Watch movie--check
Eat dinner--check
Gag down a cup of wine--check
Work on daily blog--check
Trip to the restroom--check
Put on comfy socks--check
Put on comfy sweater--check
Wrap up in 2 comfy blankets--check
Blow up neck pillow--check
Glance over jealously at sleeping husband--check
Put on eye mask--check
Recline chair--check
Relax and sleep--NOT A CHANCE!
Dinner...what did you expect from airplane food? Too bad first class is a bit too rich for our blood!
Dinner was edible....the dessert was sweet and the wine was disgusting...I think I'd rather buy the snack-in-the-box that they've recently been offering on our domestic flights. I gave Roger my roll (it was hard as a rock, he gave me his dessert (not a bad swap), I skipped the mashed potatoes, and thought the coq-au-vin was quite tasty.
At about 9:30, I dozed for maybe two hours....which means I was fully relaxed and aware of what was going on around me, but I did not fall asleep. So here I am with my trusty IPad, typing away...wide awake, once again...on an overseas flight. I won't fight it this time, I usually get angry and a bit frustrated...I will go with the flow and do what I do best when not sleeping..play on this thing and allow it to entertain me. I really have no other choice, my body will do as it chooses and my mind will not have control of my sleep patterns. I've been taking my No Jet Lag pills as directed every two hours. If you're sleeping soundly, the directions state that you should not be concerned with the lapse in time, just continue taking them once you awake. I should be so lucky :(
I've recently been functioning on a lot less sleep than usual. Packing, writing and thinking about various current issues, have kept me from my normal sleep patterns. I guess I have to ask myself...what are my normal sleep patterns...pretty darn strange at times...and yet they feel pretty darn normal to me. I consider myself lucky if I sleep 6 solid hours...3 am in the morning and I are very good acquaintances.....which translates to, 9pm in the evening and I are very much strangers. Remember, I am the one who does not use an alarm clock to wake up, or drink caffeine to jump start my day. Not normal you might think...but who ever said I was normal...certainly not me :)
You may be asking yourself, how does all this affect me when we travel? Up in the early morning to take part in a long day tour, then back to the ship for dinner and a show....only to be repeat the same cycle again the very next day, and most probably the day after as well. Well the honest truth is...while we are away, it does not seem to be an issue, and when I get home, I walk around like a zombie for a week. How to avoid this situation is not within my realm of understanding. I suppose I could skip a night's entertainment and hit the sack early....or sleep in on a sea day when there are no plans to get off the ship.... typically, this should happen on a longer cruise. I'm not even sure how I'm able to stay awake late into the evening, day after day...night after night. It lends itself to the mystery of why anyone can go for extended periods of time, with little or no sleep. I sometimes think on vacation, I am running on pure adrenalin, so I go with the flow until I no longer can keep up the pace. I have a little chat with myself and say, "come on Joannie.... (when I talk to myself out loud, I add an "i" to my name--not sure why, I just like the sound of it)...you can do this.". Kind of a self-inflicted pep talk, for lack of a better term. I have to say, I'm quite an effective coach, because usually the task at hand is accomplished without issue. Additionally, the idea that I might actually miss some of the fun while we are on vacation, is a strong enough incentive for me.
So, I find myself facing our very first day of touring in London with potentially a few hours of rest and not any sleep to brag about. Not the ideal situation at the start of an extended, port intensive cruise....but I'm not sure I have any other choice in the matter. I do know for certain, that by 2pm today (if not sooner), the refreshing shower and comfy bed at the Yotel in Heathrow, will feel like a dream come true to this sleep deprived little girl.
Please know that I am not alone during these wake filled hours. There appear to be other folks on the plane in the same situation as me...reading, chatting, and dozing a bit here and there. And then there are the lucky ones, like the guy sitting next to me...who has always been able to sleep at the drop of a hat, but who has also been known to function perfectly well for a full 12--18 hour workday, on 2 hours of sleep....goodnight Roger...sweet dreams!
Next up--our very 1st day exploring the UK...or....what to do with a 12-hour lay over on little or no sleep....cheerio for now!
Update: upon my completion of the post--I began to feel just a tiny bit sleepy (good news for me) and thought I'd close my eyes and perhaps grab a quick nap....apparently the flight attendants thought otherwise and began the breakfast service (bad news for me). Not for nothing, the captain made an announcement we would be landing in less than an hour......sleep and I will depart ways, to hopefully be reunited in another 13 hours or so, when we get back on the plane to Barcelona....who am I kidding....me + plane does not = sleep....I was never very good at math anyway.
Breakfast of champions....well maybe not so much :)
Juice is juice...yogurt is yogurt...but I've never met a croissant I didn't like, and if I was giving up a my chance for a few extra winks, I could see my way to making the sacrifice for that yummy, buttery, flakey pastry
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