a few thoughts on long haul flights

Something you may not know about me is that even though I love to travel I hate to fly. It wasn't always this way, I used to love to fly, but a few years ago that all changed. It happened around the time I went to Egypt, too many flights in too short a period of time and now I'm a very nervous flyer.
So, since I just in the last two weeks took two super duper long flights (well, I guess 4 long flights, but in two segments) I felt the need to share a few thoughts on these really long flights.
- For some reason I'm much less nervous on long hauls than on short flights, not sure why, but for some reason I really like very big planes.
- I think that flight attendants have the patience of saints because some really obnoxious people fly. Like on my flight from Delhi to Amsterdam the women next to me first asked for a kids meal for her daughter which, of course, they don't have; then she complained that the snack was vegetarian, then proceeded to ask for 5 different drinks, all in one conversation...and she was really rude the whole time. I am so amazed that the poor guy didn't smack her upside the head. To counter this I try to be super duper nice to them.
- Airlines should try to coordinate their meals because I had the same dinner on two flights in a row. It was a good meal but I was a tad bit disappointed to see the same thing.
- If you ever happen to fly to India via Europe the flight seems to be (in my humble opinion) fairly bumpy. I've done it 4 times now and have noticed that it is definitely much bumpier than a transatlantic flight, must be something in the air.
- It is not comforting to hear that your flight path will be taking you over Kabul. Why can we fly over Afghanistan and not Iraq? (note: I'm happy to not fly over Iraq). Maybe it is because we are super duper high up over Afghanistan? Of course it would probably add about 2 hours to the flight to avoid it so what can you do.
- KLM has really yummy deserts.
- If you ever have a layover in the Amsterdam airport there is a a mini-museum, just a room really, with some pieces from the Rijksmuseum between the E and F terminal areas. A very pleasant way to break up a layover (and they have a gift shop that had puzzles...yes, I bought one)
- Wind is amazing, it took a full 2 1/2 hours longer to get from Delhi to Boston than from Boston to Delhi just because of wind.
And these are my thoughts on long flights. Can't believe I'm going to do it again soon. Maybe I'll connect in Amsterdam again and pick up another puzzle!