We started our around-the-world-trip with a series of flights. First from Tampere to Stockholm, where we changed planes. Then Stockholm to London, where we had an overnight stop. And then a nice 12-hour flight from London to Tokyo. Funnily enough the London-Tokyo flight crossed over Finland’s airspace making us wonder why we couldn’t just be picked up from Tampere since we flew over it anyway.

That makes it a total of about 16 hours of flying in a short amount of time. That is not even close my record (I once was stupid enough to fly New Zealand to Finland in one go, that’s about 24 hours in a plane plus layovers) but it was enough to annoy me. Actually any amount of flying is enough to annoy me. I would like to say that if it was possible I’d take the train instead of a plane everywhere but since it in some cases is possible and I still don’t do it, I can’t really say that. I do prefer train travel to air travel though and if it weren’t so slow and too expensive I’d definately travel by train a lot more. (Since we’re at it I’d actually like them to come up with teleporting soon, that would be the way of travel I’d prefer.)

Flying doesn’t scare me, that’s not it. I do get a little nervous during take off (especially if the plane makes funny noises) but I’m not scared of flying. I just hate it. I hate being stuck in a tiny, uncomfortable seat with hundreds of strangers, in a badly aircondintioned cabin, where it’s always either cold or hot. I hate trying to get comfortable in a seat, that declines just the annoying amount of giving you the illusion you’re reclined when you’re really not. I hate trying to get some sleep while knowing that I won’t get any ( I just can’t sleep in that bloody chair sitting upright). I hate how my face, hair, mouth and nostrals feel after few hours of cabin air. I hate the stomach aches the pressure of the cabin gives me. I hate it how people stare when you try to move around to strech your legs and back. I hate it how the entertainment system never works the way it should, how you never get to see the movies from start to finish. And I hate it that knowing all this I still fly.

I have flown with 14 different airlines and allthough they not all the same, they’re same enough. Only time I can honestly say I have enjoyed my flight was when I flew with Malaysian Airlines. To be fair I will have to admit that it was only a 5 hour flight, during daytime and it was my only flight within three week period but still I remember that flight with pleasure. Service and facilites on that flight were so good, that it almost made me sad to reach our destination. I would have wanted to see another movie from their great selection, take a nap on that perfectly reclining seat, read my book. And oh, that hot towel they gave to freshen up – heaven.