When I get on the aircraft I unroll all my goodies. The person next to me glances over quickly as I start taking out what I deem necessities for my flight. First the earplanes are put in my ears for takeoff. They are earplugs that even pilots use. The water bottles (2-3) are unpacked because they don’t give you enough water on the plane. I bring my own pillow as theirs is too hard. By now I am pulling out warm comfy slippers and a black eyeshade. The passenger next to me is getting the idea. My nose salve for the smells, my moisturizer for my skin come next. By now I have lost my glasses, found my book, taken off my jewelry and am rummaging in my bag for my food. I bring large amounts of healthy foods – for each meal I am aloft. This is now strewn around me and my seatmate is normally transfixed or looking elsewhere for a vacant seat. I pull out my plane medal of St. Christopher and a picture of my son for take off. I change into the large, puffy, down slippers.

My friend Angie’s single carry-on item is Evian spray. She is appalled that I have more gear for my flight than I do for my destination. I am sure my seatmate would agree, although it is the continuous search for my glasses and the black eyeshade that blends in with the seat that drives my seatmate quite berserk. Add to that, the shawls and extra sweaters that monitor the planes temperature and are worn on my head if it is really cold. They make me look a bit insane and worrisome.

I have to get up and down innumerable times – all that water I consume. But, it is exercise since they have not yet added a gym to these jumbo jets. Pre-landing my makeup comes out, jewels go on, sweaters off my head, slippers off my feet. A sleek, elegant woman emerges from the sprawl and deplanes with book read, nap taken, food eaten, skin moisturized – all in all quite happy.

by Tina