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In Search of Sleep: Leaving London
It turns out there are 10 ways of 'sleeping' in an economy airplane seat.* One, on one bum cheek with feet up on the arm rest in front; two, same again on the other side when said buttock has gone so far to sleep that there's no rescuing it; three, legs crossed up on your seat in some kind of lotus that lasts only minutes before the fears of DVT creep in; four and five, by repeating one and two with feet up on your own seat (causing a repeat of the bum issue); six and seven, straight up with head to either side, which when you have a giraffe neck HURTS; eight, straight up with one foot on either arm rest in front which brings to mind unwelcome memories of the gyno clinic and nine, considered only briefly in true desperation, sort of sitting on the floor with my head on the seat. Don't try it, it doesn't work. I finally fell asleep, after 13 hours and a baffling security check in LA (when our fingerprints were taken just for us to sit in one room before re-entering the same plane), bolt upright and, I'm convinced, with eyes wide open, staring ahead.
* Based on the assumption that your father isn't in the seatr in front, as was the case for my nine year old sister Mij in '99. My dad was suddenly aware of two feet stuck out either side of his cheeks over his head rest as she tried to get comfortable. Didn't think the guy in front of me would be quite so appreciative of my stinky size 6s. Top tip? Travel with your dad.
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