Grumpy plane turns around - just kidding, kids, we're going to Florida!

22 May 2011
10:35pm - somewhere over the ocean

So we've taken off and are finally in the air! We're at just about 24,000 feet heading about 520mph. There are maps on the TV screens, showing where the plane is in relation to New York and the rest of the North-East coast.

Take off was fun, but it lasted forever. We starting moving and getting in line to take off just around 9:40 (the time we were supposed to take off),  but we didn't actually leave until a bit before 10:30. the six of us in our neighboring rows (Maria, Jordan, me, Gia, Shannon, and Jovany) held hands during the take off. Maria has never been on a plane before, and this is my first time in 13 or so years, so it was pretty exciting. I don't remember it at all from my last flight - only that my ears absolutely killed me. This time it wasn't so bad. I'm chewing gum and remembered to yawn a whole lot.

I didn't realize that the take off was so fast. Of course, it would need to be, but it felt so bizzare. Jordy and Gia were laughing at me because I was so excited, but Maria understood.

The camptain made a long announcement all in Italian, then someone else repeated it in English, only the quality of the speakers mixed with his accent made it difficult to understand him. I'm not planning on running around throughout the plane to cause a ruckus, so I should be fine.

Right now we're actually pretty close to the coast of Massachusetts. In Just about 15 minutes, we traveled 240 miles, and we're at 37,000 feet above ground, going closer to 600mph. It is so weird to think that I'm moving at 600mph.

To those of you out there reading this who are well traveled, you're probably laughing at me, getting excited at these little things. But this is something pretty much completely new to me. I could find a lot to complain about, like the ridiculously cramped quarters we're in or the fact that the woman in front of me already put her seat backwards and refuses to sit still. All of this is part of an absolutely amazing experience that I'm very happy to be a part of!

I'm considering knocking back the benedryl soon. I'm honestly already so sleepy, I doubt falling asleep will be a problem. Soon we'll be able to start a movie, so maybe I'll just curl up somehow into a bal and hopefully fall asleep. When I wake up, we'll be in Rome!