By Nour El-Miligi
Many of us have been longing for a trip abroad, even to the point of missing the air hostess asking if you prefer “Chicken or Beef” only to tell you your choice isn’t available. Well starting from today, flights from Egypt are finally operating again to more than 29 destinations, after a halt that lasted for three months! So, right after receiving such delightful news, we couldn’t help but share the things we never thought we would actually miss about flying!
Walking around Duty-Free and buying nothing in the end
These strolls you have while waiting for your flight. Carrying loads of foreign chocolates then putting them aside, gazing at the historical souvenirs wishing you could buy them all, but instead, you actually walk out empty-handed! Such an integral part of the whole traveling experience. Definitely yearning for such a stroll!
Waiting to see if you’re gonna have to pay overweight baggage or if you’ll get away with it
Of course, we don’t usually take the advice of “traveling lightly” very seriously, and we only regret doing so when we stand in front of the counter crossing fingers as our luggage is weighed. Those few moments of suspense before we’re told we’re good to go just bring the best adrenaline rush!
That bazillion dollar coffee or bottle of water
At the airport, it feels like you’re on another planet where even the smallest of things are unbelievably overpriced. Despite telling yourself the day before that you’ll control yourself until you reach your destination, the smell of fresh coffee easily entices you to pay half the money you have in your pocket and well… It’s all worth it for the joy it brings.
Airplane food
We’ll never know why exactly those sky-high meals taste differently, in a good way! Having a decent meal of your choice (Beef or Shekeen as they pronounce it), drinking a cold beverage while enjoying the sky’s different shades of blue and cotton candy clouds; you’re on top of the world… Literally!
The captain’s announcements and those annoying safety demonstrations
Remember those safety demos you felt sick of and put on your earphones in an attempt to avoid hearing? To be honest, these announcements give us this sense that the whole traveling thing is finally becoming real, it just puts you in the mood. And after all this time without them, we have to admit, we do miss the captain’s friendly updates and those funny safety videos.
Turbulence
Those mini heart-attacks you get when the flight attendant tells you to fasten your seatbelt because of some air turbulence on the way are scary yet with a taste of adventure they can add some excitement to an otherwise uneventful flight!
The battle for the armrest
Fighting throughout the entire flight to find the perfect position to rest your arm and finally adjusting it just enough to fit without touching the arm of the person sitting next to you; it feels like a true victory.
Babies on board
This little cutie who happened to keep crying the entire time nonstop used to have you at your wit’s end. However, when you’re about to leave the plane and spot the little monster smiling at you, you just forget everything.
Clapping for the pilot as he lands the plane
Many of us regard this action as “lame”, refusing to do it. But you can’t deny you’ve been praying the entire flight to land safely, and you can’t deny either that deep down, you want to clap along with others… Just a little. We’re alive yay!
Passport control
It seems like standing in the queue, checking the papers and passports takes forever! But also, it gives you time to grasp the idea that you actually made it to the country and daydream about all the things you’ll get to do throughout the stay.