My first solo trip by plane fell short of the travel ads. I blame the false sense of security that my airport experience fabricated. I had no issues with trains (for once!), crossed the security border without being drug-tested and arrived at my seat with maximum time to spare and scheduled departure on time. So, I relaxed and allowed my thoughts to finally drift to the week of holiday joy ahead.
I took little notice of the woman next to me as our plane taxied down the runway. I only recall feeling relieved to sit next to an adult who appeared to be taking a nap and was unlikely to disturb me. No one enjoys crying babies, so what I had was, in theory, the ideal setup. Peace and quiet! How could I have known? During take-off, the breathing tone shifted to a focused intensity. She appeared to be meditating. I must have still been in denial at this stage and unable to acknowledge my impending suffering. Someone exercising relaxation methods from the kick-off is never going to accept the realities of flying with ease. The plane jolted as it levelled. She started to pant. I felt that pit of dread in my stomach as I became increasingly aware that I could be potentially suffering for the two hours ahead.
Karma for my selfish thoughts hit, and we ran into the worst turbulence I have ever experienced. The plane was shuddering, rocking and tilting as far to each side as possible without flipping. The woman began to panic and scream. Her screams echoed my internal screams into the universe. Her outcries did not stop! I was in such agony that the only movement I could manage was marginal eye contact with other passengers to ensure I had not entered a parallel dimension.
Ultimately, we all reacted as Brits do; we put our heads down and pretended it wasn’t happening, which was no mean feat for the two-hour duration. The flight attendants were fantastic and did their best to calm her with limited resources. She was offered an alternative seat, a bag to breathe into and as many drinks as needed. But I can never travel again without the fear of vicariously living through a stranger’s nightmare!
Words by Yolanda Prince
Featured image courtesy of Erik Odiin via Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image. Image license found here.