10 Reasons Why Airplane Travel is Sometimes Better with a Friend

in
Somewhere near the North Pole, Flight from Chicago, Illinois, USA to Shanghai, China

Somewhere near the North Pole, Flight from Chicago, Illinois, USA to Shanghai, China

While I do not mind traveling on my own, in fact I think traveling by myself was and continues to be a valuable experience, there are moments where I would like to turn to a nearby friend to discuss what I'm seeing (potentiallly meaningful conversation) or just chat with (most likely not very meaningful, often involving my low level theories regarding the actual existence of a wizarding world or crushing on Cara Delevingne's eyebrows). But here are 10 reasons why it's sometimes more fun to travel with a friend.

  1. Someone to get excited about a trip with - it's lovely when people are excited for you, but there's usually an underlying hint of resentment.
  2. You don't feel guilty making them wake up/get up if you need to use the bathroom (holding it until breaking point probably takes years off your life, idk).
  3. A shoulder or lap to sleep (maybe drool) on.
  4. Someone to discuss the airplane food with (and depending on how tired/cranky you are, could lead to mind blowing food critic level reviews (BECOME THE DUCHESSES/DUKES OF AIRLINE FOOD REVIEWS!))
  5. Someone to bounce your million dollar ideas off of (you'll probably be making money by the time you step off the plane).
  6. Someone to help rank the flight attendants based on their announcements (plus other categories - everyone can be a winner).
  7. Theorize what major pop culture shift has occurred since you've been in the air (speculate wildly).
  8. Someone to watch a movie with (or someone who agrees to watch a movie 5 minutes ahead of you so you know when stressful moments are going to happen) and pretend like you're both in the tiniest living room watching a flick (snuggling is encouraged).
  9. Another brain to piece together where to go once you get off the flight (this is particularly salient if you've been traveling for 10+hours).
  10. Not being so bored that you make a list of why airplane travel is more fun with a buddy. I HAVE 9 HOURS OF THIS FLIGHT LEFT!

 

Ready?

in
Portland Head Light, Portland, Maine, USA(a.k.a. home)

Portland Head Light, Portland, Maine, USA(a.k.a. home)

I have tried and failed multiple times to keep a blog, much less one while I'm traveling. In the year that follows (and maybe for a while after) I will attempt to regularly update this photoblog in order to share what I'm experiencing as I travel. This will be no simple task for me, as I'd much rather be out soaking up whatever town or city I'm in and be so tuckered out by the end of the day that I simply wave off updating this with an "I'll do it tomorrow." But alas, I am traveling because my family opened the world to me and my wonderfully supportive friends have been encouraging me to share my photography and travels with a wider audience - it seems only right that this photoblog serve as a small token of my gratitude. And to anyone who happens upon the blog, I hope it functions as an engaging perspective from a twenty something year old traveler, complete with a sprinkling of compelling stories and a hint of humor (depending on how tired I am will determine how punchy these posts will be).

And while I tend to be a half glass full person anyway, for the next year I am taking a leaf out of one of the most optimistic and wise beyond her years characters, Pippi Longstocking's, book and using her words as my mantra, "Det har jag aldrig provat, så det klarar jag helt säkert!"* Ready? Here we go!

 

*I have never tried this, so I'm sure I can do it!