Hello Everybody,
Let me tell you about my flying adventures. I flew out of JFK on Nov.22nd at late night on Virgin Atlantic. I got to the airport on time, and was flying with my boss and her husband. They asked me to wait for them before security, and when we finally met they dragged me off to the VIP lounge for some champaign and pate. There they sat bewildered as i told them that we have to leave soon because i have to meet to captain. They found it fascinating, they were flying first class and walked with me to see the pilots and cracked few jokes. The pilots were nice, i was calm and giggly. it might of been champaign )
As i lingered at the first class for a while, i saw Sir Paul McCartney and an actor from Sopranos. Also met up there with a hairstylist whom we worked with who passed me a sleeping pill which i took with hesitation, i look to face my fears sober. I was calm, a bit nervous at the take off, as soon as we reached good height, and everybody fell asleep, i fell asleep also, i took the pill, i was very relaxed even before i took it. I slept few hours, but awoke when the plane had few bumps, but i actually, I CANT BELIEVE I AM SAYING THIS, i enjoyed them. They rocked me back to sleep. Landing in London was a bit bumpy and long. Overall good flight. At the baggage claim I met up with boss, and her husband said Paul McCartney was talkative and he was a bit nervous about me when we hit a rough patch of air, but i dont remember rough at all.
The flight back was a bit different, i flew back on my birthday. I was a bit more nervous this time. I notice i get really worked up right before i meet the captain. On this flight the captain was one of the more talkative ones. He was delighted to see me. He said that before 9/11 he used to be able to receive people at the cabin all the time. He enjoyed sitting people down at the chair and press few buttons. He said it always made such a great difference to the fear flyers. He was talking so much, i actually had to tell him that i need to sit down. He showed me his favorite thing about a airbus, it was the tiny desk in front of him, he said he gets a lot of paperwork done at it when its cruise time. He also showed me the joystick that he flies the plane with, it looked like a toy. He also mentioned that he realizes its a control issues that most people have a problem with flying, you just cant get off the plane if you are uncomfortable.
I was sitting in a 4 seat row with a young man. I realized when he asked me to move one seat over that i am not comfortable sitting "alone", i asked him if i can seat right next to him, he agreed. During the take off i was nervous, I realized its because there is no turning back, my anxiety was around 2-3 during the first hour or so. Then i was calmer, i did 5-4-3-2-1, but everytime i did them, i drifted to sleep, but woke up often, there was a crying baby near. I listened to Capt. Tom to go videos and eventually after 2 hours in flight i was calm. I had a glass of wine with dinner and another later, but it just gave me a wicked headache and no sleep. The landing once again was bumpy and longer then i expected. The were few bumps, but i watched few people around me and the staff was serving drinks so no worries there.
Overall, i will fly again soon, i want to. i just have to figure out why sitting alone made me so nervous.
The crew of Virgin Atlantic was great, they kept asking meif i did the program with them and the pilots on the way back asked me the same thing. I remember i saw the "relaxing" program on the entertainment program, but i couldnt find it on the way back.
Let me tell you about my flying adventures. I flew out of JFK on Nov.22nd at late night on Virgin Atlantic. I got to the airport on time, and was flying with my boss and her husband. They asked me to wait for them before security, and when we finally met they dragged me off to the VIP lounge for some champaign and pate. There they sat bewildered as i told them that we have to leave soon because i have to meet to captain. They found it fascinating, they were flying first class and walked with me to see the pilots and cracked few jokes. The pilots were nice, i was calm and giggly. it might of been champaign )
As i lingered at the first class for a while, i saw Sir Paul McCartney and an actor from Sopranos. Also met up there with a hairstylist whom we worked with who passed me a sleeping pill which i took with hesitation, i look to face my fears sober. I was calm, a bit nervous at the take off, as soon as we reached good height, and everybody fell asleep, i fell asleep also, i took the pill, i was very relaxed even before i took it. I slept few hours, but awoke when the plane had few bumps, but i actually, I CANT BELIEVE I AM SAYING THIS, i enjoyed them. They rocked me back to sleep. Landing in London was a bit bumpy and long. Overall good flight. At the baggage claim I met up with boss, and her husband said Paul McCartney was talkative and he was a bit nervous about me when we hit a rough patch of air, but i dont remember rough at all.
The flight back was a bit different, i flew back on my birthday. I was a bit more nervous this time. I notice i get really worked up right before i meet the captain. On this flight the captain was one of the more talkative ones. He was delighted to see me. He said that before 9/11 he used to be able to receive people at the cabin all the time. He enjoyed sitting people down at the chair and press few buttons. He said it always made such a great difference to the fear flyers. He was talking so much, i actually had to tell him that i need to sit down. He showed me his favorite thing about a airbus, it was the tiny desk in front of him, he said he gets a lot of paperwork done at it when its cruise time. He also showed me the joystick that he flies the plane with, it looked like a toy. He also mentioned that he realizes its a control issues that most people have a problem with flying, you just cant get off the plane if you are uncomfortable.
I was sitting in a 4 seat row with a young man. I realized when he asked me to move one seat over that i am not comfortable sitting "alone", i asked him if i can seat right next to him, he agreed. During the take off i was nervous, I realized its because there is no turning back, my anxiety was around 2-3 during the first hour or so. Then i was calmer, i did 5-4-3-2-1, but everytime i did them, i drifted to sleep, but woke up often, there was a crying baby near. I listened to Capt. Tom to go videos and eventually after 2 hours in flight i was calm. I had a glass of wine with dinner and another later, but it just gave me a wicked headache and no sleep. The landing once again was bumpy and longer then i expected. The were few bumps, but i watched few people around me and the staff was serving drinks so no worries there.
Overall, i will fly again soon, i want to. i just have to figure out why sitting alone made me so nervous.
The crew of Virgin Atlantic was great, they kept asking meif i did the program with them and the pilots on the way back asked me the same thing. I remember i saw the "relaxing" program on the entertainment program, but i couldnt find it on the way back.
