'' I hate flying, airports and the whole rigmarole- queuing up, security and lost luggage.'' - Johnny Vegas

Taking the plane always makes me stressed. Today when I was traveling home to spend Christmas is Norway was no different.

It all starts a couple of days in advance. I start getting nervous and frenetically go over everything I need to pack. I make lists and have nightmares about arriving to the airport without my passport. Last night I kept waking up every other hour thinking I had missed my alarm and was relived every time I could go back to sleep.

When my alarm finally rang I was far from ready to leave my warm cozy bed wrapped up in my boyfriends arms. It was quite painful. Also knowing I wouldn't see him for a whole month made me consider missing my plane for half a second. But then again, seeing family and friends would be very nice too.

I got out of the bed and started going over the last minute stuffs I had been to lazy to do last night. My big suitcase was in my mind packed to perfection carrying all my necessities and Christmas gifts. I crossed my fingers and hoped it wouldn't be too heavy as I climbed on the weight scale. And of course it was..

Time was ticking and it was only twenty minutes until the taxi would arrive to take me to the airport. I had a mild panic attack and tore out some of the heavier stuff from my suitcase. Luckily I still had some room in my hand luggage and managed to fit some of it there.
Today was my lucky day thou, I have to say, as my boyfriend wanted to come with me to the airport to say goodbye. Him being the total opposite meaning he loves flying and traveling.
The taxi arrives on time, the driver is a super sweet old man that even gives me a discount on an already chip ride into Lisbon. Ok, good start.

Today I am supposed to collect my ticket at the airport. Usually I download it in my phone, but to be honest, that always makes me even more stressed. Nothing beats a good old fashioned boarding card that you can hold in your and!!

I am always scared that my phone dies and the constant back and forth if you want to check other things on your phone always make me a bit crazy. Last time I travelled the person scanning my ticket even had problems biiping my ticket because my screen wasn't light enough... And it took a while to get there.

I was lost as usual in the maze that is most airports not knowing where to go. Luckily my boyfriend had flown out of Lisbon more times than he can count and sorted out my check in in no time. Again, it flows, and thank god, haha! I think my boyfriend is a bit shocked thou, already knowing I have a pretty bad sense of directions I bet he didn't think it was THIS bad..

Before we say goodbye we have time for a quick breakfast together which I appreciate a lot. I have a croissant misto and a meia de leite, one of my favorite Portuguese breakfast/ snack combos. If you are ever visiting, try it!! It's basically a croissant with butter, ham and cheese that they heat up for you. The meia de leite is a coffee with milk, but if it's one thing the Portuguese know it's how to make a good coffee!!

After breakfast it's time to find my gate and get through the security check. I kiss my boyfriend one last time and continue the journey on my own.

I get lost for a few seconds before I see a sign pointing the way to security check. I go through the procedure, of course I am stopped for an extra search... But that's just my luck.
I get to the gate. I was crossing my fingers that the plane would be kind of empty due to the time of the year and my destination. But no, on the contrary. It is packed, and the majority of people traveling are parents with young children. Great.

We start boarding. Everyone seems a bit stressed now. I finally find my seat, it’s next to a two year old screamer and a mother that probably just wants to sleep. After what seems like forever the plane finally takes off and I repeat to myself, just 4 more hours, just our more hours. I didn’t bring a book and I don’t have any movies to watch, so I decide to try sleeping for a bit. I start leaning my seat back to get comfortable when I suddenly hear a sharp voice. ‘’Excuse me!! Stop leaning your seat back, I am trying to read my book and you are pushing it into my face’’. (….)

I take a deep breath and say to the stewardess, ‘’one cup of white wine, please.’’ And there you go. Half an hour later and I feel something like this.

Yep.

Happy travels home for the holiday everybody! Heheh..