or so. Some circles are huge while others are tiny - four fit in the same area as one large one. The the mountains. I think they're small, it's hard to tell. But all along the way, everytime I looked out the window there were dots of tiny lakes - the earth is pockmarked with them. They'd show up at intervals at an angle to the plane every so often. I thought that was very interesting until i realized it was only when I'd turn and look back out the window that I saw them, and the angle was the reflection of the sun!
Closer to Arizona, we ran into clouds. There'd been little fluffs of cloud along the way, but then we were on top of a white velvety road. Always reminds me of Joni Mitchell's song, "I've seen the clouds from both sides now."
The sun's angle changed and I realized we'd either turned a tad or descended a tad. But now we're deep into a fog - a white-out. At this point, I sincerely hope that they know what they're doing up front. All I can think of is the cartoon where the pilots are going, "hey what's this goat doing up here?"
Occasionally openings in the white bank of cloud appears and then there are glimpses of an ethereal city that is so beautiful it takes your breath away. Spires of clouds within and surrounded by clouds, whispy shades of blue, white and yellow. Then back to total white out.
I hear the wheels descend and think to myself, this wonderful horror will soon be over.
All the while this is going on, I am thankful for the loud drone of the plane as a baby has been crying up front for the whole trip. I am also thankful I'm not sitting up front at this point.
We leave most of the clouds and then as we descend, there are more and more mountains - no trees or grass - all brown, but kind of beautiful in a way.
Highways and houses get larger and finally we're taxiing to the airport.David is glad I sent the itinerary because I'm not at the airport I thought I'd be at. As they announce, welcome to Mesa, I'm wondering "did I get on the right plane? I thought I was going to Phoenix" grin emoticon
I'm just glad to be back on the ground, where ever it is that I am!
Now on to the rest of this Arizona adventure!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment