My first flight

What was the first plane flight you ever took?

My first flight was in July 1989 to Finland.  I had been saving for three years to go see Mervi in person.  I pretty much had made up my mind that when you are best friends with someone you need to meet them.  At that time, we had been writing to each other since 1982.  I had just completed my first year of college and Mervi had graduated high school.  We had decided in a way that I would go there first since Finland didn't have a drinking age of 21 and being young, well we wanted to have some fun.  Then in 1991, once we were both 21 Mervi would fly to see me in the US.

My flight was out of Syracuse.  I packed this full sized soft sided suitcase that I had purchased for schlepping clothing to college.  It had wheels, but it was pulled by a strap and was prone to falling over!  I was going there for three weeks and I figured I would need to have lots of clothing!  I honestly can't remember the airline that I flew.  All I know is that I simply did what I always do:  fake it till you make it!  I know my big bag didn't weigh much and I checked it.  I followed signs and got on the plane.  In those days you had some paper ticket that I bought at a travel agent in the mall.  I had a passport that I got in fall 1988.  The picture of me was butt ugly!

My flight from Syracuse went to JFK.  I have literally no recollection of it being stressful.  I remember the take off felt pleasurable the way amusement park rides do and I knew at that moment that I would be doing lots of traveling in my future.

This flight happened in the golden years of actual on board food service, but in the years when there was one movie on a screen above the middle of the aisle.  We bounced around a lot.  The plane wasn't very still.  It was really bumpy, like driving a car on a dirt road.  And this is the biggest thing I remember about my first flight.  You see, I thought that was normal, how all flights felt.  It wasn't until I look at the guy next to me and he's turning green that it dawned on me that maybe we were experiencing a LOT of turbulence.  Still, after uttering the traveler's prayer:  "Lord, if I have to die on a plane, can it be on the way home after I have my fun?" I felt pretty calm about it all.  Think about it, it's not like you can do anything about the situation now can you?  So, roll with it.

We landed in Sweden on a bright sunny morning and we didn't have to get off the plane.  Then finally we flew over to Helsinki where I got to touch Mervi for the first time and really see her and be with her!!!  Fantastic!

BTW, that hideous luggage?  It was lost, but they found it the next day and sent it to our hotel.  I only carry-on now-a-days, but that's another post about another topic for another day.