Returning from catching up with friends and family in Barcelona last week, I was typically knackered. We only go back twice a year so it’s all about seeing as many people as possible in a short space of time. With two toddlers in tow it’s become more ‘entertaining’, but also more tiring. I didn’t know it at the time but I had tonsillitis when I boarded the flight back home. All I knew was I was feeling pretty rotten, the glands in my neck had swollen like mini golf balls and it hurt like hell to swallow.
So when easyJet announced there would be a 1h25 min wait on the tarmac, followed by another 1 hr 20 min wait, because of thunderstorms at Gatwick I feared the worst. But it actually turned out to be one of the best flights I’ve ever had post-kids and here’s why:
- The girls spent 3 hours running up and down the entire length of the plane, much to the amusement/ dismay of fellow passengers. As one man quipped: “They’ll soon have run the entire distance from Barcelona to Gatwick before even we’ve taken off!”
- They barged into the cockpit and got to meet the pilot and co-pilot. I think both were a welcome distraction for each other – all four of them equally bored of waiting for air traffic control.
- We were given free snacks and drinks by a really friendly and apologetic cabin crew (the delay wasn’t their fault; they were due to clock off any moment yet flew regardless)
- Thanks to having so much time to run up and down the plane, both girls fell fast asleep pretty soon after take-off! And – wait for it – slept the entire duration of the flight!!! We could read, eat our free snacks and chill in peace. It was glorious.
The only drawback was trying to eat steaming hot chicken chili ramen over my one-year-old’s head. And the fact I was feeling quite so rough. Other than that I couldn’t have wished for a more perfect flight.
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Calamitous Mummy 