Before I begin, you should know this: I don't like airplanes. It's not that I'm afraid, I just don't feel very comfortable in them. I'm not entirely sure why that is. After all, I have done a lot of traveling by plane, in general. It might have something to do with that smell you get in airplanes, a combination of artificial breathing air and plastic meals. Or maybe the fact that I can never get any sleep, even during a red-eye flight. Or perhaps, the thought that airplanes are essentially huge metallic birds carrying humans through the sky at altitudes where if anything goes wrong everybody will surely plummet to their deaths. So yeah, planes are a source of discomfort for me. Usually. However, this particular flight was so smooth I forgot to be tense.
My family and I flew from Eleftherios Venizelos airport in Athens to Istanbul, and from there to Jeddah, using Turkish Airlines. It was my first time flying business class and I must say, it was really something else. Istanbul's business lounge in which we sat during our layover was incredibly luxurious. It included not only a large buffet, a bar, free Wi-Fi, a small library and a pool table, but a piano and Mac PCs for passenger use, as well. The biggest perk of flying business though, are definitely the reclining seats. For the first time ever, I managed to sleep 3 consecutive hours on a flight, a proper deep sleep, none of that half-awake, still alert of my surroundings nonsense. We also had access to individual screens, on which we could have watched a variety of films, TV shows, cartoons etc. My only complaint is that the flight attendants seemed to have trouble understanding and responding in English. Either that, or they were very unprofessional. I requested a blanket and pillow upon entering the plane, as mine was the only seat lacking them (typical..). I received my blanket after take-off and after having asked twice more. I ended up sleeping without a pillow as I was too tired to bother. All in all, I think flying business class was worth its money (c.1.300 Euros per passenger), and I would certainly do it again if I had the opportunity.
When we finally reached Jeddah, two things struck me : the first was the metamorphosis of my fellow female passengers, from modern women wearing designer jeans and blouses, to seemingly very religious Muslims concealing their faces and bodies in layers of black. The second thing, was the humidity, a kind of humidity that feels as if it's possible to slice through it with a knife. I was expecting both, but they still made an impression on me.
When we finally reached Jeddah, two things struck me : the first was the metamorphosis of my fellow female passengers, from modern women wearing designer jeans and blouses, to seemingly very religious Muslims concealing their faces and bodies in layers of black. The second thing, was the humidity, a kind of humidity that feels as if it's possible to slice through it with a knife. I was expecting both, but they still made an impression on me.
Later, during the car ride from the airport to my new compound home, I got my first glimpse of Jeddah. I must say, it was a bit disappointing. Tired and disoriented, as I leaned my head against the window and looked out, the thought that crossed my mind was "this place is a dump". Streets covered in litter, grimy storefronts, ugly works of "art" in random places, construction site debris everywhere. And not a soul in sight, except for a few beggars. I was disappointed, certainly, but I'm sure that there's more to Jeddah than this. After all, I come from Athens, a city that at first glance seems extremely ugly, and quite dirty as well, but holds extreme beauty, if only one knows where to look for it.
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