The 17 hour flight from San Fransisco to Singapor with American Airlines was everything else then comfortable. One of the stewardes had the opinion that 18° C is a very good temperatur for such flight. This might be correct, if you have to run up- and down the hall in the airplane, but if you have to sit in a tiny space then you will start freezing quickly.
I had a row in the front and next to me was a mother with a aproximatley 3 year old girl and a 1 year old toddler. As there was only 3 seats, she kept the toddler half on her legs and half on the seat beween us. She explained to me that the toddler had a cold since a few days. The fewer kept the toddler somewhere between sleep and crying. I had the seat to the hall way and next to me in the middle row, my neighbor was a young men who also looked not really healthy.
Coming from 3 month constantly 30° – 35° C I have no idea how I was so clever not only just to wear a t-shirt, covered with a light jacked – no I also didn’t wear any socks. I asked the stewardess if she maybe can rise the temperature a little, but she reacted embaressed and looked at me like I’m crazy – like it was already 28°C – and not 18°C !! People around me started to jump back into their jackets and it was clearly visible that I was not the only one freezing. As the lucky ones also started to wear their wool heads, I was certain that I was not over reacting.
The sweet little girl with the cold next to me really had a struggle. Once the seat was not really comfortable for her to find some sleep, also we had a lack of pillows and blackets to kept her warm and covered. I handed my blanked to the mother too, hoping that the sweet litttle one find some more comforte then.
As this was not enough, my pre-ordered vegetrarian meal was not available. I decided to buy a sandwitch insetead but as the stewardes broght it to me, it was false too. I walked to the back cabin wishing that I get a chance to change my sandwitch, and then finaly my wished becomes true. The cabin crew in the back cabin was very friendly and helpful. Not only that they exchanged my sandwitch, they also agree to rise the temperatur. Somehow it was a funny picture to see all the passengers, sitting in jackets, wearing wool hats, freezing – and minutes later everybody started to relax and peel themselfs out of their clothes.
The cabin crew from the back also organised a change of seat, so that the mother with the sik child gets some more space and comfort. Of course it was me, who was changing the seat. My new seat neighbours was to my right a young – aproximatly 25 years old- white guy, and to my left a young – aproximatly 25 years old – women. The womens appearance had an indian touch and this coincidence turned out to become a very funny, interesting conversations full of contrast.
The young guy, a christian, started to explain that he is a true beliver in god and that he follows the rules of – no sex upront marriage. I was quite astonished to hear such opinion from such a young guy. As my personal opinion about this rule is not the best one, I started to ask questions how he gets experience in sex and if he not agree that it might be important to understand one selfs needs in that field. He confessed that one way to get an idea is to watch porn. I tried to explain to him that the transported image about women in porn movies are likly to be far away from the real needs of a women and the young lady to my left agreed to me.
The laughter was complete as I asked her – clearly from a diffrent culture – how they manage to solve this question. She replied “we have the kamasutra”. Oh what would I give to see the movie in the head of the young man to my right. It was 30 min. to landing and other people from the rows behind us started to join our conversation. Too sad that our flight was nearly at its end. For sure this was one of the most interesting conversations I ever had on a flight.
Touchdown in Singapur after 17 hours of flight and pleased with the most beautiful airport I have ever seen. Also me didn’t looked too bad. I enjoyed one hour in the lounges around me and then hop hop…up to the next flght. Bangkok ahead
