The (Almost) Sleepless Flight Back Home

Hi, this is D! I’m actually writing from Singapore right now!

I am here to tell you about a sleepless tale from 2 nights ago, haha.

So during check in, GJH realised that it’s a full flight and he tried changing my middle seat (between 2 people) to an aisle seat in the middle column. Unfortunately though, the seat wasn’t changed for some reason, despite us selecting the aisle seat and I was basically stuck between 2 people throughout the flight.

I should have known that it was going to be a disastrous flight from the start because the lady who was supposed to sit in the innermost seat actually sat in the wrong row and made 4 of us move out of our seats all over again just so that she can move in to the right seat. And before that even happened, the air stewardess had to explain to her at least five times that she was in the wrong seat because of one simple fact — she understands almost no English.

So she started sleeping right from the start — GREAT!

… if she stayed asleep.

She’d often place her elbow freely on the arm rest and poke my arm/rib from time to time. That wakes me up, of course.

So, she was sleeping soundly (no more poking) and I started feeling sleepy around 130am (that was a mere 1.5hr into the flight). I was finally drifting off to sleep when suddenly, she tapped me rapidly to signal that she needs to go to the toilet. Greattttt….

So Mr Otaku (the guy beside me) and I stepped out for her to go to the toilet. Needless to say, I couldn’t sleep back nicely after that, though I managed to drift in and out of light sleep for the next 30 minutes.

Why 30 minutes?

Because soon, she woke me up with her light, which SHE HAS NO IDEA HOW TO SWITCH OFF.

So I got up, shifted, closed my eyes and then, shortly, she tapped me to ask me how to turn off the light with endless pointing gestures, to me, who did not have my specs on and I was half asleep.

I managed to sleep for another hour or so, until the next time, she tapped me to ask me why people are wearing face masks.

By then, I gave up sleeping, so i got up to continue my movie while breakfast was served shortly.

The Mexican lady (oh yes, I forgot to mention earlier, she’s Mexican) was sleeping again by now and I peacefully watched my movie.

But she woke up shortly, too. And of course, she had to tap me again so I had to put down my chopstick, pause my movie, take off my earpiece to see what she needs this time. She basically did 2 action:

1. Point to my food
2. Point to herself

Great. I’m her stewardess. *bitter smile

And so, I pressed the signal light for her so she could get her meal. While I continued my movie and meal.

I didn’t bother sleeping again after that but she did tap me once again in the middle of my movie to ask me to help her with her immigration form.

By the time the flight landed, I was just glad I could get out, haha. Upside is, Changi Jewel was empty and I could grab a cup of the famous The Alley bubble tea without a single person in line.

And then I K.O.ed at home in the morning.

And this is my story of an almost sleepless flight! And how I felt like her personal stewardess.

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that I’ll have a peaceful flight in the aisle seat on my return flight, amen!

Till then!
D.