Reflections while flying
Other modes of transport seem more tiring than flying. Perhaps it may be the lack of mobility, or the effects of being closer to the ground. The plane offers a sort of 'cushion'-like environment where every step taken does not seem so 'grounded'. Perhaps it's the certain lightness of the air that makes it less tiring for me. Perhaps it's the novelty of flying, I don't get to do so very often, and when I do it seems like a precious memory. Maybe the long journey is bearable because the flight attendants are around to wait on my every need.
Reasons aside, I have always appreciated flying. I enjoy being on board a plane. The whole process of going through the airport and the sometimes tedious process of boarding the plane make the journey more valuable.
Even on board the plane, the feeling of being above everything else seems to empower me. I always appreciate the last hour of the flight. Looking out the window, I roughly make out the terrain of the new unexplored area I am travelling to. Before reaching Bali, I looked out and saw the lush greenery and the many different patches of buildings or paddy fields, as though they were elements in a grand tapestry. Not only is the ground interesting, I appreciate the formation of the clouds, and how the plane cuts through the clouds. The experience of the descent is never boring at all.
From an azure clear sky, we descend upon a plane of white fluff, and eventually break into another strata... behold, beneath us the land and the sea. It was profound wisdom that created this sight. No doubt, our world is beautiful from afar. As the plane descends, I also learn to appreciate human ingenuity. I enjoy sitting next to the wing, where I have a clear view of how the wing opens up as the plan descends, and how the wing flaps upwards or downwards to steer the plane to a certain direction. The engineering involved is a wonder indeed. It is fascinating. How wonderful it is to leave one point at an unimaginably high speed, and land at another point thousands of miles away so safely.
It was several years ago when I left on board JAL to travel to Japan. The night flight was scheduled in such a timely manner for me to experience something dramatic. An hour before the plane landed at Narita, I looked out the window as the plane cruised above the clouds. The sun had already risen far out beyond the horizon as the sky was a pale orange. The cloud formation beneath me looked so artistic and made me feel like I was travelling above a sea of fluff. The pilot adjusted the heading to the right... the sight gave me a rush of excitement. Lo and behold, the dramatic Mt Fuji soaring through the clouds. Just a while later, the first rays of the morning sun broke through the horizon, turning the pale sea of clouds beneath me into glimmering gold. It was awesome.
It is told to me that those who are blessed to see the peak of Mt Fuji shall definitely return to Japan. I truly believe in this, and I made a covenant with myself that I will return.