This Must be how Icarus Felt....

So today was the day I flew to Austin for SXSW. All on my lonesome. Nervous, jet lagged and feeling a bit sick, I got a lift to Bob Hope airport from the lovely Dude (will get to it eventually) to set off on what would be my 3rd and 4th flights in one week. Good job I'm not absolutely fucking terrified of flying.

There was a glimmer of hope...American Airlines usually has Wifi on the flights. Awesome, I thought. I shall use this time to do some this blogging lark I'm trying to get into. I got all geared up to distract myself from my impending doom (death-by-horrible-plane-accident) by emersing myself in the blogosphere (I hate that word...but I just had to try it out). Alas, there was no Wifi (shame on you, American Airlines). Intent to stick to my plan in some way...I got out my little diary, scribbling my thoughts down like a true...err...diary-keeper-type-person.

I thought it was worth typing it up...so as to be doing it properly...or something.

11.20am tuesday 15th march

Pretty terrified. Though also very glad Dude has (very kindly) made the effort to introduce me (digitally) to some lovely folk that I can meet up with in Austin. Makes it slightly less intimidating but somehow I need to put on my super-confident, networking, friend-making persona (does this exist? It's gonna have to)...No idea what to expect...thinking I might just hide in my hotel room for the five days and cry in a corner.

11.35am tuesday 15th march

I hate take-off. Finding it reassuring to stare at the bracket holding the 'fasten seatbelt' light. I love how the shaking off take-off has caused it half fall off the ceiling. This plane is awesome and safe... The mountains look mind-blowing though. I was recently asked how I could sit in the window seat (I always sit in the window seat) when I'm terrified of flying. Thinking about it...I find the concept of air travel almost impossible to comprehend that I find the view to be distractingly surreal. That and if I'm going to die....I want to know about it.

12.06pm tuesday 15th march

Terrifyingly close to a very small child. It hasn't gone off yet, but there's still plenty of time. I bought a gigantic Mexican cobb salad from the airport. I'm pretty sure it was intended for four people to share but it was the smallest 'food' they had. I feel glutinous and sick, having eaten so much, yet it doesn't actually look like I've done any damage at all to the damn thing. Get it out of my sight. Time for Battlestar Galactica. Hopefully laptop battery will survive the flight.


17.00pm tuesday 15th march

Flight from Dallas delayed (what a surprise). Annoying since I'm stuck on the plane now and decided to be a good girl and not sneak out of the airport for a cigarette.

17.15pm tuesday 15th march

Sat NEXT to a small child. Actually NEXT to. It has gone off. Is there anything worse than being trapped on a plane next to a screaming child? They know exactly what kind of impending doom they are in for and do a very good job of reminding me....and annoying me at the same time. Also 'surrounded' by a Brit band and their troupe. Quite comforting to hear the accent, even though they are loud and a bit irritating. They look like hipsters. They are called Brother. It's a ridiculous name for a band in this day and age....they are never going get the Google ranking they need to beat Brother. Annoyingly they are quite good. They're doing a SXSW Showcase tomorrow night...might go.

17.42pm tuesday 15th march

Wish I had gone for a cig. Taking off now. Going to die. Going to die. (Please don't let me die, I don't want to die on a plane).