Come fly with me

I absolutely dread flying. Traveling solo has its perks — you move at the beat of your own drum — but you also have to deal with sitting next to a stranger on a flight. Not bueno.

Luckily for me, I’m the type of person who always manages to make a friend on the plane. I know some of you are thinking “stranger danger” and that I shouldn’t mutter more than a “how are you?” But to be fair, these strangers got past TSA, so I figure there’s nothing to fear.

A little over a week ago, I was traveling back to North Carolina. There was one small catch: I was traveling with dengue fever. I literally went to the Mexican desert, yet somehow ended up almost taken out by a mosquito — I blame the lagoon-side walks. “Wear bug repellent,” they said, yet I chose not to listen. Lesson learned. Fortunately, dengue can’t spread from person to person, so the only person suffering was me.

To say I wasn’t in a friendly mood was an understatement, but even in my zombie-like state, with an insane amount of saltine crackers in my purse, I made a friend on a 2-hour flight to Denver. Shocked? So was I.

A few years back, I once watched someone’s suitcase at the airport. In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have — the airport advises you to watch your own belongings — but it led to me making a friend with that woman and sitting next to her on the plane. I’ve had countless conversations with fellow travelers about vacations, hometowns, and what brought us to the airport that day. Everyone has a story: some are visiting family after years apart, some are attending a funeral, some are embarking on their highly anticipated Euro trip.

While most travelers are excited, some of us dread every moment of being confined in an airplane, unsure if the ride will be smooth — or if we’ll be stuck next to a crying baby or a teen aggressively kicking our seat. I remember once being in absolute tears at the gate after hugging my family goodbye. A woman noticed, made small talk, and helped distract me. Little gestures like that matter. Strangers you meet while traveling aren’t so bad after all.

Despite my strong dislike of being in the air, traveling solo has a surprising upside. Between the stories shared, the kindness of strangers, and the unexpected friendships made, I’ve learned that even the worst flights can offer small moments of connection. In the end, the journey — chaotic turbulence, mosquito bites, and all — is often just as memorable as the destination.