I'm pretty sure I've beaten my fear of flying. That is until I read online that a plane from Brazil going to France just disappeared over the Atlantic ocean. How does a plane with 200 and some people just disappear? No distress signals. Nothing. Like they evaporated in flight? I can't even think about it. That's probably one of my worst fears.
I have three more flights to go over the next few months and the whole time I'll be thinking "Am I here or did we go down so fast I couldn't even register it and now this is limbo and we are never going to land! Maybe if the foods good I can take it."
Days before this happened I rode calmly and quietly in the back of a black car waiting for the long over night flight to see my old friend Big Ben.
Surprisingly, this time I didn't use the taxi service GT's Mom had on file. The last two times we called them it was some beaten down car with a driver that probably had a few drinks before picking us up. I always thought the car was their home and I wouldn't have been surprised to see bottles of pee rolling around. On the upside we did learn a lot about the mafia and his former homes through out Brooklyn as he speed and swerved. However, this time I was traveling alone and I wanted to reserve my fear for the flight only - not release it all before I even had my luggage checked. So I called Dial 7. Well, actually I booked it online a day before. It was convenient and turned out to be a very good move.
The night of my travel I got a call from the Driver saying he'll be five to ten minutes late. Well, that's not a big deal I thought. I booked it early anyways. So when ten minutes passed and he did arrive I thought okay this is gonna be an easy trip. After he helped me with my huge suitcase and off we went in the plush leather seating. The driver drove calmly, no hint of anything on his breath, no "history" lessons as we drove - just silence. To me that's the best way to go. I'd rather space out than have to make chit chat - Where are you going? Where have you been? And how the Driver thinks that place has it's faults like in their home country.... Blah Blah. Just drive.
The airport had a huge line. I always just walked in but this time it was a wait. Right behind me was some elderly pushy Eastern European couple. Every inch I moved they were right their on top of me. Even putting their suitcase practically on mine wherever I stopped it. Personal space isn't in some vocabularies - is it?
At the check in they said my bag was too heavy so I was that girl opening my luggage to the world so they could all see I packed my period underwear while my ass cracked beamed brightly to the others waiting in line behind me. Probably gritting their teeth thinking who is this arsehole repacking in the airport?
That would be me. Finally I juggled my many tank tops and shoes into my carry on - allowing my luggage to just make it through. There was no way I was going to spend 40 bucks to allow for 10 more pounds of impulsive packing.
The rest of the wait was just dull. I changed my out going message on my cell. Got into a tiff with some British bloke who tried to cut me in line at the little store. You know... the norm.
However, boarding the plane I noticed a middle aged couple - couldn't make out where they were from but they just side swiped the check in process and snuck behind the counter to board. I looked around asking with a puzzled look ' did anyone see that?' I thought 'oh no! Who are these people boarding my plane!' But I'm not a Republican so I didn't go shouting the T word around. Even though if they had done racial profiling they would have fit the bill. That's probably why they tried to just board - so they wouldn't be harassed in the process.
We sat on the plane for a good hour before take off. The captain said we were number 21 in the Que. Apparently JFK was more congested than the highway surrounding it. No surprise there.
Up we went and I was so shocked that I had not even a twinge of fear! The whole ride I was like 'I can do this.' Heck put me on the wing and lets see if I can hold on. I was so confident I even fantasised about going skydiving. Well.... briefly. After what felt like days I looked down to see the shores of Ireland. It was actually the first time I had flown in to the UK that it was a clear day out. The view was breathtaking and I thought - why did I put my camera in the over head?
As much as I enjoyed the view over Ireland and the rest of Britain when it came time to land I was over it. But then we had to literally circle the airport waiting for our slot to land. And our plane circled and circled and circled. It was on a tilt for a good solid 15 mins! I thought I was going to upchuck the weird apple pastry thingy they called breakfast. Actually, I was always very impressed with BA's food but this time it was like every other plane. What happened British Airways? I've only been gone a year. Not only that but this plane had to be a good fifteen to ten years old. The inside was falling apart. It wasn't the usual two story one with the fancy video menu that let you pick any movie and TV show you wanted to watch anytime. No. This was turn on - turn off and most of the flight the entertainment was turned off. Why did I spend so much money for service I could get on American Airlines? Lets just hope the flight back is more the norm.. and not an airbus that can just disappear!
We landed safely and quickly once they got the go ahead. And I'm not gonna lie - some butterflies did come back because that drop was - like I said - quick.
When we were taxing I noticed the other BA planes were being let out by an unfinished terminal and the passengers were boarding buses and I thought shit.
So of course the same was true for us. We waited in the parked plane for what felt like forever but was probably really 10 to 15 mins again. We get out and squeezed onto the bus. By this time it's late morning in London but only 5am in New York and I hadn't slept on the plane. I also had the worlds biggest headache. So I shuffle onto this bus and waited for the rest of the plane to follow. Off we went around the airport. Then at the terminal I raced to immigration. This is where the semi good trip went bad.
In line another bloke just cut me. What is with these British men? Can't stand behind a woman? You have a Queen for christsakes... should be used to it. Of course because of this it meant I got a different immigration officer than I should have. Now no one on the plane gave me the immigration card and it had been a year since I flew international but I vaguely remembered having to fill one out. So I found some and being so sleep deprived couldn't make it all out. I filled in what I knew.
This immigration officer I got wasn't having it though. "Why isn't this filled out right?" I looked at her with vacant eyes and shrugged. She huffed and tried to hand it back to me but changed tactics mid stream. 'Where are you staying?" Again I shrugged "My friends house?" She glared daggers at me. "Where's your return ticket?" She grumbled. "In my email." I say as stone face as possible. This is when she lost it. "What do you mean?You come here unprepared? You're supposed to have all this information ready and waiting!" Then she looked at my passport. "What are you doing here and for how long?" "I'm in my last year of school. I've come to finish." "Your visa is expired! Why didn't you renew this?" I didn't know what to say at first. "It's a three year Visa - it can't be expired." She holds it up. "What does that say?" I read it and of course it ended in '08.' "And what year is it now?" she barked. "09" I said defeated. Then she went off on me some more. Well sorry lady, I really did think it was a three year Visa. 'I'm tired. My head hurts and I have a 50 pound bag waiting for me to drag all over your fine city.' But I don't say any of that. I just whipped out my blackberry and hoped it would turn on. I found the email where HR gave me her address of where I would be staying. The officer wrote it down and then grilled me on how long I would be staying in her country. Only three weeks I pleaded. "You won't be trying to get a job here will you?" Then I knew how a Mexican felt. "No" I say in my now humble expression. I knew tears wouldn't work on this lady. She just wanted to dominate and have her subordinates thankful but not teary eyed - that shows weakness. I apologized a hundred times. She takes it in. There was a good solid moment where I watched her way the options. "I'm gonna give you a temporary Student Visa... this time. But I almost sent you right back on that plane. If you come back you get your stuff sorted!" Once that stamp hit paper I grabbed my passport and ran like the wind before she had time to reconsider.
My luggage came right away and out I went hoping HR would find me. Of course she was on top of it, with an extra tube pass waiting and ready. It was so strange. It hadn't felt like I had ever left London. Granted I didn't remember any of the train lines but it was slowly coming back. As we raced to the trains I thought this is gonna be fun...or at least something to write home about.
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