When our family took a vacation, we drove. As a child, I only flew on a plane once. Most of the time, we traveled to South Carolina or Florida to visit other family members and driving was the most economical way to go for our family of 6. We had a conversion van so there was plenty of room for my sister and me and even Gram and Gramps.
When I was five years old, we flew to Texas to see my mom’s best friend. I remember that it was smoky and my ears kept popping. I can’t believe they used to let people smoke cigarettes on the plane. Woah.
I didn’t fly again until my sophomore year in college. I was part of Mercyhurst College’s Women’s Basketball team, and we made it to the Division II Elite Eight finals in Fargo, North Dakota. The team got to fly but all of the parents took a bus. What a long ride! I remember thinking how much more efficient flying was than driving. I loved the view from the plane and looking down at the world from 30,000 feet up in the air. I flew a few more times after that out to California before I moved there but after moving to Virginia, I didn’t fly much. It was just easier to drive home to PA. Driving was never a big deal for me. I enjoyed it for the most part. I had a convertible after 2007 so I loved driving from Virginia to Pennsylvania with the top down and the music up.
Since I met Jeff, my flight time has increased tenfold. I am on a plane every month if not twice a month or more! It’s crazy, but I do love it. I always wanted to be a gypsy, and I definitely am getting my wish.
I love flying now. We have Global Entry for traveling internationally. It makes it super easy to go through customs to come back into the United States. It also includes TSA Precheck which is the most convenient way to travel. No more taking off shoes or taking toiletries or my computer out. It’s easy and usually, the lines are shorter. I couldn’t fly without it. We also invested in the American Express Platinum card. Although the annual fee is high, the benefits make it worthwhile. You get paid back for Clear, Global Entry, TSA precheck, $200 of baggage fees on an airline of your choice, entry into priority pass clubs for you and a guest plus Delta clubs when you fly Delta, as well as an array of other benefits. The lounges make layovers well worth it with free food and beverages in the lounge. We also get Uber credit each month.
Anyway, the view from the plane is one of my favorite. I love watching the sunrise or the sunset from up in the sky. Jeff gets to see the sunrise and sunset from the front window of the plane and he’s talked about how beautiful it is. I love looking down at the houses, and the landscapes of different states. It is absolutely breathtaking. I love the views at night, especially over big cities with the sparkling lights and all of the cars racing through the streets.
Although flying can make many people nervous, I just love it. May has been an extremely busy month of flying. I was in Fort Lauderdale, St. Thomas, Dallas, Knoxville, and Pittsburgh just in the first two weeks! Now I can read, nap, listen to music, or write blog posts instead of paying attention to the road.
