A note about planes
A little Note about Plane travel I started this post as I lay unable to sleep in Cambodia, meaning to make a jokey piece on plane travel. But it actually made me think a bit more about how airplanes have impacted on my life, so I'll talk about planes, but the story behind one flight in particular - my first one. Plane travel is bizarre. You hop on one end into this giant metal tube crammed with seats. You feel some shaking and hear loud noises, and all of a sudden (or 6-9 hours later) you're somehow halfway across the world. How does that work eh? Does anyone else find it as sort of mesmerising as I do? More so - Planes have now allowed people to be physically connected with so many other parts of the world inaccessible over land and formerly treacherous over sea. Sure, the Internet can show you digitally but air travel is where it really gets cool. Where people could go where they dared not to and really see the world... Where people could now see family they had lost touch with, trace their ancestors or just look at pretty things. All in a matter of time. It's pretty fantastic when you think about it. I have been travelling on planes as early as 3. This might not be so early for some in the current situ, but it was a big deal being an Indian born kid from modest heritage back in the 90s. Of course now it's a regular part of my life, and this year I will have spent more time in the air than perhaps even some of my uni classes, oops 😛 For me, as a little girl, planes were an especially big deal because it meant I could see my dad (He left to work in Scotland in 1997). It's funny to reflect back on the photos taken in the airport when he left as well. I was his 3 year old baby girl, clinging onto him in a little red dress - obviously very sad to see him go. I didn't understand the full meaning of why he went away or wanted to work abroad. I was also just jealous he got to fly away on a plane! But I can say now I am forever grateful he did so because my life wouldn't be the same without the opportunities and memories I've had in Scotland. Funnily enough it's all something that probably wouldn't happen without a plane :) I can remember my first flight; big, most likely a British airways plane from Chennai to London...The one that took me into my first entry into the UK back in 1998. The one I would take to see my dad! The buzz of mystery and excitement surrounding planes was finally going to be lifted. I recall my cousins being in awe that I was going to fly on a plane so young. I was full of questions and excitement, so much so that I recall asking my mum if I could open the window and touch the clouds! Or eat them. I think I thought they were candy floss... Can you blame me? I remember the air hostesses that looked like flawless barbie dolls with their perfect red lipstick and British airways themed saris and uniform. How I wanted to be like them back then, how I was slightly envious of their beauty, even as a child! Cartoon Network was available and as a classic cartoon junkie kid this was like a dream. I also had my little kids pack and colouring set, no game boy or gadgets like in the future! It's nice to think something so simple could make a little child so happy. On a more negative note, the food was absolutely horrendous; that salad sandwich they gave out was hideous compared to the Indian fare I'd grown up on. The toilets weren't the squat toilets with water that I had always used - I was supposed to use paper to wipe my bum?!?! I also discovered that I had awful travel sickness and really bad earache on planes. And of course the travel sickness plagues me 16 years later still :P eurgh, the perks of planes. Note: Don't worry though, I am now well versed in the use of different toilet types! And after the tedious journey across the continent we finally arrived into bizarro world (aka the UK) which will inevitably be described in future blog posts. Looking back though, it's weird to think that this metal vessel marked the beginning of perhaps the biggest transition of my life. I was whisked away to Scotland where people were pale and I had to speak English all the time. There wasn't the comfort of having extended family or cousins around to annoy you or brighten up your day. I don't really remember the isolation much but it must've been diminished by the effort required to move your whole life from one place to another. Plus I was probably distracted by UK chocolate, mmm. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, that many significant events in my life wouldn't have taken place if it wasn't for planes. You are connected to pretty much anywhere and anyone if you can afford the time and the expense. It's a weird thought, and who knows where they'll go with the whole space travel business as well. I can also say that I'm extremely grateful that I haven't experienced any accidents in my time travelling, and will have visited no less than 20 different countries by the end of this year :) Fishy out.
