Travelling by an aircraft is always interesting provided one’s ears and eyes are open. Yes, one should not be the traveller who the moment flight takes off calls for a blanket and has his forty winks and gets up when the flight lands with a thud. Some experiences have been exhilarating and I shall share them.
I am generally the type who would pick up a conversation with a passenger seated next, and if the other person is not too cocky would for some part continue the conversation. I happened to be with a humorous seventy five year old gentleman and we connected well during the entire journey. He had a mischievous wink and smile and whenever he laughed, his whole body shook including his seat. We laughed a lot and he also pulled the legs of those seated near to us. Mid flight, a gentleman sitting across got up, opened the luggage cabin and pulled out his bag. The old man gently asked him “Are you getting down somewhere mid air that you are taking your baggage”? Passengers nearby roared in laughter and the gentleman also sportingly acknowledged the humour.
Hilarious was my journey in the company of young mischievous boys recently. One interesting incident I remember was when one guy told the other “ Sachin is sleeping in the front seat”. His friend asked him “with whom?”
During my flight last week, I was seated next to a young woman and her husband. At the start of the flight she had asked for three mini water bottles and I felt it was okay considering the sweltering heat in India. To my dismay I discovered later that she had this habit of asking for water too often. I had no objections whatsoever till the consequences of drinking too much water manifested. Sometime after take off, she started excusing herself to visit the washroom. Being in the aisle seat, I had to get up and give way. It happened seven times in a flight spanning ninety minutes which averaged a visit to the loo every thirteen minutes. This meant she was in the loo for nearly forty minutes considering the time taken every visit depending on what she was upto. Thoughts like what should I do to plug the water onslaught, what about the drainage in the aircraft and its storage capacity, will the aircraft sink - et al crossed my mind. I hated her husband for two reasons, one for having such an extremely beautiful wife like Angelina Jolie coupled with Jennifer Lopez, and secondly for peacefully slumbering like Rip Van Winkle unaware of my plight. I offered her the aisle seat and my ordeal ended.
So much for now. Can you share some of yours?
Between A Million And A Billion
1 week ago
22 comments:
Oh, what a great laugh for the morning! Love your travel tales! I sat next to an elderly gentleman on a flight once that seemed to have chosen a pair of pants that were too small and he spent the entire flight trying to adjust them, shifting in his seat, tugging at them and elbowing me in the ribs in the process. Finally, about a half hour before we were to land, he unbuttoned them, let out a huge sigh, promptly fell asleep -- using my shoulder as a pillow. Wow! was I glad he hadn't done it earlier because I couldn't move him! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Humorous incident, Sylvia. Thanks for sharing.
What a funny incident reg. the beautiful loo-loving lady!
A fortnight back when my daughter & I were travelling, we were on the other side of the fence ...due to my daughter's restlessness and mischievous (which I later on realised) requests of going to the loo, we disturbed a very decent young gentlemen thrice during an 80min flight. I was so embarrassed that the second time when I HAD to disturb him, I told him if he wished he could have the window seat...but the fellow was too much of a gentleman to express his irritation and continued being seated where he was and continued being disturbed too....
Omg, the last incident was so hilarious! Maybe the lady was dutifuly following advice for air travelers to avoid feet thrombosis or, whatever it's called...or maybe, she was just touching up her lipstick:)
I remember we were flying to Florida when my daughter was a toddler and had just started voicing her opinion abt everything...:) Once the plane landed and everybody got up, she saw this beautiful African American girl with beaded hair and she yelled out, THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PIGTAIL I'VE EVER SEEN and for a second, I didn't breathe and then, as the little girl and her family smiled, I let out a sigh:)
That is such a lively post.. loved it.. i wish i meet u on a flight sometime.. :)
Haiku Poems
Your such a delighful humorous Soul! Thanks for sharing sweety :)
My son went on his maiden flight when he was 5, and we were flying Air India to London. It was a bit of a rush , with some ticket confusion, hold ups, and we kind of boarded last, rushing in. My son , of course, grabbed the window seat. Appeared to be totally impressed with the aerobridges, and airhostesses, pursers and his brief glimpse of guys in the cockpit. Very soon an airhostess came by to ask , in her verrry verry brrritish accent what we would like to have, (and offered my son a set of games he could play in his seat). She actually meant , what we would like to drink.
Before we could answer, up there at 33,000 feet, in a loud ringing voice , my son looks at her with new respect, and announces , in his best Udipi restaurant style, " two idlis, sambhar and chutney separate"....:-)....
The wonderful lady laughed away, and told him , that wasnt it terrible , but they didnt keep idlis in the plane , although she wished she could have some too.... and gave hima packet of chips and several chocolates.
Needless to say, he was greatly indulged in throughout the flight..
Thanks SGD. I LIKED YOUR COMMENT
'TOO MUCH OF A GENTLEMAN'.
Thanks Naperville Mom for sharing. Beautiful story.
Thanks WORKHARD, HOPING TO SEE YOU SOON.
Now we know what sustains you on all your journeys !! Now we know !
And if you are flying with gentlemen of impeccable integrity who can get friendly with air hostesses, life can be even more interesting !
And also, in my typical suspicious nature, i wonder if the lady's trip to the loo was planned.... just to get the aisle seat. Or to get you thinking about her...about the number of times she crossed you and the minutes she spent in the loo !! ;D
Hilarious read !
Watching co-passengers seems to be a very amusing hobby...but sad to say, I'm usually too hot and bothered managing my kids to look around and see much.
Really funny post.
I try to start converstaion too...but usually if there is a girl seated next to me...I haven't had any good luck but I continue to work on it.
This one time I was in the early morning flight on a Sunday morning after spending the entire week working 10 hrs a day. So on Saturday night I decided to party late and then faced the consequences in the flight. As soon as I got in to my seat I was in my dreams. In mid flight when they served the airhostess failed to get any order from me. But then I woke up and asked for a coke and by the time she got one I was gone again. I was using the shoulder of the old lady sitting next to me as a pillow every now and then. At the end of the flight that old lady said " You look miserable. What did you do last nite" and I replied I had a busy work week and decided to party a little bit. On my way out the air hostess said that she did bring the coke but failed to give it to me ans I apologized and thanked her.
Well at the end all in all it was a good 3 hr flight.
Very good funny story. Ellie
There's always a solution Nsiyer, isn't there?
Awww...that was really hilarious...i once had a passenger with me who was like farting all the way...i had to change my seat after 20 min of travel n somehow saved my ass :))
I rarely get to travel but will -- I am saving money -- be traveling to India in January.
:-)
I suspect I will get some travel stories out of THAT, don't you agree?!
Pearl
Though I haven't met interesting people up in the air, i've had good travel companions while travelling by train.one was a 75 year plus grandpa type who brought a huge tiffin carrier plus a lot of snacks and all 8 of us in the cubicle were treated to good, wholesome gujju food.I really wondered why this man carried so much food, but the picnic that we had was worth remembering.Hats off to the daughter in law whom hecredited for stuufing his traveling bag with food.Came here via Ugich's blog and will hopefully visit often.
Hilarious post, Sir.
I was most amused by the 75 year old gentleman and his sense of humour.
As far as my own experiences go, the one I can recollect immediately was my co-passenger on my Chennai-Dubai flight. It was in the wee hours of the morning. I was full of anxiety about my first international flight. And this young guy beside me kept looking at me on and off... after a while he leans forward and asks... 'are you comfortable?? do you want me to shift to some place else'... i almost wanted to nod and say yes!!! heights of guilty consciousness :)
Another person who comes to my mind was a German national who gave me a very nice company during my Dubai-Munich flight. He was an elderly gentleman who was fascinated by Bollywood and the many pretty women from Bollywood. He spoke about them with a huge broad smile on his face... was fun to hear him try hard to recollect the names of the Bollywood movies he'd seen.
Every journey brings up its own set of quirkyness :)
As a kid, in the early eighties, we watch a lot of mimicry (Cochin kalabhavan being the best), mostly during festive season in temples. “Are you getting down somewhere mid air....comment by your co-passenger reminded me of this funny yet sad skit which they performed recently in a nearby temple premise...A not so regular flyer, yet boasts a lot, kind of person, after the journey, describes his experience to a village friend….Friend: So you bashed and boozed all through the journey ?.....Chatter-box: of course, I had a peg from all available brands...and was enjoying the whole trip…..Friend: How much does a peg cost in flight? Chatter-box: how can you ask such a silly question…they don’t charge for anything in flight you idiot…Friend: So who was sitting next to you? Gal or Boy ;-) ? Chatter-box: Oh my god…that was a gorgeous lady traveling alone and we talked a lot…
Friend: ok ok everything fine….cant you get me a smaaall job and take me to US when you return??? Chatter-box: with a low voice(almost crying)…..Cmon maaaan….i am just here to talk to you regarding a job for me...I am not going back…all this recession and all...…and can you plz get me one here....Friend:!%$#@!&%@(*&@(&&
:)... lol
Those were really hilarious..
For me, flying is altogether a different experience. I dread flying! Call it aviophobia or anything else. Though I am sure, people who have travelled with me could narrate quite a few instances they must have found funny! Obviously, courtesy me and my weird ways!
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