Plane Thoughts Episode 2

7:57. This airplane's movie screens are not where I thought they were. They fold up from beside the seat. We have not yet escaped the clouds, after several minutes of flight. 

8:02. We are out now, and all is dark. I bought airport food in Ottawa (a smoothie for $7.50 and a sandwich for $13.50. For reference, I can buy a wrap from the fast food place at the pool for $16.50 and a small milkshake for $8. Airport food doesn't seem so bad this trip).

8:10. I've become so used to having data all of the time that I forgot to download any music for this trip. I spent my last flight listening to 2018 playlists. Had a brief moment of concern when I glanced out the window in the dark, and, in the flash of light from the wing, saw an Air Canada logo below me. My brain went "how close are we to that plane??", Followed about three flashes later that it was, in fact, the same plane. 

8:14. I'm not always sure I trust airline pilots. Yes, I put my life in their hands when I willingly strap myself to one of a hundred chairs in this pressurized tube, and technically I do trust them with that, but if I stop and think about pilots, I question them a lot. I quietly questioned the pilot last flight when they announced final descent and the plane didn't leave the clouds for five minutes. Also questioned the pilot a little when this flight took off and suddenly stopped ascending to bob downwards, then travel fairly straight, before returning to it's ascent. I feel much more comfortable once I'm solidly in the air, as if it's actually any better. I always think back to the time a plane I was on landed and a flight attendant went "That was his first flight on this plane!". Like, what? This man straight from the simulator just guided my travel halfway to space and back?

8:21. This seat has tons of leg room. It's very nice. It does not have space to stow a bag, so my huge jacket is stuffed in between my seat and the edge of the plane, and, since the middle seat is unoccupied, my backpack is under there. The gate attendant questioned my ID today, since I don't have any photo ID with me. She took my birth certificate and health care card, looked them over, and asked me what they were. They're government issued ID, completely legal to board a plane with as long as I have two pieces. She was silent for a minute, then said "Did these get you here?". I said "Yes, from Iqaluit.". She frowned- "where's home?" Without thinking, I said Alberta, which was probably for the best, since I still have an Alberta health care card. She let me on the plane.

8:26. The plane is descending. That was such a short flight- it must be almost faster to drive from Ottawa to Toronto with check-in and security times factored in. 

8:28. Between being incredibly oblivious off the pool deck and having a headset that is fairly good at blocking sound, I realized that a flight attendant was trying to sit down in the seat across from me only after he stepped over my legs that I had stuck out in front of me. For all I know, he may have even asked me to move. I may not have noticed. 

FLIGHT 3

11:47. Baby how you doin? Dead, thanks Lizzo. But I have orange juice with ice.

Currently wearing a hoodie, toque, and sleep mask under that. It's midnight- why are the cabin lights on? Midnight on a plane is not like midnight at home. I want to sleep.

11:52. My TV is off, and I don't know how to turn it on. I would like to see a map. The guy in front of me has his map open, but it's not doing it for me. As if my map would be any different. Perhaps my phone has a map available on the Air Canada app.

11:57. It does not. I'll have to keep watching the one in front of me. Apparently we're over Thunder Bay now. The flight from Ottawa to Toronto was so short that the pilot told flight attendants to prepare for landing before we even reached altitude. The seatbelt sign was still on. 

12:09. The cabin lights are now off. Now I'm bothered that the TV at the seat next to me is stuck on a white screen. I might cover it with something. 

12:11. This was my first time travelling alone by air, and it went fairly smoothly. Being the only one in my party probably helps with the simplicity of it all. Makes it harder to go to the bathroom in the airport since I need to bring everything with me- making a mental log of everything that I put everywhere: (jacket on the hook, backpack on the floor, phone on the toilet paper dispenser, ID in my sweater pocket), then doing a final check after walking out that nothing is left anywhere. So far it has worked for me, but it's only going to take one time that I forget something important to make me start writing lists of what I've put down and where it is. 

12:25. Found the map on my phone. I'm about halfway to Edmonton now. My flights had some delays adding up to about an hour and a half over my original arrival time. Therefore, I will be very tired at church, and so will my family. 

12:32. Sleep time.