Taking flight

For the Writers Island prompt "flight," there was a time in my life when I was on a plane practically every week...a hectic, thrilling and unpredictable time when it sometimes seemed I took planes almost like other people took taxis.

Most of those flights were thankfully, rather uneventful. But there was one trip when the police wouldn't let me out of the airport in Kuwait. Seems the consul at the Kuwait Embassy in Amman, Jordan had deliberately left an essential stamp off my visa, because I politely spurned his advances. As I was wearing a dress and high heels, the police jumped to the conclusion that I must be some rich man's personal plaything. Luckily, an executive for Kuwait Airways was meeting me at the airport and raised a ruckus until they let me pass.

Another time I got on a plane in an Arab country and prayed for it to hurry and take off, before guards tried to arrest me for something I wrote that angered the government - to the point the magazine in which my article appeared was confiscated! When the plane finally lifted off the ground, I breathed a huge sign of relief, certain I'd escaped hours of questioning - and perhaps worse - about my confidential sources.

In those days airport officials were very suspicious of a young woman traveling on her own, even if one did carry proper international press credentials. In one Middle Eastern airport, the customs officers searching my bags - and me - were so intrusive, I cursed them in Arabic (I was young) and threatened to phone their foreign minister. They were shocked that an American girl was speaking Arabic to them - never mind what I'd said - and immediately apologised and became very solicitious.

Once flying from London to Amman, I was bringing back extra luggage for my friend Lindsay, who worked at an international school. Her brother had met me in London with two suitcases jammed with clothes, videos, books and treats from home. So the airline confiscated my passport, told me I couldn't leave the airport until I paid the excess baggage fee and informed me they were seizing the luggage. Of course, I was more than a little annoyed - this was my thanks for doing a favour for a friend - but I decided the airline really couldn't do much to me.

Near the end of the flight, I persuaded a male flight attendant to give me my passport. He said, "OK, but you'll have to leave those extra suitcases at the airport." As the baggage carousel came around, there were no guards to be seen. So I grabbed my bags and Lindsay's and sailed into a waiting taxi. The next day, the airline created quite the kerfuffle about me "absconding" with the extra bags, but a Jordanian friend who worked for the airline resolved the problem so Lindsay didn't have to pay a fine.

Flying from Amman to New York, I was seated in business class and a group of tourists kept asking for my autograph. Seems they had me confused with a Canadian actress. I was so ill with food poisoning, I'd barely been able to board the plane. I didn't feel like repeatedly explaining, "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not her!" Finally a flight attendant took pity on me and moved me to a quiet corner in first class.

Then there were all those flights when I was giddy with excitement, flying into the arms of a man I loved - or tearful farewells, as each of us boarded planes going in opposite directions. I have many, many travel stories which I will save for an upcoming book.

These days I hate flying, particularly the trans-Atlantic flights. I do everything possible to distract myself from the fact that I'm on a plane - reading, writing, watching a film, listening to music, chatting with my fellow passengers - anything to make the time pass without thinking about being in a plane. Beginning in May, I have nine flights coming up - and as much as I'm looking forward to seeing my daughter and friends at the other end of the flights, I regard the actual travel part as something that must be endured.

What about you? What's your best or worst air travel story?

Lehnert and Landrock photo, Tunis, early 20th-century

Comments

[Jeanie]

I can't say I've ever been fond of flying. It's not the crashing I'm worried about. It's the fact that I'm less likely to survive it if we do. I only had one really challenging flight -- that was on Frontier airlines, going from Flagstaff, Arizona to Phoenix during a lightning storm. Very turbulent and I was delighted to feel land under my feet. I've experienced a few crabby babies and poor seatmates, but nothing to threaten life! When in Japan, we had wished for "one more day." We should have been more specific, as our one more day (and night) was largely spent in the Nagoya airport (mechanical failure, so we were glad to be in the airport, I guess!). They finally shipped us off to a hotel too late to do much! I think I shouldn't travel with you -- though the adventures would be good to share!

[Becca]

Wow, you have travel stories no one can touch! Next time I'm tempted to complain, I'll have to remember this post :)

I have never liked flying, and would never have believed I would fly as much as I do - at least once every six weeks we're back and forth between here and Florida, which has come to seem like little more than a trip to the grocery store.

Certainly my most memorable flight was being in the air the morning of September 11, 2001, en route to Florida. We were told we were making an "unscheduled landing due to an issue of national security." We landed in Greensboro, North Carolina, where we spent three days before we were able to get a bus to Fort Myers. Three days glued to the television, wondering what was going to happen next.

Tavel is always exciting, isn't it?

[Tumblewords]

I, too, am looking forward to your book. As a frequent flyer in days gone by, I was arrested in Germany, in France, detained in Mexico and for a brief period of time flew with and trained attendants for a regional carrier - I'm quite tired of flying by mechanicals. Grin. Great post!

[Vanessa]

Incredible!! i can't wait for the book!!! My worst, food poisoning while in such awful turbulents, I thought my heart would pop out of my body.... oxoxox

[Dorian Fletcher]

My word, Tara! There's certainly a book in you if these stories are any indication. You are one
spunky lady! My only airline stories are relief when the plane is able to take off and land safely! I did have a wonderful private plane flight over Yosemite before they instituted small plane restrictions. The flight home to the Central Valley was magical - the sky looked like midnight blue velvet and there was just the barest hint of a sunset to the west. A wonderful memory made even better by the fact that I had serious doubts about getting into a small plane.

[Mark McLellan]

PP.

Our best flight was back in 2001 when we had scraped togther enough airmiles for one business class flight to Australia. Using our Amex BA card two-for-one voucher we claimed two business class tickets.

Just as we were getting on the plane the attendant took our boarding cards and scribbled 3A and 3B on the stub. Hardly believing our luck we had, indeed, been bumped to First Class. Well if you have to be upgraded it might as well be on a 23 hour flight.

Then Mary's seat was selected for the questionnaire including "Do you think this flight was good value for money?" Two first class flights to Australia for free! Yes I should say so and, yes, I would like a class of Krug thank you :-)

MM.

[yoli]

I am so impressed with you. I want to be you when I grow up. Except I am already grown up.... International flights, woman of mystery, swearing in Arabic. Listen, you write a book and I will be one of the first to buy it.

My worst flight was in the middle of a snow storm in a tiny two seater plane. We made an emergency landing and I SWORE, never to fly again. I was flying again a month after. It is a love/hate relationship. I have too much wonderlust to let my terror of flying keep me from traveling. Actually, even as a dirt poor student, I would work like an animal so that I could at least take one trip per year.

I love the photo Tara.

[My Melange]

Tara,

My worst travel story just happened to me on my trip to Paris. Actually it was my return trip. I have been waiting to tell the story on my blog...but I needed time to *get over it* first. Hmm, maybe the time has come....

[marita]

i had a blast reading you swearing in arabic ;)) living similar situations at airports. but the best way to get their respect, that's for sure!!

telling the stories about my plane(tajarah)and airport adventures might fill some pages as well. hilarious, embarassing, frightning, sad, joyfull!
yet i'm afraid nobody would read them.

let me know when yours are coming out tara ;))

[RD]

I love traveling to new places; I hate the means of transportation. Anxiously awaiting the teleporter. My worst flying experience was the one where I was escorting a group of students on an excursion and the plane caught on fire (small electrical fire), the cabin filled with smoke, the pilot dropped 10K feet in what felt like seconds, a dimwitted flight attendant in a red sweater ran up and down the aisle shouting "Evacuate!" and we all jumped down the chutes on the sides of the plane, to meet the hazmat teams in shiny silver suits and the fire trucks that surrounded the plane. My students were all dispersed at this point, and I was panicked about having to meet parents and tell them I'd no idea where their kids had landed. Fortunately, it all turned out okay and we continued on our educational adventure--which was another hair-raising experience in itself. Those grounded planes with the wiring problems that are causing all the problems this week? Let's just say that the company should have taken care of that 20+ years ago.

[UL]

i hate flying but i was forced to do it over the last decade, distraction is my policy...i once got stuck in a very small aircraft, a local flight from Philly to Boston, and the weather conditions were bad, I was accompanied by a colleague who had a bad experience flying...and the forty minutes on flight with him is one of the worst memories of my life!

[Gillian]

OH I love Lehnert and Landrock due to Maryam's intro...very nice photo.
Tara....you have to write this book soon.
I would love to read about your life thus far...you are so intelligent, and worldly and insightful...a book would be welcomed!!!!
Flying stinks. Especially Air Canada. Except when they bumped me to first class and I had peace and quiet to Los Angeles and lots of attention up there. It was very nice. But riding in steerage sucks!
Flying is uncomfortable, dehydrating (very bad for the skin) and it gives you varicose veins. No kidding.
I wish you nothing but hydration, smooth sailing and comfy legs the whole nine flights!!!!
xoxo

[deirdre]

I haven't traveled nearly as much as I would like, but my favorite moment is when I feel the wheels leave the ground and we are ... flying. Love. It. On the other hand, when the plane lands I want off immediately. I'm fine during the flight, but the second the engines shut off claustrophobia sets in with a vengance.

[Terina]

my worst flight was out of DC going to Frankfurt. we had to fly through a snow storm. my son had just had sugery, i was two months pregnant, and i thought we would never make it. the only way to describe it was like an earthquake for over an hour. when i fly now (which i had to do a franfurt to dallas flight) i am a mess. i avoid flying if i can. if someone could sedate me, i would be just fine. but two small children need my attention, so no sedation for me.

once i was flying with my infant (after 9/11) and going through security was pure torture as you have to take everything out of the stroller, take of my shoes, take baby out of seat, and manage to put everything on the belt, then walk through with the baby. then i have to put everything back together, get shoes one.... anyway, i had a guy behind me very rudely ask if he could go ahead of me (i was in the stroller/handicapped line) and the security guy told him no, and said, "ma'am, you take your time." :)

[kelly snelling]

oh these stories make me laugh! how i wish i had been your partner in crime! i would have loved to have been by your side as we swore in arabic! lol! it sounds seriously adventurous! i can't say that i've ever had any extremely exciting in-flight snafus. the most trouble i've run into had to do with traveling with small children. i turn somersaults out of a plane once. that really was an adventure in the air.

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Ah Tara, sounds like you had a thrilling time! LOL

I didn't run into those problems flying in and out of Iran. My husband likes to fly very light - I mean 1 carry on per person. Well, mine was small but I had crammed so much stuff in it that it weight too much and I had to check it in. Problem was we were already late for a flight to Paris, when I see the agent throwing my suitcase on the luggage belt without the usual tag on it. Immediately screaming for them to stop the belt, I ended up watching helplessly as it turned the corner and was out of sight.

We made a run for the plane, me already sour about a lousy trip start. When we got to Paris, the suitcase made it miraculously and with spirits much lifted we checked into a nice hotel. We freshed up, left the window open for some cool air and went outside for a little stroll.

When we came back everything was gone. The room was made up as if we never had set foot in it.

Immediate thought was "Who left the window open?" But as it goes, after frantic calls to the front desk, half an hour later an apologetic porter carrying our luggage made his way back to our room. He got the room number wrong and thought we were "Checking out!"

[tinker]

I'm not much of a traveler, other than armchair, nowadays - but even what traveling I did, I don't think I've ever had nearly the excitement you've encountered. I am so looking forward to reading about more of your adventures - what a great book that will be!~XOXO

[Laume]

Clearly I jumped into your stories late in the telling - sounds like a book is definitely in order! Planes - ugh. I don't hate flying. A tad nervous perhaps, but I can easily distract myself with reading, chatting, knitting. Long flights are just BORING. I've only been on one flight were I was truly frightened. I had the misfortune to be sitting where I had a front row seat to a suspicious situation and,because my mom used to date a U.S. Air Marshall, and I had heard enough stories to know what I was seeing, I spent a lot of that trip waiting with my heart in my throat for the plane to land. Which it did. Safely. Where it then took three times as long to process us all through customs. UGH. I'd happily embrace boring again.

This trip over will be with hubby, who is "Meg Ryan in French Kiss", only taller and with facial hair. Sigh. It's going to be a looooong plane ride.

[Tammy]

I actually was hoping you would write a book on your travels. You are a brave woman journalist who has a mind of her own with a great passion.

I do understand that travel can get old after doing so much of it and I'm happy to know you're leading a safer life now.

Wonderful stories! XXOO

[boliyou]

My god you've lived an interesting life!

[amber]

So fun to read these, and picture your life and adventures!

Why are you bothered NOW to fly?? lol! Did you develop a phobia?

:)

[tangobaby]

I love these tantalizing tidbits! I want more!

When you write the book, I will be first in line at your personal appearance in san Francisco.

None of my stories could be nearly as exciting or interesting or dangerous as yours. I had a horrible flight once where we circled and circled for what seemed like forever over Dallas/Fort Worth where there were tornadoes and there was no place to land, hearing the pilot say we had to find a place soon because we were low on fuel, and everyone was freaking out. And a miraculous vision of the darkest sky and moon over Uruguay when I was flying to Argentina to dance tango.

Probably my favorite memories of flying were from when I was a little kid. Flying TWA and PanAm and those other great airlines that don't exist anymore. When flying was magical and little kids got pins with wings and toys and stewardesses gave you little fun meals and you could say hi to the pilot.

I am sad for the kids today that they will never have those experiences on a plane.

[stephanie]

Tara, these would certainly make for a great read. I used to travel for work quite a bit, but not overseas, so I've had my share of travel hell stories.

The worst most recent was our vacation trip to Spain when we missed our connection to Marrakesh waiting in queues where no one seemed to take notice that there was a queue and ran back and forth through these lines between terminals, once to realize I had left my purse with passport at the counter where I was playing the role of the ugly American, screaming and crying...uugghhh, all ended well, but it was not a pretty picture.

Your picture here reminds me of A Thousand Splendid Suns which I read in the past 2 days sniffling with a cold in bed.

[Crafty Green Poet]

You've certainly had some eventful flights! I don't fly much at all, I try to avoid it (mostly for environmental reasons but also because I don't enjoy it and I particularly hate the waiting at the airport).