Last weekend my wife and I went to Nashville, Tennessee. Two reasons. One, to have a weekend together without the kids, and two, to face down my fear of flying.
As long as I can remember I have had a fear of flying. Well, not flying so much as crashing, but let's not mince words. Suffice to say, until April 19th 2013 I had not set foot on an airplane. But only partially due to my fear of crashing. I also have always maintained that driving on a trip is better than flying. When you drive there is a bit of romance to it- the Great American Road Trip. Not only can you see the sights (giant twine ball anyone?), but you get to connect to the road and the wide open spaces. Not only do you see but you experience the America you are traveling through. Also, you can pick your own rest/food stops, and it's a lot easier to control the music. Okay, so I took my iPod along, but listening to a tinny little mp3 player for a short flight vs. my big boomy stereo for several hours? Come on. No comparison.
The other factor keeping me off of planes for the past ten years or so has been my disdain for the heightened security measures since 9/11. Well, more for the execution than the measures themselves. I had heard nothing but horror stories from people I knew who had run afoul of an overzealous TSA agent or been delayed for mystifying reasons. Like an ex co-worker who took his wife to Rome for their anniversary. She broke her leg a week before and the TSA agents actually cut off her cast (um...hello...x-rays!). Or those men and women who told me that the "pat down" procedure was much more invasive than they were comfortable with.
So why fly then? Apart from facing my fears, which we all must do from time to time, it has become a matter of necessity. You see, I am being sent to a week long conference/seminar this summer by my employer. I was told in no uncertain terms that I would not be allowed to drive. Even if I bought my own gas and signed a waiver. Apart from the insurance issue (which I would have relieved them of responsibility in relation to the travel) the logic was that it would be easier to have all of us who are going travel together so no one got lost, disappeared, or um, something or other else. I don't know, they pissed me off and I stopped listening. It did present a dilemma though. I was informed that if I really couldn't get on a plane I didn't have to go. But I only had a few days to decide. So my choices were to punk out on the conference and risk being thought of as "not a team player" or do what I had always sworn I wouldn't do and fly.
So I decided to fly. It was not an easy decision, as I felt I had been forced into it and my concerns fell on deaf ears, but it seemed to be the only one that a responsible father of three could make. Which brings me back to last weekend's flight. I thought that if I was going to freak out in the airplane or at the airport it would be better to have my wife at my side who is an angel and would be kind and supportive as opposed to the guys at work who would never let me live it down. So I did a practice run, and a short flight, just to get it under my belt. You know, after I put it back on from the security check.
So how did it go? Pretty smoothly actually. No real troubles in security for me, though my wife got a pat down because she wore a long skirt (which she is now obligated to do for any future flights). Her check was brief and non-evasive and we were quickly on our way. To wait for an hour and a half. Kind of ironic.
I was a bit nervous upon boarding the plane, but not too terribly. After all, I had resigned to my fate and whatever would happen would happen. Turned out that nothing happened. The flight was trouble free, with only a mild bump or two in the air. The sensation of the ascent was interesting. It reminded me of roller coasters I used to love as a kid, but it went on far too long for my forty year old self and I felt a bit disorientated the entire flight. This happened on the return flight too.
It also turns out that movies and t.v. lied to me about what the inside of an airplane looks like. It always seems a little bit spacious with room to breathe on t.v., even with the flight is full. Not the case in real life. I am not claustrophobic, but I was crowded and uncomfortable, even in the aisle seat. On the return flight I had a window seat and that was much better, I enjoyed watching the flight in progress and actually felt safer somehow. Weird, but true.
So my final verdict is that yes, I can fly if necessary but I choose not to if it can be helped. Though it was no big deal I didn't like the preparation for the flight-the security stuff is still a pain and it winds up being a hurry up and wait situation. I don't mind waiting or hurrying but they mix about as well as dog sweat and soda water. The plane is cramped, the air is stale, and I don't enjoy the overall feeling. sure, it's fast but to me flying is a poor substitute for the comfort, control and freedom driving to your destination. I will fly to Colorado in June for work. I would fly to take the kids to Disneywhatever or to go to Ireland/UK.
Otherwise it's the open road for me.
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