On a Jet Plane

I’m on my way!!! It’s been uneventful and smooth – just the way I like it. I even had time for one last cuddle with my little kitty. We’re going to miss each other.

I like this whole first class, pre-tsa business. Although I did have to go to the counter for my boarding pass (apparently international travel requires that) it was fast and painless. Going to Canada doesn’t feel like going international. It’s akin to going to your sister’s house for dinner and calling it dining out. I don’t mean that disparagingly. I mean that in a warm positive way. It’s going someplace that WILL be away but not ‘foreign’. Until I get to the French-speaking areas of course. That will be foreign. Other than c’est la vie all the French I know comes from pop music (Voulez vous and all that). I managed to doze for a bit before and after take-off, but decided to wake up for breakfast. I’m now sipping my coffee, staring down at the Great Lakes and talking to you.

It’s very bumpy. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on a flight with this much turbulence. It’s not very bad but I’m not sure all on the plane would I agree. Shortly after I awoke and became aware of others around me, I saw the young man across the aisle standing and wiping down everything in sight. He is traveling with a small child next to him, and a woman behind him with a small child next to her. First class is nice – big wide seats, you can pretty much be oblivious to your fellow travelers. But you DO share the air. And as I gazed curiously at him, I realized WHY he was wiping everything. And why the woman was pointing to the floor in front of her. It was a passing odor, and it’s all gone but oh my – I’m so glad that was NOT my responsibility!!!!

It reminds me of our first flight with our son. I had not yet learned the patience and zen-like calm I now exhibit (and if you think I’m NOT zen-like be glad you didn’t know me when *grin*). We were flying to St. Croix, I don’t think we had bought a seat for Ben. What I remember is that he stood on Jim’s lap SCREAMING through takeoff and a good portion of the flight after that. I wanted to make him be quiet, stop the noise, stop the agony. I know everyone on the plance could hear him. Really. I saw another woman from the flight at our resort while I was chatting with a friend. I asked the plane-woman for verification about Ben’s volume and while she looked sheepish she had to agree. He was LOUD. But unhappy toddlers have no consideration for fellow passengers and it didn’t stop until he cried himself to sleep. And as an infant and young toddler Ben also had a very upsy-daisie stomach. That and the flying did teach me that it has nothing to do with parenting and everything to do with being a child. I can’t say that I enjoy the screaming/crying/puking but I can empathize and sympathize with parents now. I’ve read too many articles on the internet with people complaining about ‘misbehaving’ children and how their parents should “do something”.

I hope the pictures of the lakes come out. I was so tired this morning that I forgot I wanted to stay awake to take a picture of NYC as I left. Now that I’m awake I’m doing my usual 8 million photos of views from the plane. I LOVE looking at the farmlands and rivers and MOUNTAINS!!! I LOVE the snow covered mountains. It took me a moment so I only got one good shot but it was way cool to see all the logs being moved downriver and stored along the banks. Not something you see much in the Delaware, Raritan or Hudson rivers.

I didn’t see any fires burning, but you can see from the photos as we were coming into Vancouver that there is smoke haze everywhere. Honour and Evelyn met me at the airport and took me for a tour, and were completely frustrated and disappointed when they took me to Cherry Beach (? Help, Honour – I don’t remember the name of that beach) where the beach, river, mountains and huge ocean going ships all meet, and we couldn’t see the mountains on the other side of the river. We headed out from there to lunch, but that’s a story for another post. I’m here, safe and sound.