A VERY eventful plane ride

My pat answer to "How was your plane ride?" is "Uneventful." Not so on the San Francisco to London flight.

It started out very good (nice book--"Middlesex", nice tunes on the iPod, nice Austrian seat-mate). About 4-5 hours into the flight I took a nap. I woke up feeling extremely disoriented and hot. I got out of my seat and walked about six feet to restroom.

Next thing I know, I'm crumpled on the floor and a strange woman is saying "Are you okay? Oh, no!" I had passed out!

I was feeling terrible and very confused. Flight attendants came to my rescue (they are very nice those United flight attendants). I lay on the floor for quite a while, breathing from an oxygen tank. After about 20 minutes I began to feel much better, got off the floor and returned to my seat, a little embarassed and very relieved.

Later I got up (very cautiously!) from my seat and headed back to the restroom. I felt as though I could not see very well. I discovered that my little spill had caused one of my contacts to pop out.

Enough excitement for one plane ride! The rest of the flight was fine, if a bit blurry. And now I am in London.

Oh, and one of the attendants let me know that the oxygen is a great hangover cure too, just in case you have a tank at home and are feeling a little peckish.