1320 hrs May 12th 2006

Ms X came home early

this morning,

before I went to work.

Told me how

for the first time

in her flying job,

she experienced

an air pocket,

the plane plunged

so sudden,

with such a force,

that passengers (not wearing seat belts)

and cabin crew,

flew up

and hit the ceiling

of the plane,

resulting

in dislocated arms,

bleeding cuts.

A quarter of the crew

needed medical attention.

Thank God

she escaped injury,

because she was

in the toilet.

But she saw

the mayhem thereafter,

the galley was strewed

with broken cups and plates

all over.

One stewardess

was so traumatised,

she could not move

and sat there crying

uncontrollably,

they suspected

she may have even

injured her spine.

Ive always hated flying

I've flown all over the world

but I still hate flying.

Everytime the plane takes off,

or lands,

or flies through turbulence,

I would grit my teeth,

and expect the worse.

I can't think

of a more violent death

than dying

in an air crash.

Because when the plane

is in trouble,

it is evident

to everyone

on board,

and you will go through

a few seconds

or minutes even

of pure abject panic

and fear.

I know

air travel

is inevitable

and practical.

We can no longer

go back

to the days

of transversing

the globe

on a slow boat.

But why bother,

with in flight entertainment

and on board meals?

I would prefer

to be served

a strong sleeping pill

that would knock me out

for the duration

of the flight,

like general anaesthesia

during surgery,

just administer

enough for the duration

of the operation.

If my plane

were to crash,

I don't want to know

about it,

let alone go through

agonising seconds

of sheer terror

awaiting certain death.

I'd rather sleep through

an air crash

not knowing any better.

If the plane did not crash,

and I arrived safely

at my destination airport,

what would be better

than to be awoken

by a gentle stewardess

all dolled up

in sarong kebaya?

I would pay double,

no, make it triple,

for that kind of flight.