majdalenaska

[majdalenaska]

Country road take me home to the place I belong…

I am thinking about my last trip with Vendy, driving down the American roads, while listening to country music , headed to Mount. Rainier. It only stays in my memories now.

One year without flying and how do I feel about it?

Is this the end of an era , should I accept that, I am asking myself.

I’d like to look back and reflect on my very last flight and previous year 2020, that rolled out to be one of the strangest year so far.

Flicking through my pictures from Seattle, Rio and Austin is making me upset, I want to cry and feel sorry for myself. Why did it happen to me, to us, my amazing colleagues from Norwegian family?

A lot of stuff has been going on lately with my Norwegian family and the management. We found out an ugly truth about them and the way they treated us at the end when shit hit the fan. It’s very unfortunate the way things turned out. But I choose to not feel bitter about it and let it go.   

I pick up and treasure the memories that keep my heart warm and reminiscence on my travel stories with my colleagues and friends.  Who actually creates a great company? The employees and their dedication, hard work, diligence and sharing and caring for one another. …

It’s been almost a year since my last flight to NYC, it was somewhat uncanny, I remember everything about the whole trip. When deadheading back, sitting in the premium cabin, I could feel deep down in my gut that this is probably my very last flight. How awfully sad that sounds. I am thankful I got to enjoy my very last trip with a great bunch of people, being able to wander around Brooklyn and to jog in the morning with my fellow colleague from Paris base, who I literally only met at a breakfast buffet.

It’s been also a year since my sleep worsened. Is my body still recovering from 3 years of flying or is it an impact of the stress and anxiety due to Covid 19. I blame both…But it’s getting better, slowly but better. My body needs routine. Why the hell did you choose to work as a flight attendant.? In fact sometimes the most chaotic jobs could be the most rewarding ones at the same time. How to navigate a balance  in my life I am still trying to figure out. I feel like I am always after a thrill and excitement, which is not obviously sustainable in a long run. I am open to an adventure and discomfort which pushes me forward. Many people around me must thing I am a nutter when it comes to my life choices. „Now it’s time to settle down and have children“ I can hear from my grandma….

I have decided to abandon my second home called Beckenham and move back to my home country, but it wouldn’t be me if I choose to do it the easy way. I opted for Prague, not Brno, my home town. Let’s the new adventure begin…but before let’s have a look at what I have been up to for the last year.

During the world pandemic I managed to spent 2 months in Czech Republic, meeting friends from all over the country, baking cakes and bread and ended up with IBS as a result of a Czech diet for 2 months straight. Luckily it wasn’t an IBS as I first thought, it went away once I flew back to London. How bizarre the English diet would be the cure.

 I had been eyeing Workaway website for years. A website, which enables you to travel a little bit differently. To volunteer in an exchange of food and shelter but sometimes with an offering of a small pay even. I never had the guts to travel somewhere by myself. Something was always holding me back. Mind you, when I firstly moved to the UK, I literally forced myself to go. Sometimes it is better not to think things over too much and rather act quickly and just go for it. And in a hindsight it was the best decision I could have ever made.

Anyway it takes a lot of courage to leave your comfort zone, your familiar environment, friends and family, especially someone with a social anxiety like me. But sometimes there is this inner voice that pushes me when the time is right.

We are in the midst of the global pandemic and you decide to go volunteering to a foreign country? Yeh , why not, I figured. But my first volunteering adventure was on the safe side. Picking up a place near Canterbury, which is about two hours from Beckenham, where I live, was a great compromise. „Helping out on a fruit farm with animals“? Yes girl…sign me up.

So I packed my little black Norwegian suitcase, pretending I am about to leave for 2 days Las Vegas layover, but this time it’s going to be stress free train journey to Canterbury in south east England. Mark picks me up in his Land Rover and blatantly asks me if I came to his place to de-stress since I seemed a little apprehensive…I was taken aback by his question and hesitated with my answer but me being usually quite frank , I came clean. „Yes Mark, I am looking for an escape from the city and I think your farm will be ideal for that.“

I wasn’t mistaken, the loveliest English farm house in Kent, surrounded by beautiful fields and country roads, I could think of. I stayed in a sweet looking cottage next door with my fellow workawayers. The whole property with a massive garden and woodlands near by was utterly magical and wonderful. Perfect place for anyone who wants to escape the hustle and bustle of a big city. I was greeted by sweet Labrador dog called Brandy, Cockerspaniel Lola and the third Cocker, whose name I cannot remember since she would always run away to the neighbours's house. My sweet pregnant Brandy, who was due to have puppies in several weeks. We spent a lot of time together and I miss her greatly up to this day. And what was I actually doing at this farm? Mainly walking doggies, but also taking care of little ducklings, chicks and also helping out with Mark’s Airbnb, the tree house, which was so out of the ordinary. The little getaway spot was a lover’s dream. An a escape into a magical garden and woodland, campfire and swing next by. Often also accompanied by Jess, the cat, who guarded the place …

I met lovely girls from Brazil, Hungary and China. We shared so many a laughable moments together, I never forget Jin’s Chinese cooking and the recipe I was given by her. But the most memorable and wholesome experience was Brandy’s puppies being born upon my stay. I had never seen anything more adorable and pure. I wish I could have stayed longer but I knew I wanted to see other places when I had the chance and time on my hands due to the fact I was on furlough for the whole year.

I opened a Workaway website and I scrolled down to countries that I’d like to visit. For some reason I was tempted to go to Sweden. My first stay in Sweden happened, when I turned 12 year old , that time it was with my folk dance ensemble, performing at the local festival, but I couldn’t remember almost anything at all from that trip. There was also another reason why I was so keen on exploring Sweden but let’s just say love was concerned.

So Sweden it is, I am going in few weeks.  I did some research and found a Martin’s place, a typical Swedish summer house in Stockholm’s Archipelago, surrounded by a forest and a massive lake. Did I mention I am a lake enthusiast?

Martin was kind enough to pick me up from Arlanda’s airport and off we drove to Stockholm first, where he owned  a small flat in the city center.

Martin was a typical Nordic man, tall with blond hair, and definitely not a talker. Exactly how I imagined a proper Viking would be. I do have a soft spot for Scandinavian type though, I must admit.  I am strolling around the Vasastan neighborhood in Stockholm and I am impressed. The impeccable fashion sense of Swedish man, and women also. I think Czechs would benefit a quick visit to Sweden. Just an observation here.  Did I mention that the coffee was top notch? There is a coffee house on every corner, having it served it in a plastic free, recycled paper cups.

Martin is maybe not too eloquent but we are having a great time getting to know each other and chatting over some red wine and fresh local prawns. I am absolutely amazed by the freshness and quality of the local produce. It’s outrageously costly but the selection and quality of food is beyond this world.

Martin is taking me to his summer house in Archipelago in the countryside. The only way to get there is by ferry though, how cool is that. We are going to work on his renovating project, which his beloved father started many years ago, but unfortunately never finished it. Martin’s plan is to complete this house and hopefully to sell it one day. I am helping out with some wood work but politely decline when electric saw is involved. Thank you very much, I am not keen on loosing my finger the very first week being there. I opted for grass mowing with a tractor near by the lake and boat house. I drive the tractor 2 miles per hour, otherwise it won’t pick up the grass I was told. I am learning a new skill , how amazing, not sure about sharing it on my Resume though. This lake area, absolutely breathtaking views over the neighboring wooden cabins and small boats on the lake floating. The sun is glancing through the trees, making the lake looks like it’s glittering. How poetic, I sighed.. Considering it was September already, the weather was on point, warm and pleasant. I managed to lay down on the grass and catch some sunshine. How peaceful and quiet this place was. Couple of times I came down and performed my yoga session and also listened to some local Swedish music while soaking up the sun and fresh air. My favorite spot, being by myself, reflect and think about the future. I cannot forget my horsey friends near by, whom I talked to on several occasions and fed them with apples. Such majestic animals they were.  It felt like they knew, what I was talking to them about, sharing my secrets and struggles.

The first night at the summer house Martin prepared, as he said typical Swedish dinner, consisting of fresh crayfish, local cheese, bread, prawns, delicious spread and mayos. Dinner was accompanied by delicious wine and candles could not had been missed. I must had judged him wrong , Martin was the romantic type after all. But according to him candles are massive part of Swedish dining culture and there is nothing romantic about them. It was rather authentic experience then, especially when Martin poured a  typical Swedish fruit brandy and finished it off with some random Swedish song, well me being slightly tipsy, I couldn’t  let him down and joined in with a Czech folk song also.

This is what I meant by traveling via Workaway is about. Seeing and experiencing places from a local perspective, way different as opposed to the stereotypical sightseeing and playing a tourist. You can actually dive into the culture and observe it from local’s point. So next time you go places, think about, what you are actually wanting to experience and see. Maybe Couchsurfing and Workaway is the way, maybe not, but for me, the times of fancy hotels and swimming pools are over.

I stayed in Sweden for about a month and I had the best time I could have asked for.  I am really grateful to Martin that he accommodated me, took me on a  boat trip and showed me the spectacular houses on the island. I also met up with my friend from Norwegian Air, who was kind enough to take me on his private yacht and showed me Stockholm from a boat perspective. Have your ever ordered an Uber Eats on a boat? Yes, in Stockholm it was possible. I utterly fell in love with Stockholm and it’s surroundings. The nature, forests, Archipelago, the delicious local produce. ..Maybe it’s my luck but seeking discomfort and taking risks sometimes pay off. Sweden I’ll be back soon.

After my Swedish adventure I took a flight back to London. Struggled for few months to settle back in and decided to find a new job for the time being before I move back to Czech Republic. My current job is working as a Covid assistant in the NHS testing centre, 13 hours shift for 4 days in a row, in a bleak and rainy winter. After my first 4 days pattern it felt like I did four Buenos Aires flights in a row, and without the tasty steak and Malbec wine. But I am in the front lines now and I am proud of myself. At the beginning I was really scared to work at the „dangerous“ zone but now I am fine with it. I am happy I can contribute and help out and I am taking a bow in front of all the health and NHS workers who literally put their life at risk every single day. Well, no more glamorous life as a cabin crew, now it’s time to realize what my next step will be and when it’s the right time to leave this country. A country that was my second home for 7 years.

[majdalenaska]

An honest talk

Many of my colleagues can’t bear the idea of being stuck at home and not flying. I am the total opposite, I’d been craving a break from flying for a very long time. Sometimes it was love and hate relationship and it was difficult to distinguish if I only needed a short break or if to give up flying for good. But what I knew for a fact was that my body screamed for a break. So at the moment no more nasty turbulence, stressing on board and tiring night flights. I’ve been reflecting on my 2 years flying adventure and it made me realize how important regular schedule and sleep pattern was. My last flight was almost two months ago and I’ve been struggling with sleep since then, it makes me wonder what flying can really do to your body in a long term.  But I must accept the fact that it might be another factor added to it, this unprecedented Corona chaos going on, lack of job stability and future prospects. Plenty of my fellow colleagues are on edge, not sure if and when we will be coming back up in the sky. These are very uncertain times, it could take several months or could it be never again? The only thing I could do right now is to take a deep breath, relax and accept whatever comes next. Pictures below are from one of my last flight to Los Angeles with a buddy of mine Harry.

[majdalenaska]

Brazil with the dream team

In December I was scheduled a flight to a dreamy Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, one of my top destinations.  Since it was my third or fourth time in Brazil , we came up with a plan to see Rio De Janeiro in proper detail and explore as much as possible preferably in one day. We were lucky enough to book a personal driver André, who was willing to drive us all around the main sights, which was priceless. Especially in a humid place like Rio, one really appreciates the air conditioning in the car. Andre was on a mission to get us to see as many places as possible and drink as many different kinds of beer that Brazil has to offer. I was completely drained at the end of the day, considering the jet lag plus the Caipirinhas from previous night (must drink to have if you visit Brazil).  Even though I experienced some unpleasant events during the night and had to see a doctor (Thank you Kenton), this trip was totally worth it. (Next time no Guarana Antarctica before bed time due to high caffeine dosage). Anyway, to conclude this, we’ve seen the famous Christ Redeemer, Barra da Tijuca, lovely beach Praia de Joatinga (which is only possible to stay at during their winter season due to a tide). We even managed to visit waterfalls Alto da Boa Vista in Tijuca National Park and the famous Selaron Steps. But the Sugar loaf mountain beats everything for me, the views overlooking Rio De Janeiro are absolutely breathtaking and if you come during the sunset, you won’t regret.

[majdalenaska]

End of an era

This was my very last trip with my dearest friend Vendula, who is moving back to the Czech Republic to begin a new chapter in her life. Vendy and I, met around three years ago in London. After my first year in the skies, I convinced her that she definitely had to try it out as well, so she came on board and that was how our adventures down route had started. I will never forget our morning run and regular barbecue dinners in Austin, Texas (not having one for a very long time now). I will also miss our weird geocaching adventures or Caipirinhas at the beach in Rio de Janeiro. We had created so many unforgettable memories together and I will always keep them in my heart. Traveling is great surely, but if you can share it with someone you care about it makes a huge difference. I am truly happy for her upcoming life journey, but I will also miss her massively. 

Anyway, on this last occasion we headed outside San Francisco with our Portuguese friend Joao Pedro. The main idea behind this trip was to visit Monterey, little coastal town, where the TV series Big little lies was filmed. Obviously, we were hooked by this show, hence the necessary visit. But the first stop on our road trip was a beautiful state park called Big basin Redwood. In this gorgeous woodlands you could find the tallest sequioa trees in the world. We walked the Redwood trail for about an half and hour and continued our journey south towards Monterey bay. This picturesque town is an absolute must visit ; it’s very peaceful and has a pleasant small town vibe. It feels cosy and relaxed. I would even recommended it over the fisherman’s wharf in San Fransisco which is rather overcrowded with tourists. Monterey is a hidden gem with plenty of seafood restaurants and quirky little stalls around. You can also have a walk along the coast, admire the views and watch the seagulls. This path will lead you to the famous Monterey aquarium, which we unfortunately could not visit, since we had to hit the road back to the hotel. Hopefully I’ll come back soon and explore a bit further.

[majdalenaska]

Why you should be a flight attendant

When I was a little girl, growing up in the Czech Republic, there was this telenovela on TV (Muneca Brava) placed in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  I would watch this show for hours since I was obsessed with the main actor/singer Natalia Oreiro. If someone‘d told me back then, that I’d be flying to Argentina on a regular basis, I’d say they must have gone mad. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to remind myself that I in fact have the opportunity to fly to these amazing places , which I would have never thought of seeing one day.

Since I  started flying,  the concept of  traveling in itself has rather changed  for me. Once down route, you may only have 24 or 48 hours for exploring the certain destination. But let me tell you something; you have no idea how much a person can see or experience in such a short period of time. Before my flying career I’d think what’s the point of even getting out of your hotel room, if you only have a few hours to do something. But that is absolutely wrong thinking. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see how fulfilling and exciting it can be to see the destination even only for 24 hours. That actually reminds me of one time in Buenos Aires with my close friend Vendy. After a 13 hours` flight from London to Argentina you may assume there is no energy left for further exploration of the city. But since we arrived in the morning, the plan was simple: having a 3 hours nap and then heading for dinner to one of the most famous restaurants in the whole Buenos Aires, called Don Julio in the area called Palermo. While queuing up to get in, we got talking to a lovely Australian family and other fellow travelers.   We enjoyed our delicious steak and Malbec red wine and asked the waiter where  the best place was  to go for Tango lessons. We ended up nearby, in the local old ball hall, which was rather scary at first glance. But after a few glasses of Malbec and a few attempts at Tango dances with the locals and our new aussie friend, all worries were forgotten. It was probably the most authentic experience I could have asked for. Around 1 am in the morning, we got into a taxi and headed back to the hotel. That was surely the longest day of my life, but it was totally worth it. The point I’m trying to make by telling you all this is  that no matter how much time you have , you should make the most of it while you can. You create incredible memories which you will never forget.

So, what else is there to do during one or two days? Maybe driving around Hollywood hills, Malibu and watching the sunset on Santa Monica beach in Los Angeles, or maybe wine tasting in Napa Valley, California. I’ve also watched the sea lions in San Fransisco bay and hiked through woodlands in the Washington state. I’ve  also tried kayaking and paddle boarding in Austin, Texas. I’ve seen more and experienced more in 2 years than some people in a decade, all thanks to my job. And even though it is hard sometimes, I never forget to feel grateful for having been given this opportunity.

Once on board, you get surrounded with all different kinds of people and you get to talk to them if you want to and get to listen to their stories. Sometimes you turn into a therapist, since some passengers may share a bit too much of their personal life. You also get to learn about different cultures since many of my colleagues are literally from all over the world. So you may learn a few words in Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Romanian or Czech.

You spend about 15 days per month abroad; trust me, you really appreciate your bed back at home and you also fall in love with the home comings after a long trip.  Imagine returning from your trip on Monday mornings when you can just watch people rushing to work, while you can go back to your bed at home.

What else is great about this job?

1.       You gain muscles from closing all the overhead lockers on board and lifting your suitcases often

2.       You become a „house wife“ (you master your skills in the kitchen while on standby. You may rediscover painting with water colours once being bored on standby. And you may also start making homemade Kombucha like my friend Vendula, once being utterly bored on standby.

3.       You acquire an incredible amount of time for yourself, while down route or back home, which gives you the chance to watch all of the tv series which you have always had a eye on.

If you work in a regular office job, you usually spend time with the same people every day, which is nice, if you’ve bonded with them and created a little family environment, but you might agree with me that things aren’t always easy with some of your colleagues or your boss. Well, this is not the case in Aviation. If you dislike someone, you might never really see them  again, or, if need be, you just ask your senior to work in another part of the plane :)

Anyone who lives in the UK knows that winter is absolutely miserable out here. It’s grey and rainy and it’s windy and cold, which is rather depressing. Imagine that every week you get to escape all of that. I don’t need to dream about it, I am lucky enough to live it. The upcoming month I am rostered to fly to Rio de Janeiro and sunny Los Angeles. You are constantly on the move and you can enjoy sunny destinations even in the winter months, which is also one thing I adore about flying. Unless you are sent somewhere like Boston where it is minus 13 in January.

[majdalenaska]

9 reasons why NOT to be a cabin crew

This is not probably the ideal way how to promote a job in Aviation but if you really think about doing this, you should keep on reading. As much as I encourage my friends to become a cabin crew, there are certain aspects of the job that should be taken into consideration. To name a few…

( P.S don’t take this article way too seriously, it is supposed to humour you a bit, but there is also a lot of truth in it as well)

1)      Permanent state of jet lag

Basically, you function in a constant brain fog and sleepiness, other words called the Jet lag. Let me tell you something about this lovely term called jet lag. It’s no fun. It does not matter if you are in Europe or in the US, you constantly battle it. Let me elaborate. Once you are in the USA, you usually stay down route one or two days (3, if very lucky), well in that case, your body clock can’t get used to the timezone in such a short period of time. You might get a decent sleep the second night or third, but when you actually get comfy and acclimatized, it’s time for you to go and fly back to Europe.  

I am talking from a personal perspective here, but the first night after a flight being back in Europe, you sleep amazingly, like a baby. The reason for that, is being literally knackered, either from the flight itself or the time difference caught up with you. Sometimes the upcoming days could be a struggle, you could feel still very tired, a bit confused, which is all the consequence of a jet lag. Once you start to feel like yourself and start function as normal human being, where you don’t need to spend 10-12 hours in bed, you are on a go again, hooray, back to the USA. (The good thing about flying to America is having literally the longest day ever, since you add an extra 5 or 8 hours to your day). But to conclude this, everyone’s different, when it comes to jet lag.  Some days I feel fresh as a daisy, surprisingly.

Your body also works on habits and has incredible memory. For instance you can get used to any patterns or different time zones, as long as you work in them regularly ( in my airline we are lucky enough to be flying only to USA and south America). We mainly work during the nights on our way back to Europe, so your body works like a clock, it knows exactly when to sleep and for how long.

Let’s say, I come back home from a night flight, I might get 2-3 hours of sleep during the day and then I can get a proper sleep from around 8 or 9 pm till the morning. Imagine that one day, you come back from a Seattle (8 hours difference), which utterly disrupts your lovely routine and body clock. Since coming back from Seattle is during the day, it mess you up , big time. You get at least two sleepless nights in London and only because you changed the routine a bit ( or I don’t do this route regularly enough).

2)      Mood shifts

Your mood worsens due to the lack of sleep. If you don’t do anything in particular in regards to your moodiness, you end up being grumpy and friendless. As many of us could confirm, especially on landing day, you feel absolutely drained and easily irritable and it’s no one to blame really, so don’t take it personally, if you are a boyfriend or girlfriend of a flight attendant. Just get them a pizza, bottle of chilled beer and put on some Netflix. Ideally in a long term, you’ve got to work on it though. Yoga, meditation, walk in nature, skype call…anything at all to get you out of the funk.

3)      Your social life becomes non existent

As you can tell, flight attendants spend the majority of time abroad, which can have a huge impact on their social life. Your close friends probably forgot you already, since you are never around, or you are always tired to go out. When you actually make the effort to do something with your mates, you have to come back early, since perhaps you have a flight to catch early in the morning or you basically fall sleep in the middle of conversation due to jet lag. You also do not have time to date, unless you are a Tinder master and you make boyfriends in every state in America, where we get to fly. But if you find yourself a man in Seattle, not ideal at all, because this is only a seasonal route. Next time be smarter and go on Tinder somewhere like NYC or Los Angeles, where we fly daily :)

4)      People coming and leaving

During this job you get to meet incredible amount of people, either your colleagues or just random people on a plane you get to talk to. But when it comes to the crew, every trip or flight you do, you work along someone new, which is awesome, but also a tiny bit overwhelming sometimes. And it is not for everybody. I am lucky enough to be flying with some incredible people but unfortunately usually you get to see them once and never again, your rosters never match basically.

5)      You get used to the  „high life“

Don’t take me wrong, flying itself and working in a closed metal tube is not that glamorous as I once thought in the past.  But you kinda get used to the perks of being a cabin crew…( lot of spare time either in hotels or at home, free breakfast down route, fancy hotel rooms, outdoor pools, spas, saunas, free gym etc). The loveliest bonus for me must be flying to a warm and sunny destination all year long, where you can get some Vitamin D and sometimes even Vitamin Sea, which whoever live in England understand. You are also welcome to do anything from shopping, dinning or outing with the crew during the day, as far as you have the energy or the funds for it. If you are a Disney fan, trust me, Florida will become your second home.

6)      Working late and during the nights

No one likes working during the night, especially in a different time zone. But once you create a routine, your body gets used to it somehow, as I mentioned before. You also need to create a habit of napping BEFORE the flight, DURING the flight and AFTER the flight. So basically you become a baby all over again. (this could be considered as a plus)

 7)      Loneliness

You spend a lot of time on your own during layovers or at home , it can feel a bit lonely sometimes, which can actually helps you with getting to know something about your personality. Does this schedule work out for me? Am I a loner or prefer to be surrounded with people? In aviation it’s both ideally combined together.  But don’t isolate yourself too much, even if you are not up for a meet up, just push yourself , it’s not good for your mental health to spend too much time alone.

 8)      Passengers

Thanks to flying a lot and dealing with all different kinds of passengers, you may start disliking people and prefer company of dogs. I do not talk from a personal perspective when it comes to this issue (only sometimes) but I’ve had people talking about this. I can also notice it with people working in aviation for a long time. You can get easily triggered by silly comment or you just get irritated by anyone just because you are tired. In that case you should consider some help or maybe ask yourself if it’s time for you to move on to a different career.

 9)      Standby – to be called or not to be called

There is literally nothing worse than being called out of a standby. I can’t think of anything more stressful than a Standby, which for those, who do not work in aviation, means being called out in the middle of a night or a day to cover duty for someone else, who cannot fly that day, due to any circumstances. The minimum time you can get to arrive to the actual airport is 90 minutes. It’s part of the job I know, we signed up for this, but anyway there is nothing worse than a Standby. I just need to know in advance, whether I fly tomorrow or not. Standby only gives me an anxiety. But on the positive note, we do not have that many of them in one month and usually they give us more time in advance, which is nice.

I hope by reading this, I didn’t put you off flying, which wasn’t my intention in a first place. I wrote this article while being on standby and not sleeping properly the night before hence the chosen headline:) Not to finish on a negative note, my next read will be definitely focused on benefits and advantages of flying, which hopefully lure you back into aviation.

[majdalenaska]

Autumn in Seattle

Vendulka and I decided to request a trip to Seattle and we did not regret that decision. She packed her boyfriend and off we flew over to Seattle. We got two nights over there, which was just ideal for little exploration of Seattle and it’s surroundings. We planned a little hike to the Mount Rainier national park and followed the Bench and snow lake trail which was around 6kms. Hike was relatively easy, we even saw elk at the road, took pictures at the stunning Snow lake and got carried away.

Seattle is a great place to visit as well, it’s fun and quirky. I’d highlight the famous Seattle public market, where you can get anything from handmade jewellery, paintings, beautiful flowers or homemade Kombucha. Since Vendy is a huge fan of Grey Anatomy, we obviously needed to visit Kerry park. ( A must see)

[majdalenaska]

Winter wonderland in Colorado

This layover I got to spend in Denver, Colorado. We were lucky enough to stay here for 3 whole days, which is rather rare. Denver is not really a top spot among the crew since our hotel is kinda in the middle of nowhere. The only choice is to rent a car and drive up to the Rocky Mountains. It only take around 2 hours and you find yourself in magical landscape surrounded by woodlands, lakes, wild life and mountains. The views are breathtaking and it is very peaceful here. Lately I really appreciate hiking in nature rather than stroll around crowded city.

First day we went to explore the city of Denver and ended up in Cheese factory (don’t ask me why)

The next day we planned a little road trip up to the Rocky Mountains national park,  we stopped along the way, made pictures and just enjoyed the nature and views. We aimed for the Bear lake, which was absolutely gorgeous. On the way up the temperatures dropped though, so we only managed to stay there for a little bit, it was quite freezing to be honest, considering it was only October.

[majdalenaska]

Up in the air aka glorified waitress

Today it’s been exactly two years since I officially started my cabin crew journey and working for Norwegian Air, hence I‘ve decided to start a blog. Let’s see how it goes..

Below I describe my 6 days‘ trip down route. I hope you will enjoy it a bit and get a little glimpse into my flying world.

I’m talking to a young girl in the elevator; she looks at me in my uniform and says: „Wow, you are a cabin crew? Well, in fact she meant to say : „ Wow you are so lucky, you get to travel the whole world“!

That made me smile, but deep down I thought, hmm that’s a bit of  an overstatement.

No, really, many of my friends have a bit biased ideas about this world of flying and what it really feels like to work on a plane. Initially, I was very naive as well, not having a clue as to how I was going to feel on board, how I was going to interact with passengers from different countries and cultures who speak languages that I might not understand. What it is like  meeting a different crew every single flight - a bunch of folks who you have never met before, and  having to pretend you are proficient enough to provide excellent customer service.

No one can prepare you for the actual flight and being on board. The jetlagg, the anxiety, stress and fatique but with time it all goes away and you get used to it, somehow.

But, on the other hand, who can say they’ve had a steak for dinner in one of the most famous restaurant in Buenos Aires and danced Tango with one of the locals? Or who gets to experience flying in the skies at 39 000 ft every week using a Dreamliner 787 as their office? And  getting paid for all the traveling around the world? To sum it up all, I’d say my life is kinda up and down, literally.

This week I’ve had a 6 days‘ trip: London-New York-Madrid-New York-Madrid-London, sounds awful, doesn’t it? It is kind of an odd pattern but since we cover the workload of other bases, we have to be ready anytime for anything. This is aviation! Sometimes you never know where you could be flying next.

28.8./ 8:20 CET- London Gatwick            

         I meet my crew at Costa coffee at Gatwick and first introductions can begin. There are over 800 crews in Norwegian, so in most cases you will see everyone for the first time, and there is a little chance that you will be flying with someone you’ve already met before. I really appreciate when I see someone I’ve worked with on my previous flights, so there is a slight possibility. I’m feeling a bit awkward, I don’t seem to know anyone. I am not keen on small talk but there is no other choice. The flight crew aren‘t looking very happy today but maybe a smile from  cabin crew will cheer them up.

Together we are headed on board and in the forward cabin (PREMIUM) we have a quick briefing before the flight. Our senior assigns positions of the door which we are responsible for. Together we talk through all emergency questions and also discuss first aid topics. The Captain provides us with information regarding turbulences and the flight time, which is the only information everyone’s been waiting for. I’m feeling tired, didn’t have a good night’s sleep , but once the meal service starts, I am ready to go. The flight runs relatively smoothly, we do have an enormous bunch of orders though, which is not ideal, if there are only 8 cabin crew in total. Flights, especially to NYC, are ridicilously busy sometimes.

   We finish the service and half the crew can hit the crew rest, which is located at the rear of the cabin. It’s my turn so I can get myself into the little bunk, close my eyes trying to get some rest;this is so far the best part of the flight. If anyone of my readers has ever flown on a Boeing 787 before - please keep reading. You can find the lavatories on the other side of the crew rest and if you see the sign CABIN CREW ONLY , please stay away, this is definitely not a lavatory. You might wonder why I mention this, but 99% of our passengers do try to open our doors and fail miserably.

Anyway, we get to New York city around 1 PM local time (18.00 CET), and since this airport is one of the busiest airports out there we sometimes spend around 45 minutes taxing to the gate and waiting and waiting… (the worst part of a flight)

15:30 local time/ 20 : 30 CET – New York City

Two hours later, we finally reach our hotel in Manhattan; the whole journey from the airport can take up to 1 hour. But we stay in a hotel in Manhattan, so no one complains really. Everyone gets to their rooms and we talk about what to do later. We plan a rooftop bar in Brooklyn, but it starts raining, bummer. I take a shower and a short nap, since later I plan on going to Whole Foods with one of my colleagues. Shouldn’t have done that; after waking up I feel so drained that I am only capable of going downstairs for a pizza at the corner.

The pizza tastes delicious though and I put a Netflix on, unwind and relax. At 8 o´clock I can’t keep my eyes open anymore and I fall asleep. At 2 am I wake up and lie around in bed till 5 am. Thank you jet lag! Being an experienced flight attendant, however, I do have my morning routine. I do a bit of yoga, meditate and head for the coast to have a jog, which works perfect for jetlagg issues. You usually need a buddy who will drag you out of the bed, though. This time I pulled it off on my own!

It really feels amazing to be jogging along the Hudson river at 7 am, passing thrilled New Yorkers with their dogs and strollers, thinking about how awesome it might be to actually live here. After a while, I sit on a bench, listen to music and admire the views over Manhattan and get carried away. I come for a run here every single morning.

   Back at the hotel, I go downstairs to have breakfast and meet the rest of my crew. A big breakfast makes me  tired once again, so no big plans for today, I’m afraid. But maybe  I could manage some shopping in Century 21 and a lunch in Whole foods? ( BTW This place is awesome, just don’t get too carried away, otherwise you’ll be crying at the till.) Later we fly back to Madrid and I desperately long for a good night’s sleep. Tough luck, though.

I play a meditation video to calm me down but it’s pointless.

   29.8/21:15 local time( 02:15 CET)- New York City

It’s not ideal to start your flight at 3 am European time, as you can imagine. Anyway, in the world of flight attendants you get used to anything…anything at all. One hour on a bus to the airport, one hour taxing to the gate…man, I am drained. I am sitting on my jumpseat about 50 minutes and there are 3 passengers sitting opposite  me.( Cabin crew  must smile no matter what, so wakey wakey Magdalena!) Luckily all  the passengers are asleep so I can relax. The flight is stress and turbulence free and it only takes  6 hours and 30 minutes,yay. Well, sometimes it is rather enjoyable. Although every flight is utterly different, to be honest. Fatique, arguments with passengers, arguments with  crew, fainting passengers, drunk passengers…take your pick. But, hooray, today no one has vomitted on me and I haven‘t spilled any drinks on anyone. Not yet, at least.

30.8/14:35 local time - Madrid

We are thrilled arriving in Madrid. My idea of the upcoming days looks like this: The sun, the pool and chill. I leave my uniform in the hotel room and in the evening I meet my colleagues from Hungary and Poland. Together we set off towards the center of Madrid. The plan is to stroll around the city and get some Tapas and Sangria. We are lucky enough to be guided by one of our colleagues who is local in Madrid.

He shows us a few places of interests. I am mainly excited by the beautiful park called Cuarttel de la Montana, which gives you a stunning view over the city. We can‘t possibly finish our evening in Madrid without visiting the local Chocolateria San Gines, where the best Churros is made. The next day we explore the shopping mall next door, and spend a great time relaxing at the pool and regaining energy for the upcoming night flight.

31.8./18:25 local time

All bags packed and prepared, I am headed down to the lobby to meet my crew. We are flying back to New York City, which I am not really keen on, due to my poor sleep on the  East Coast. Interestingly, lately I‘ve preferred flying to the West coast of USA where I don’t have a major issue with jetlagg and sleep.( Though it only took  a year and half to get used to all those time differences, haha.)  We have a nice flight, the only trouble being  that almost 80% of all passengers are Spanish speaking, so we send our only Spanish speaking colleague L. everywhere we can. L. is not that excited about the situation. We have a small issue with a passenger who  refuses to give up on her own meal with nuts. Unfortunately for her, we have a passenger on board, who is allergic to nuts and hence it’s strictly forbidden to be eating anything containing nuts. But Mrs. B. is not happy about that and complains that she only eats foods that are vegan, gluten free an organic and we can’t really provide that from our snack bar, according to her. I try my best explaining and offering something else but in the end I have to call my senior. We bribe her with a freshly made coffee which is the only thing  she is willing to consume. Anyway, at the end of the flight. Mrs. B opens up her own meal box risking an anaphylactic shock for the poor passenger. Fortunately, nothing happens and her meal doesn‘t trigger an allergic reaction. It really feels  utterly frustrating that although we do our best to explain the seriousness of the situation, Mrs. B. ignores everything we say and put the life of a co - passenger at a risk. I think it is outrageous  how some people are so ignorant and arrogant. Yet, there‘s so much more a cabin crew can come up against  and have to deal with.( I just can‘t really stress enough the  importance of  working on yourself, your resiliance and patience, to be able to face all those kinds of challenges without ever losing your head and nerve.)

Another situation comes up with a lady  complaining about not getting a seat in exit row , where she can hang up a bassinet for her baby during the flight. Since she only speaks spanish, my colleague L.  apologizes to her saying that they must have made a mistake at the check in desk and she will have to take another seat unfortunately.

Service is taking ages and is not pleasant at all, no one can understand me, but eventually I am good to go with Vino Bianco and Vino Rosso. Spanish is not that difficult after all.

We get to the Manhattan hotel at  around 1 am in the morning, which is 6 am European time. Having an alcoholic beverage goes aside and I am only focused on my beautiful bed on 23rd floor. I am so tired  I would happily stay in that cosy warm bed until tomorrow’s pick up. But I forget I am at East coast so I am up at 6.30 heading for  breakfast. I don’t feel like running today, apologies Hudson river. After breakfast I feel drowsy again, I roll in the bed and put on some Netflix. I get my lunch in Preta Manger nearby and go back to my hotel room. You‘re thinking right, jetlagg is not an easy beast sometimes.

1.9 /21.15 local tme- 02.15 CET- New York

Here comes the very last working flight of this pattern and we are going back to Madrid, yay, feels like Dejavu. On the way to the JFK airport everyone falls asleep since it takes about an hour to get there and it is quite late in the evening. What is the best thing about night flights? Almost every passenger is fast asleep before the take off, awesome! We have a quiet time in both galleys and  the flight only takes 6,5 hours, which is a big plus of NYC flights. Compared it with Buenos Aires, which is about 13 hours from London Gatwick, a bit of a  difference, eh?

2.9. /12:59 CET – Madrid

We’ve arrived in Madrid but our flight back to London Gatwick is due in 5 hours. We are lucky enough to  have our hotel booked for us so we can refresh and relax for a bit. We don’t operate this flight- it is called DEADHEADING, which means, that we fly as passengers in our civil clothes. We get to Gatwick around 7.30 in the evening and everything seems great. There wasn’t any delay, no baggage was lost, everything is as should be.  Around 10 o’clock in the evening I get home and order a pizza and a beer from Deliveroo. Unpacking my suitcase can wait till tomorrow - I fall into my cosy bed and I am not getting out of it for the next 12 hours.

[majdalenaska]

Na obláčku aka Glorified waitress

....english version coming soon...

4/9/2019

Dnes jsou to právě dva roky, co jsem se oficiálně stala letuškou pro Norwegian a proto jsem se rozhodla , že je čas si založit blog.

Níže stručněji popisuji můj šestidenní pracovní trip, tak snad to někoho bude aspoň trošku bavit.

Bavím se s dívkou ve výtahu, otočí se na mne a mile mi povídá: „Júú, vy pracujete jako letuška?“ No doslova to bylo: „Woow, you are so lucky, you get to travel the whole world!“ V překladu tedy: Vy máte ale štěstí, můžete tak procestovat celý svět. Já se se od srdce zasměju, ale v duchu si řeknu, to určitě ty naivkoJ

Ne opravdu, mnoho z mých přátel či nepřátel má trošku zkreslené představy, o tom, co tato práce obnáší. A já si to na začátku myslela taktéž. Ovšem na druhou stranu, kdo může říct, že večeřel steak v nejvyhlášenější restauraci v Buenos Aires a tančil Tango s místním domorodcem. Kdo může říct, že si každý týden poletuje na obláčku v 39 000 stopách nad mořem v nejmodernějším Dreamlineru a kdo může říct, že dostává zaplaceno za cestování 15 dní v měsíci. Tuto práci bych shrnula do takového „nahoru a dolů“ to je docela výstižné, doslova!

Tento týden mě čekala 6 ti denní cesta: Londýn- New York- Madrid- New York- Madrid-Londýn, vypadá to hrůzostrašně co? Je to docela neobvyklé, ale jelikož zastáváme práci jiné báze, nikdo se s námí nemazlí a šupnou nás na jakékoliv jiné lety, pokud jsou potřeba.

28.8./ 8:20 SEČ- Londýn Gatwick                                

      S Crew se setkáváme v kavárně Costa a dochází k prvnímu seznamení s posádkou. Jelikož je v Norwegian přes 800 „cabin crew“, ve většině připadů vidíte všechny poprvé a je tedy malá pravděpodobnost, že poletíte s někým známým. Ale i to se může stát, vždy ráda ocením, pokud zahlédnu známou tvář. Cítím se trapně, neznám nikoho  a tak nastává nucená konverzace. Small talk nemám v oblibě, ale bohužel nemám na vybranou. Piloti vypadají krajně nasraně, ale milý úsměv od letušky je třeba rozveselí.

   Společně jdeme na palubu  a v přední části letadla zvaná PREMIUM máme BRIEFING. Vedoucí dnešního letu nám přidělí pozice u dveří, o které se budeme starat, zopakujeme si bezpečnostní otázky a společně taky diskutujeme o tématu týkající se první pomoci. Posléze přichází Kapitán a sděluje nám dobu letu, popřípadě informace ohledně turbulence a další potřebné informace. Jsem unavená, moc dobře jsem se dnes nevyspala, ale jakmile začně servis, je všechno OK. Let je relativně v pohodě, ovšem máme neskutečně množství objednávek a na palubě máme pouze 8 stewardů a stewardek, což při letu do NEW YORKU není opravdu ideální.

Servis zmáknem rychle a půlka „crew“ jde na povinný odpočinek. Zalezu si tedy do malé kajůtky na konci letadla, zavřu oči a odpočívám, moje nejoblíbenější část letuJ Pokud z Vás někdo někdy letěl Boeingem 787, čtěte dále, záchody naleznete na druhé straně od kajuty a pokud uvídíte na dveřích nápis CABIN CREW ONLY , tak to opravdu není toaleta. Divili byste se, ale 99 % pasazérů je vždy marně zkouší otevřít.

Přilétáme do New Yorku okolo jedné hodiny odpolední (18.00 SEČ), jelikož se nacházíme na jednom z nejrušnějších letišť na světě vůbec, strávíme někdy i přes 45 minut na cestě do GATU tzv. TAXI (přejezd).

 15:30 místní času/ 20 : 30 SEČ – New York City

     Dvě a půl hodiny po příletu se konečně dostáváme do hotelu, samotná cesta z letiště trvá skoro hodinu, ale aspoň máme hotel na Manhattanu, což není na škodu. Každý z nás prcháme do svého hotelového pokoje a domlouváme se, co později. V plánu je rooftop bar v Brooklynu, ale prší, tak nic. Dám si sprchu a krátkého šlofíka, jelikož později jdeme s kolegyní do Whole Foods pro něco k snědku. To jsem ale neměla dělat, po probuzení jsem tak mimo, že jsem tak maximálně schopná jít pro pizzu dolů za roh. Achjo:D

   Pizza je ale naprosto luxusní, zapnu si Netflix a relaxuju. V osm večer už nemůžu dál a usínám. Ve dvě ráno se ovšem probouzím a převaluju se tak do páté ranní. Thank you Jet Lagg. Ale já už jsem přece zkušená letuška a tak už mám svoji ranní rutinu. Zacvičím si, zamedituju a vyrážím směr pobřeží si zaběhat, což na jet lagg většinou zabírá stoprocentně. Ovšem vetšinou to chce partáka, který vás vytáhneJ

   Ranní běh podél řeky Hudson je naprosto úchvátný, po cestě potkávám nadšené New Yorčany a říkám si, jaké to asi musí být tu opravdu bydlet a běhat si tu každé ráno. Po chvíli si sednu na lavičku, v uších sluchátka, kochám se výhledem na Manhattan a pozoruji život okolo.

   Když jsem zpátky v hotelu, vyrážím na snídani a potkávám ostatní z naší crew. Po snídani jsem nečekaně zase unavená a tak nemám na dnešek žádné velké plány, pouze nákupy v Century 21 a oběd v Whole foods. Pozdě večer odlétáme do Madridu a proto se nutím spát, marně! Pouštím si meditační video, které mne snad nabudí ke spánku, marně.

29.8/21:15 místního času ( 02:15 SEČ)- New York City

   Jak si asi dokážete představit, není to uplná ideálka letět skoro ve tři ráno evropského času. Ovšem ve světě letušek si zvyknete opravdu na všechno. Hodina v autobuse na letiště, hodina popojížení na runway, achjo, chci spát. Sedím na jumpseatu asi 50 minut a naproti mně sedí tři pasažéři.  Letuška se ale usmívá za každé situace , takže wakey wakey Magdaleno. Naštěstí v letadle všichni pasažéři spí, máme pohodu. Let je bez problémů, bez turbulencí a trvá pouze 6 hodin a 30 minut. No někdy je to opravdu easy breezy, což je výhoda i nevýhoda tohoto zaměstnání. Každý let je opravdu naprosto odlišný. Únava, hádky s nepříjmenými pasažéry, hádky s nepříjemnou posádkou , omdlívající pasažéři, opilí pasažéři, no vyberte si. Ale dneska jsme měli štěstí. Nikdo mne nepozvracel a nikoho jsem nepolilaJ

30.8/ 14:35 místního času - Madrid

    Přilétáme do Madridu a jsme nadšeni. Slunce, bazén a léharo, to je má představa o nadcházejícím dni a půl. Odhazuji uniformu a večer se setkávám s Maďarkou Andreou a Polkou Marlenou a vyražíme směr centrum Madridu. Plán je jasný a stručný, Tapas bar+ Sangria.

Máme štěstí, o prohlídku města se postará Španěl Luis, který v Madridu žije, a tak nás provede městem. Ukáže nám pár malebností a hlavně nádherný park Cuarttel de la Montana, ze kterého je úchvatný výhled na město. Celý večer nemůžeme zakončit nijak jinak než návštěvou Čokolaterie San Gines, kde připravují to nejlepší Churros ve městě. Tak to byla opravdová třešnička dnešního povedeného večera. Další den se jdeme kouknout po obchodech a zbytek odpoledne strávíme u hotelového bazénu a nabíráme energii na další noční let.

31.8./18:25 místního času

     Sbalím kufřík a vydávám se dolů do lobby, kde se setkávám s ostatními z naší Crew. Tentokrát nás čeká let zpátky do New Yorku, kam se moc netěším, jelikož se s největší pravděpodobností zase málo vyspím. Je zajímavé, že v poslední době preferuji západní pobřeží USA, se spánkem a jetlaggem zde nemám problém. Trvalo to pouze rok a půl si na časové rozdíly zvyknoutJ

Během letu se nic extra zajímavého nestane, ovšem 80% pasažérů nemluví anglicky, tudíž nastrkujeme našeho španělského Luise , kam je potřeba. Luis není nadšený a stěžuje si, že mu za chvíli asi exploduje hlava. Nastává menší incident s americkou pasažérkou, která se odmítá vzdát svého jídla s ořechy. Jelikož na palubě máme pasažéra se silnou alergií na ořechy, je přísně zakázáno konzumovat cokoliv, co by mohlo ořechy obsahovat. Ovšem paní B. mne krajně odmítá a stěžuje si, že konzumuje pouze Gluten free, Vegan, Organic a to ji tedy rozhodně Norwegian ze svého snack baru poskytnou nemůže. Vzdala jsem veškerou snahu se s paní B. dohadovat a zavolala mého seniora. Jako úplatek jsme zvolili kávu, kterou jsme právě upražili v zadní GALLEY, aby byla paní B. spokojena a vzdala se svého jídla. Ovšem ke konci letu si paní B. stejně svoji krabičku s jídlem otevřela a riskovala tím anafylaktický šok pasažéra v přední části kabiny. Naštěstí se nikomu nic nestalo. Je ovšem opravdu smutné s jakou arogancí a ignorancí se u některých pasažérů setkáváme. Ale i tohle je práce letušky a můžete se samozřejmě setkat i s mnohem horšími situacemi.

   Paní s dítětem si stěžuje, že nesedí v exit row a nemá kam položit dítě, u přepážky ji přece slíbíli , že dostane kolébku na mimčo, která je možná zavěsit, ale pouze u sedadel v exit row. Posílám Luize a ten jí do telefonu vysvětluje, že se neskutečně omlouvá, ale na přepážce to popletli a bude muset sedět jinde. Servis je nepřijemný, nikdo mi nerozumí, ale nakonec si vystačím se slovy POJO, CARNE, vino Bianco a vino RossoJ Paráda, nakonec ta špánina není tak težká.

   Do hotelu na Manhattanu se dostáváme až v jednu hodinu ráno místního času, tudíž 6. hodina ranní času evropského. Drinky jdou bokem a únavou padám do postele, nejradši bych nevylezla až do zítřejšího pick upu, ale jelikož jsem v ňúú jorku, tůdle. V 7.30 jsem vzhůru a tak pádím na snídani.

Na ranní běhání nemám tentokrát myšlenky, sorry Hudson river. Únava je znát a proto se válím v posteli. Na oběd si skočím do Preta Manger a zapínám Netflix. V této práci je ale opravdu nutné odpočívat, nejsem až takový lenoch, jak to vypadá. Jetlagg není žádná švanda.

1.9 /21.15 místního času - 02.15 SEČ- New York

  Tak tu máme poslední pracovní let a frčíme zpátky do Madridu, De ja vu. Usínáme v crew buse a do hodiny jsme na letišti JFK. Co je skvělé na pozdních letech je fakt, že většina pasažérů usne ještě před vzlétnutím, paráda. V galley máme pohodičku a let nám utíká, naštěstí trvá jen 6 a pů hodiny, což je velká výhoda New Yorských letů. Zkuste si srovnat s 13 hodinovým letem do Buenos Aires.

2.9. /12:59 SEČ - Madrid

Jsme v Madridu, ale náš let do Londýna je až za pět hodin, naštěstí máme zamluvený hotel na pár hodin, kde si můžeme na chvíli odpočinout. Let z Madridu do Londýna už neoperujeme, nazývá se jako DEADHEADING let, což znamená, že letíme pouze jako pasažéři v civilu. O půl osmé večer konečně přistáváme na Gatwicku, vše vypadá nadějně, nemáme spoždění, kufry nám neztratily, je vše jak má být. V deset večer se dostávám domů a z Deliveroo si objednávám pizzu a pivo. Kufr hodím do kouta, lehnu do postele a nevylejzám dalších 12 hodinJ