5.15 – Boarding, last as the economy has no privileges, besides cheap flight tickets, well, not that cheap.
5.25 – I found the seat: 32D at the back of the plane, I prefer to sit at the back.
5.30 – Here it comes: seat belt demonstration, oxygen mask, emergency exits, etc. I have flown so many times now, I’m bored watching it, but I suppose I should be grateful they are trying to eased off the horror we all will go through when something will happen in the air…OK, lets continue without too much drama.
I love flying!!!
5.40– Take off from Norfolk International (hardly)
5.45 – In the sky, it’s raining, but after the climb I can see the sun rising above the horizon
5.50 – Still climbing, seat belt sign on, but the stewardess welcomes us aboard again, again and again…no smoking, no electronic devices on at this time. It’s funny how they always say that phones, laptops and other equipments always interfere with aircraft navigation system , yet on DELTA you can pay for Internet and you it as much as you want. Mind you $7 for 1 ½ flight is a rip off if you ask me.
5.59 – Seat belt sign still on, lots of noise, the engine is right behind us, but at least I have a window seat. Well, this matter has been solved long time ago..I always have window seat, if assigned.
6.00 – Seat belt sign off, and everyone needs to go to the toilet….Unfortunately is partly clouded so the view down is not that great, but the colours on the sky make it all up.
6.21 – Is shaking.
6.03 – They’ve started to serve the drink, all the way up in the front. I hope I’ll get my coffee, before the landing. That’s the beauty of a morning flight, you need to get up before you go to sleep properly and I need coffee!
6.05 – Time for Sudoku from the DELTA magazine. Let’s start with the easier option..Where is my coffee, the flight is half empty.
6.16 – Coffee!!! No, not yet.
6.20 – Now, and a biscuit, sorry a cookie with a cute logo of DELTA Airline.
6.25 – harder option Sudoku attempt.
6.27 – Looks like the girl behind me is on the mission to ruin my flight, as she’s constantly kicking my chair. I always find these people. Is it time to lower my seat, just to freak her out?
6.30 – With the respect to all the America people, your coffee is shit. I know I’m on the plane and I shouldn’t really expect skinny, double shoot, extra foam, Starbucks mocacino, but come on this is bad .
6.32 – Descending…and more kicking…
6.34 – Discussion about High Mile club, I don’t think so, not in America, and for sure not in the economy!
6.37 – I should have asked for an orange juice.
6.40 – Rubbish collection, oh please take that cup away from me.
6.42 – Captain is speaking, apparently he appreciates that I got up early today to fly with DELTA. Well, I didn’t actually have any choice; next flight with connection to Vegas was late in the evening and twice as much. I’m not sure if he really cares. Just fly Captain and get me safe to Atlanta.
6.45 – Nature calls, ups, too late. Seat belt sign ON, landing in 20 minutes.
6.46 – Time to put my stuff away. I messed up the Sudoku. Both. I blame the coffee.
6.48 – The aircraft always makes strange noises while descending and no we are turning. I hate that part, the pressure is always hard to cope and going through a thick cloud doesn’t help.
6.50 – Landing shortly announcement. Another state, Georgia, just for an hour, should I get a fridge magnet?
6.55 – Please, no more turns. Wow, this cloud ahead looks like an iceberg. Don’t hit it too hard….white, nothing else, smoke, cloud, layer, whatever, just white and bumpy and white..
6.58 – Steward strapped in the seat opposite, wheels out, flaps down, more noise, spectacular view of the air coming through the wings, huge airport on- the right.
7.00 – Hit the ground, breaking very hard now. Good landing? Someone told me once, any none emergency landing is a good landing. Good landing. Welcome to Atlanta, Georgia, the busiest airport in the world. We’ll see how you can handle the flight connection.
7.04 – Looks like the Tropical Storm Alberto is here. It’s very cloudy and it’s about to rain. No worries, 36*C in Vegas.
7.05 – Waiting for the gate to be free.
7.07 – Cabin crew cross check. Seat belt sign off and everyone is up in the hurry, like we‘ve got no more patience in us anymore..
7.11– Anyway we are here now, leaving the plane, I guess I should stop writing.
8.25 – After short break and not so tasteful breakfast in Atlanta, we are now in the queue waiting to take off to Las Vegas. The flight is 3hours and 58 minutes, that’s like from London to Istanbul, but this is the same country. It can be quite overwhelming when you think about the scale of this place.
8.35 – Moving slowly.
8.40 – In the air again, it’s very cloudy here and we are turning again and again.
8.45 – I just got “invited” to join Sky Mile Club, sounded like High Mile Club….The stewardess just told us to sit back and relax. I can’t, I’m going to Vegas!
8.46 – Window seat (of course), 36D. This number is greater than in the previous plane and yet I’m in the middle of the aircraft. This “beast” is much bigger and full. I guess everyone wants to experience this fantastic Vegas adventure.
8.55 – I’m trying to get the entertainment system going, but I forgot my headset, so lets have a look at the flight map. We are currently above Birmingham, Alabama.
Altitude 10364m Time at origin 8.55 Time at destination 5.55 Head wind 56km/h
Temperature outside -44*C Speed ground 817km/h
8.59 – Captain speaking-turbulences ahead, seat belt sign will remain ON for now. By the way, why is it so sold in the plane??
9.07 – There are some good films on the offer, bloody headsets, or should I say lack of them.
9.10 – According to the flight map we are approaching Mississippi state, maybe I’ll be able to see the river.
9.15 – Aircraft on the right, heading the same direction but on much lower altitude. Oh, and something just went under our plane.
9.16 – Update: 9 minutes to cross Mississippi river and we should be out of turbulence zone. Really? Well, please hurry!
9.20 – There must be too many people going to the toilet as the seat belt ON announcement is being played too often.
9.22 – Now I know why!
9.29 – And there it is, the almighty Mississippi River (so much for the 9 minutes). It looks so small and very winding. Wait; spoken too soon, now I can see it, it’s massive. Wow, very impressive.
9.35 – I missed the moment when the seat belt sign went OFF. Doesn’t matter, I keep mine on most of the time anyway.
9.37 – We are now officially in Arkansas and finally 11000 m above the ground.
9.39 – looks like no food and no drinks on this flight unless you pay. I guess they think if you’ve got enough money to spend in Vegas, than you’ve got enough money to pay for your drinks on the flight DELTA 2203. I can still see the legs of the river behind us in the distance. Amazing!
9.42 – I need to go and ask for a blanket or something.
9.55 – Mission accomplished. It’s not so glamorous at the back of the aircraft in economy where the cabin crew prepares their trolleys to go and serve/here sell drinks. Hardly any space, food is plastic and artificial and so expensive. Not like Pan Am.
9.56 – Somehow I “lost” my window seat because one wants to go to sleep. Now I have the aisle seat. Just need to watch where I put my elbow so no one will hit it.
10.00 – Welcome to Oklahoma.
10.05 – Looks like the drinks are complimentary after all. I can see the trolley heading my way. What should I get? I have no hopes for the coffee, so I guess coke will do….Where are we?
10.13 – Still cold, even with the blanket, time to destination 2:22 h, trolley lady is getting closer. I’m actually stunt; this cabin crew is on average 50 years old. Fascinating. What a fantastic opportunity for the older generation to be able to work. Well done DELTA!
10.17 – She’s here. Mind my elbow! Coke please. NO, NO ICE!
10.24 – I’ve got my laptop now, without the Internet, just writing. Maybe on the way back from Vegas, after my Jackpot I’ll be able to afford it…
10.33 – Leaving Oklahoma and entering Texas. -52*C outside, no wonder is so freaking cold! Passing Amarillo on the left and Miami on the right, yes Miami, Texas. We are flying over the northern part of Texas, if you look at the map it looks like it’s a chimney.
10.44 – Distance travelled so far 1622 km, ground speed 715 km/h, a head wind 143km/h, time to destination 2.02h. Circle shaped fields on Texas, wonder why?
10.55 – In New Mexico…still America, one of the states. You can see the Spanish influence here, as all the city names sound very Latino, Las Cruces, Chico, Bueyeros, Buena vista. Interestingly it is a square state, almost like someone put the ruler and drew straight lines.
10.57 – Complimentary coffee comes along, well, not on it’s on…either way…No, thank you!
11.06 – Everyone seems to be fed up now, you can see it, people are stretching, walking around the aircraft, the services has stopped now, I guess the crew needs a break too.
11.11 – Approaching Rocky Mountains, I remember learning about it in primary school, trying to visualise the scale, the height, the power and here I am …not in my wildest dreams, not really. I have to be honest it’s quite overwhelming.
11.20 – If I get ill because of this temperature I’m gonna sue the airline.
11.23 – Attempt to play solitaire, I’m going to skip the Sudoku this time.
11.30 – Another complimentary drink, this time water, with ice, they must be joking?!
11.32 – frozen feet 2, broken nails 1, time for a little walk to the back of the aircraft, if you know what I mean.
11.44 – Looks like we left the high Rocky Mountains behind and now, it’s just a low sandy hills with some strange water reservoirs in between. There is a straight road in between the hills. I bet they do some chemical/nuclear testing, like you can see in the films.
11.46 – Leaving New Mexico and entering Arizona, and I can see it, the mountain dessert changed its colour to red. The rock formations are incredible. It reminds me a little bit of the Rose Valley in Cappadocia. I hope we will be able to see the Grand Canyon from the sky.
11.50 – Descending, time to destination 1 hour. Am I the only one who’s excited about this view outside?
11.55 – Outside red rocky desert, one road, pretty much straight, quick update, ahead of schedule, clear sky, temperature around 30*C. I guess captain’s got everybody’s attention as people are trying to look out of the window. Well, it’s too little too late.
11.59 –Next seat passenger is counting his Dollars, I guess he’s excited to lose all of his money in the Casinos.
12.04 – Altitude 9144m above the earth, temperature outside -39*C, it’s getting warmer, if you can say that
12.08 – Grand Canyon!
12.15 – Speechless!
12.22 – Always, always ask for a window seat when you fly. It’s a pain when you need to go to the toilet, but at some point you will see your “Grand Canyon”
12.15 – I’ll be back here in 3 days in the helicopter (hopefully).
12.22 – Turning, almost 90 degrees. Outside 4*C, time to destinations 8 minutes, distance travelled 3000km.
12.35 – we are in Nevada, passing Lake Mead on the right.
12.36 – Flaps are down, wheels are out.
12.37 – I missed the Hoover Dam on the other side.
12.40 – Attempt to take a photo of Las Vegas from the sky.
12.41 – Landed, people are clapping.
12.42 – Local time 9.42, time to adjust mu watch. Time to destination 0 minutes.
Time at the origin 12.44 Time at the destination 9.44
12.45/9.45 – VIVA LAS VEGAS
mywayamerica 