In just eight short days I will be on my way to Oregon to see my parents, siblings, and darling little niece and nephews (there really needs to be a collective gender-neutral word for that - niecephews?). It's been almost three years since I've flown alone, and even though I've done it so many times, I still get nervous about it. It's not a stress-free experience for me by a long shot. Since I can't feed myself most foods, I am limited to getting my nourishment through finger foods and/or milkshakes in the airport in between planes (the lack of tables to eat at in most airports I've been to doesn't help matters - on my last trip I tried to balance a shake on a chair armrest and ended up spilling it all over the chair and floor, and being helpless to clean it up - thank God for the kindness of strangers). I also can't use the on-board "facilities", so have to limit my fluid intake so that I can get away with a single bathroom break during my layover. I have to wear shoes which can be easily slipped on and off at security checkpoints, which, incidentally, are not the shoes best suited for long treks from concourse to concourse through large airports. By the time I reach my destination, I am starving and dehydrated, and lucky if I show any evidence of having groomed myself before leaving.
But, I will do it, and I will survive it, just like I always have. If I run into a situation where I really need help, I will ask for it. I'll have a book and my Nintendo DS to keep my mind off of how hungry and thirsty I am, and candy to keep my saliva flowing (note to self: buy candy). And I'll have plenty to look forward to, both on the way there and the way home.
And as long as no one asks me how my flight was (really, just what is the answer you're expecting there?), we should all get along just fine...
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