On a Day Like Today...

My second supy flight took me to Cochin, India last night. I was still a bit nervous, but far more calm than I had been prior to my first flight a couple of days earlier. I was lucky to be with the lovely Priya (from Vancouver!) once again, and we excitedly made our way to the briefing together. It's great finally knowing people who have the same dreams as me... people who get just as excited every time that they board an aircraft. We were all smiles as we donned our hats and proudly made our way to the crew bus. Once on board, I helped with the pre-departure duties before boarding. Our passengers arrived and we greeted them, while trying to find a place to stow their massive amounts of carry on luggage. We finished just in time and then rushed to take our seats. Take off! We were cleared for duties and I was given the task of handing out toys... which I love doing. The kids faces light up as they see you walking down the aisle with a tray of coloring books and toys in hand. The passengers kept us busy the entire flight, and before we knew it was time to prepare for landing. Once everybody had left the aircraft, the Captain called me to the flight deck, handed me a reflective vest and headphones, and led me outside. He took me around the aircraft, explaining the pre-flight checks. I was the happiest girl in the world, standing underneath a giant Airbus 330-200. In Dubai, it seems like a smaller aircraft when you see it next to some of the other planes in the fleet, but standing next to the massive tires and staring at the huge engines, you realize just how big it actually is. Once we'd walked around the entire aircraft, we headed back inside. It was my turn to sit in the cockpit for take off, and I sat in my seat smiling as we soared to 32,000 feet. The Captain and First Officer were so awesome, explaining everything and showing me all of the controls in the flight deck. I was especially excited when we saw other aircrafts fly by above and below us. After I'd spent a good amount of time chatting with the flight crew, it was time to head back to assist in the cabin. It was a full flight, but as it was early in the morning, most of the passengers were fast asleep. After serving breakfast, we had the chance to relax and have something to eat. Quite the contrast from our first flight, where we barely had time to have have a glass of water, this time we were able to chat with the crew and ask questions. Priya and I asked if we could return to the flight deck early for landing. It was so beautiful... the sun had began to rise and we could see the beautiful mountains and coastlines of Oman. The Captain pointed out things on the ground and told us more, much to our delight. As we began our descent into Dubai, we flew through the clouds, a rare opportunity in the normally clear skies of the United Arab Emirates. It was beautiful. The highlight of the entire flight was when "A Day Like Today" by Bryan Adams began playing on the radio. It's part of the Emirates "Welcome to Dubai" video, but at that moment it seemed meant for Priya and I. We listened to the music and the flight crew communicating with Air Traffic Control over the radio as we flew towards the orange skies ahead. It was such an amazing, surreal moment. Think of your biggest dream in life. Picture yourself in that exact moment where you realize that it has come true, and that was exactly how I felt right then. I actually felt myself tearing up a little. Priya and I grabbed each other's hands and squeezed them with excitement. We both were so incredibly happy. Life is great. As we approached Dubai, the view was incredible. The lights of the runway straight ahead, and beautiful downtown Dubai to the left. It had rained overnight, clearing the usual haze and spoiling us with clear skies. I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't one of the best moments of my life, and I know that Priya would agree with me. We landed at Dubai International Airport at 7:50 in the morning, and arrived back to our apartment at 9 am. I happily crawled into bed, still smiling. It's a beautiful life! Now it's time for me to enjoy a couple of much needed days off!

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." ~Leonardo Da Vinci