Volver

Day 74

Thursday

I have NEVER enjoyed any flight I have ever taken. I have always suffered looking out above the sea of clouds in great anxiety that we might plummet back down through them to Earth. I am one of those people who simply hate to fly.

But there is ONE exception - my flight I took back to Malaga. I flew business class and I’ve never been treated better. This one shining moment of peace, relaxation and delight amidst the countless nail biters is all due to the best uncle in the world- UNCLE SCOTTY D!

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH UNCLE SCOTT! I AM FOREVER INDEBTED TO YOU!! BEST. FLIGHT. EVER. EVER. EVER.

It was an overwhelming experience of luxury; I was ill prepared to soak it all up. The flight attendant showed me to my seat and as I was about to climb into the mammoth couch they had assigned me she asked if she couldn’t hang up my coat for me. I paused, I didn’t even know they had closets on planes, “No, but thank you, I think I’ll hang on to it for now.” (You never know when you’ll need to get up and go. Best to keep your things close, right?) Not being able to take my coat the attendant brought me a glass, yes a glass of water. Lounging back into my seat I was swimming in extra space. What I shall describe next passed in a dream like manner, with the most wonderful friend seated next to me, Mike, the auditor who calls the world his home because he travels 90% of the year. Complimentary blankets warmed us; headphones connected us to a storehouse of videos and music while complimentary toiletries kept us fresh. Warmed nuts were placed ‘bed’side for our munching enjoyment, until the first course was served on plates, real live plates. Not having much of an appetite for the odd Italian tasting green bean and pinto bean salad like entrée I tried to give the tray back to the flight attendant when she came back around and she looked at me with great concern, “Are you not going to have your hot plate ma’am’?” “Oh dear, I get a hot plate?” I retorted. “Of course, you didn’t think that little thing is all we would give you? Hahaha” “Well, with companies cutting budgets, I wasn’t sure, I was about to dig into the PB sandwiches I packed just in case. Haha” She just shook her head and laughed and took away my plate, advising me to keep my tray. She traded the icky vegetables for a delightful Indian meal of cous cous and malasaa and an eggplant dish. And it tasted like real food. After dessert of ice-cream drizzled with coffee liqueur they came around with tea. And more importantly my dear attendant came by to show me how to fully extend my seat so I could sleep. Yes I actually slept on a flight. Didn’t know anyone actually could. I felt like I was at some odd sleep over, chatting with Mike about prostitution and the CPA exam, with intermittent marathon sessions of The Office. Nearing landing I was given a friendly reminder that I had a 20 minute window to use the restroom and freshen up, only to find breakfast awaiting me when I returned. People say you can’t buy happiness, well, I tell you what, maybe not, but you sure can buy Princess Treatment. Landing in Zurich I gave myself a pat on the back for resisting the urge to curl up in fetal position on the floor, the swarthy space of floor in front of my seat.

Needless to say the connecting flight from Zurich to Malaga was more a kin to the transport of cattle in a compact truck.

Landing in Malaga and just walking out…and knowing where to walk out to was surreal. A remarkably more positive experience than my first landing. I laughed as I walked by the Info Desk, don’t need a map this time.

I walked back into Malaga, back into the city with odd store hours and wild night life and dead pig legs hanging everywhere, and took a hard hit by some jet lag.

Attempting to fight off the tiger like attack of exhaustion I took a forced march jaunt along the beach. My senses too dulled with desire to sleep, I half heartedly took in the sunshine, the beach, the ocean and the breeze. On the return trip back to my bed a small yellow butterfly popped into view and floated over my right shoulder up to the palm trees chirping with parrots. And in the moment the exhaustion fell from my face and a smile appeared what a small miracle with grace greater than its passing size. (A telltale sign of the rising vernal crescendo?)

And with that I slept for 13 hours straight.