Airplane Woes

I've heard that when people go back to their childhood home after they have grown up, that the house seems so much smaller.

I have not had the opportunity to go back to my childhood home, but I think I may have had a somewhat similar experience.

When I was little, we took a lot of trips involving airlines flights. As a child, it felt like the worst part of the trip was always the long flight times. Even with the movie and the meal, there is still too much time that is not pre-planned out - and sometimes a good book just won't do it.

Thankfully, some of our really long trips were done on red eye flights or late at night, so we (my sister and I) pretty much slept the majority of the flight.

Airplanes are not the most comfortable place to sleep, but from childhood memory, they work well enough.

Since I have grown up, all my flights have been short little 1-2 hour flights, or flights taken during normal daytime hours where I generally occupied my time with movies, puzzles or books.
Last night however, I took my first red eye since I was little...definitely not what I remembered it to be. The pillows are not quite as big as they used to be, the blankets not as long. Most of all, the room in the seats don't quite accommodate my adult frame in the various sleeping positions that worked when I was smaller.

I remember one flight when I was little putting the pillow down on the tray table in front of me and laying my head down comfortably - let me tell you - as an adult, you can forget even attempting this position - especially if the person in front of you has their seat back at all.

Despite the slight setbacks - overall the flight was not bad. I did manage to get snippets of sleep here and there...and while I may have not gotten really great REM sleep, I was never really awake more then 10 minutes at a time.

Luckily for me, there was no one seated in the middle seat and my seat was against the window which allowed slightly more stretch out room.

Red eyes are generally great because you don't waste half of a day of your vacation on a plane - but let me tell you - they would be better in a comfy first or business class seat, sitting next to someone you know who you can feel comfortable leaning against while you snooze.