LogFAQs > #974578356

Kitt posted...

I just put my headphones on (even if there's no music playing) and read a book or something. That's how I dealt with the 8 hour Delta flight to Ecuador last year. I felt like I handled it pretty well
Later, I had to fly from Quito to Cuenca with a smaller South American airline and, despite it being just 45 minutes, I legit thought I was going to die on that plane because the plane was so rickety and they were flying so fast and low when it came time to land. Couldn't even relax, I was bracing myself and trying not to have a panic attack. Like, yeah, I guess this is it. This is how I'm going to go out; in a plane crash over a South American city.

Yeah, I've done my share of flying in developing countries. Even the national airline can have "rickety" planes.

If you find yourself in that situation again, look into how the locals travel (assuming it's safe). It may not be the quickest but it will damn sure be interesting. Those are priceless experiences.

I once had a 2 hour bus ride past yawning chasms on a bus filled with 30 live chickens. There may have been a goat. The bus had a TV/VCR setup showing some brutal sexploitation flick called "Parole Violator" and the driver watched every nude scene - frequently overcorrecting to avoid a crash. I consider that a highlight of the trip.