Savoring Those ‘Shining In-Flight Moments’

Travel Blog  •  Jim Benning  •  09.19.07 | 12:00 PM ET

imageSure, there are countless reasons to complain about air travel these days—security lines, delays, ridiculous fashion controversies, just to name a few—but what of the pleasures? Thomas Swick reminds us this week of those rare, precious moments when our worries can disappear: “There’s something about the lightheadedness produced by free food, piped-in music, fussing flight attendants and wine at 30,000 feet that makes you susceptible. Especially when it’s added to the relief of finally being airborne and free, at least for a few hours, of all responsibilities. You enter a strange and wonderful stillness, suspended, literally, between earth and heaven, past and future, home and abroad, the deadlines of departure and the confusions of arrival.”

Related on World Hum:
* The ‘Salmon-Thirty-Salmon’ and the Rise of ‘Specialty Aircraft’
* Three Travel Tips: Fly Like a Professional Dancer

Photo by contraption via Flickr, (Creative Commons).