Yikes! So, I bit the bullet this morning and told B to go ahead and get me a plane ticket as well for our vacation in April. I didn't want to fly. I was going to let B and K fly while I took the train. However, a number of factors convinced me that it was time to get back on the horse.
1) The cheapest round trip train ticket would have had me on a train for NINE HOURS. The least amount of time I could have spent on the train would have been a little over six hours. And the tickets would have cost twice as much as a plane ticket.
2) We were able to find non-stop flights between Manchester and Reagan National in DC, that would have us in the air for about 90 minutes.
3) If I am lucky enough to have found a new job, I don't want to have to miss an additional day of work so I can leave ahead of my family.
4) I think I can convince my doctor to prescribe some anti-anxiety drugs for the flights (that I can take with the anti-nausea drugs).
5) I really don't want to be ruled by my fears.
For those of you who don't know, this is HUGE for me. I have two major strikes against me when it comes to air travel. First, I am EXTREMELY prone to motion sickness. Second, I used to be afraid to fly. Since 9/11, I am categorically terrified of flying.
If this trip goes ok (I am NOT kidding myself that it will go "well") maybe I'll be able to reawaken some long buried travel fantasies. I would really like to go to Iceland, Ireland, the U.K., and maybe even mainland Europe. Iceland is the big one that the air travel prohibition was bumming me out on.
So, now I can move on to the fun part of vacation planning, making lists of things to take and things I'd like to do while we're there. And, yes, I know that it's a sad thing that I find list making fun. But, get over it, I'm obsessive so I like to make lists.
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4 comments:
#1: Refuse to use the "new" name for the airport, Washington National already memorializes a perfectly good president, no need to tack on a new name -- regardless of what you think about that president.
#2: Don't even think about visiting DC (and flying in to Our airport with saying, "Hi!"
Give me a break. I told you we were coming in April MONTHS ago! (grin)
Yeah, I don't like the new name. Of course, I grew up in Baltimore. And, up until I was in high school, the airport was called "Friendship Airport". For marketing purposes, they decide to change the pleasant name like that and turn it into "Baltimore Washington International airport". Bah!
Keep up with the times -- its BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport now. Seriously, I know how you feel about flying. I have to pretend not to be bothered about it, so Michael doesn't pick up on my fears and develop his own. But travel is so worth the terrible terrible time in the air.
For me, one odd discovery I have made is that I like flying in the really small (like 12 seater) planes. I can see the pilot, can verify that he is not wasted, trashed, drunk off his ass, etc. That seems to be a really calming thing for a control freak like me. I really thought I would be even more fearful on a little plane, since I won't even look out the window on a large plane. I ask for an aisle or middle seat, just to be away from the window. And, even as an agnostic of the first degree, I pray through the entire takeoff and landing. To who, I have no idea!
Wow! Good for you. Before you know it, you'll be flying out to San Diego to go to Comic con! ;-) Good luck!
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