(S)trapped in
Hey, all! Thanks so much for all your good wishes for my trip – here I am, on the other side of the world, recovered from jet lag already.
Plane travel is exhausting, disorienting, annoying and many other things. It also infantalises travellers like none other mode of travel. It’s not just the security staff who speak to you slowly but loudly as if you were either deaf or retarded, barking out orders in elaborate legalese-politese and processing you on a long and complicated assembly line from dangerous unknowns into government-deemed safe travellers. It is also the feeling of being strapped into the small, uncomfortable seat for so many long hours, with food brought to you every few hours. You sleep, you eat, some sort of entertainment hovers in front of your eyes to keep you diverted, and then you sleep and eat some more. This is how babies must feel – slightly out of focus and irritable and trapped. The flight attendants also treat you with a combination of firmness-laced-with-nice that parents whose patience is about to snap use on kids running wild. If the airlines provided diapers with the headphones and acrylic blanket wrapped in plastic, I imagine our regression to infanthood would be complete.
Speaking of actual babies travelling, there seemed to be many more than usual on this flight. Or maybe my claustrophobia was conjuring them up all around me. They wailed and howled throughout – sometimes in unison, sometimes in harmony, but always in dreadful cacophony. It occurred to me that anyone unsure about whether they want children would do well to travel on a transcontinental flight surrounded by infants and toddlers before they make a final decision. But I do feel bad for the parents, who always have this hunted, apologetic look about them. It must be awful to juggle discomfort and disorientation with a shrieking baby and dark looks from people all around you. I was virtuous, though – in keeping with the whole kids theme, I took refuge in The Sound of Music. (Btw, these are the Regia socks I began on another transcontinental flight in February – 64 stitches on size 0 needles, very plain and simple.)
That’s one point for Continental, I gotta say, even if they do, rather horrifyingly, charge for alcohol on international flights (WHY do American airlines do that?) – they have a whole set of very diverse films for you to choose from on your own little individual screen. Along with Julie Andrews, I also indulged in Jane Austen, with the wonderful, smart Emma Thompson adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, and the godawful Keira Knightley adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. If you permit me to rant about this for a second, I wonder what Austen herself would have made of some rather odd moments in this adaptation. I didn’t mind that it took liberties with the dialogue – the S&S adaptation did too, but the ones in P&P somehow didn’t work as well, mostly because they seemed to turn this elegant narrative of manners into a faux-historical teenage drama. “Don’t you dare judge me, Lizzy!” Charlotte Lucas says (after choosing calmly to marry that horrible Mr. Collins), and that wooden Darcy, who looks like a confused, drowned rat with that oddly dishevelled look, unpardonably blurts out “I love you” instead of the glorious “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you” to Elizabeth Bennet. She, in turn, yells “Leave me alone!” to her family, slamming the door and running upstairs. WTF?? Ah well. At least the von Trapps were as familiar and saccharine as ever.
It is hot here, and very erratic and strong thunderstorms are allowing the electricity department to cut power even more than usual. But it’s also cool and breezy and deliciously overcast in the evenings, and I started a longue duree lace project to keep me company on my equally long research project. It’s the Beginner Sampler stole from Victorian Lace Today, in Jade Sapphire Lacey Lamb, in tomato red, on size 3 needles. I am already loving it, but expect an FO only sometime around December, I think. My mum is convinced that my eyes are going to get worse from squinting at the tiny yarn and needles.
Oh, and I’m eating a lot of Alphonso mangoes. Mmmmmmm.
There were two crying babies the entire time from London Heathrow to Colombo international…. it’s painful.
Not that I need to make up my mind about wanting children, but alas, it isn’t a solo decision :p
Yay! You arrived safely! And with some very handsome socks. Flying is definately “for the birds.” Funny how it is still ever so glamourous to be dashing off to catch a flight. Passage by ship seems like it must have been much more genteel as opposed to your astute observations of the infantile. Wish I could go back in time and check it out first hand. I’ve always wanted to travel by oceanliner… strolling on the deck, knitting on the lounge chairs, social dances after dinner… sigh.
Anyhow! Enjoy those mangos!!!!!!!!!!
p.s. Isn’t lace knitting gymnastics for the eyes? Doesn’t it keep them strong and agile? Sounds like a smart training program to build stamina for long hours of research in the archives?
I have to laugh at your characterization of flying, it’s so true.
socks, shawls, jane austen, sound of music, home and mangos……
awesome post!!
except for the crying babies
Though I am not in India, I must say–”Welcome to India!”
Alphonso mangoes. Dont rub it in.
Mangos. I want. I want. You must mail me some. Please?
Glad to hear that you arrived safely – I flew Continental a few months ago and watched those same movies, and the force feeding and uber-planned lights on/off, etc … you description of the flight made me feel like I was on that flight again! I can’t wait to hear about your upcoming adventures.
That is one of the the most gorgeous shawls in that book! OK, they’re all gorgeous! Can’t wait to see yours take shape!
Glad you survived the flight. Your description of it made me think of a bumper sticker I saw yesterday that I can’t stop laughing about: “Consciousness: That confusing time between naps” LOL!
When my mother and I make the trip next year, I think I’m going to get a Xanax prescription in advance. Not because I get particularly nervous flying, mind you, but so I can get some sleep in those infernal seats!
At present, Swiss Air seems to be our best option, not least because we should have an 11 hour layover in Zürich on our return – enough time to go be tourists in a lovely city for a few hours.
Glad to read a post from you from “the other side” and getting over jet lag was quick!!!
The shawl looks gorgeous even at this beginning stage.
Alphonso mangoes – that’s something I am really looking forward during our summer vacation in hamaare India, YUM!
I got to experience a screaming toddler on my way back from Pennsylvania to Hawaii. Thank the techno gods for iPods! But I’m a novice traveler and I’m still recovering from the jet lag.
Your lace shawl looks absolutely scrumptious. I look forward to seeing and hearing about your progress with it.
You, my dear, are biased (and rightly so) – after all, who can dare try to trump the bbc version of P&P?! Just wanted to drop in on the site and see what you are upto – glad to hear that the trip (notwithstanding crying babies – doesn’t it feel like they are just giving vent to the kind of feelings we all have while travelling on these transcontinental trips?) was fine. The shawl does look great – and so do the socks..
you can eat my share of the mangoes as well…
I’ve not thought about it that way, but you’re so right about flying. I always feel like I’m breaking the rules when I get up and walk around on a long flight, although it’s uncomfortable and potentially dangerous to stay seated for so long! It makes for a strange reality.
I’m excited to keep up with your adventures on the subcontinent and to see your beautiful red shawl develop.
When I was little, my mom always bought us candy to suck on for takeoff and landing to help with the ear pressure…and since she was a hippie mom and we didn’t get candy that often, it was definitely something to look forward to. On the other hand, my brothers and I were totally convinced that if we didn’t have that candy, OH MY GOD, the pain was going to be incredibly awful and our ears would bleed.
Now I’m all about the booze when I travel…and charging for it on international flights is a crime. Especially when there are babies involved. Candy for them and booze for me, please.