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My First Hour On An Airplane!

I've had the recent opportunity to ride on an airplane, and it being the first time I experienced such a novelty, it was quite memorable.  During my round-trip from Chicago, Illinois to San Francisco, California, I was able to ride in both the aisle seat and the window seat (there were a group of three seats total, an aisle, and then another three seats), and I was thus able to compare the two experiences.  After sitting in both places, I decided that I preferred the window seat over the aisle for multiple reasons.

A Prime Picture Out of the Window Seat

The first and most obvious advantage to the window seat is that it is next to a window.  I had a marvelous view during my four-hour flight next to the window, and I was able to take a lot of pictures (as shown in this blog).  The windows in the two airplanes I went to, that is, the United airplane and the American Airlines jet, were both a little dirty, so sometimes it was difficult to take a clear picture of the outdoors. However, I was never able to snap a photo of the horizon or the little town situated below when I was in the aisle seat—I can't believe I missed so many opportunities sitting in the middle of the plane!—and so I prefer the window seat for this photogenic reason. 

Just Look At the Narrow Central Aisle ...

A less noticeable benefit of the window seat, nevertheless, is that if one is at the window, they cannot trip the flight attendant.  I did not personally ever cause a flight attendant to fall down, though, but I do think that I was often in the way of the steward (or stewardess) because every time they would pass my aisle, they would say "excuse me" and I would move over.  The reason why I am suspicious that there was some wrong on my part is that they never asked anyone else to move and that they always did that to me.  The aisle seat may have ample leg room, no doubt, as one has a lot of space on one side of them.  However, I must admit that it can get annoying to continually have to reposition one's self when a person (or attendant) passes by, so I prefer the window to the aisle in an airplane.

Here's Me Cornered at the Window with My Comrades

Then, in the window seat, I could lean against the wall of the airplane.  I never took this opportunity for granted as I sat by a big, tall guy during both my flights, so the hard, cool wall (softened by my down blanket) was always the prefered alternative.  The very fact that the wall was cooler than my surroundings was a plus in itself, for during the flight back, our airplane became uncomfortably hot and the plane's wall was a lot more cooling than a warm human arm.  (Of course, a very cold person or a newlywed may argue against this "plus" of the window seat, yet, for most people, I think that the wall of the airplane is always the better side.)

Basically, I Could See Nothing But the Plane

Finally, on a serious note, the window seat and the visible signs of motion helped decrease the initial dizziness of takeoff and landing.  At first, when I was in the middle aisle seat, I could not see when or in what direction the jet was moving, so I felt rather disoriented and nauseous.  I was not close to needing the little blue bag, mind you, but I just felt confused and I wished that I could see what was happening.  Then, later on, the window seat fulfilled my longing for knowing what was going on, and I even lost all feelings of dizziness and nausea while I was sitting there.  This fact and overall feeling of well-being made the window seat an even better place to me, for I value comfort and health over all.

Note To Self: It's Hard To Wake Up Sleeping Boys

In conclusion, the window seat was better for me than the aisle seat of the plane.  Though I was stuck there—two large guys cornered me in the entire time I sat at the window seat—no other negative parts of the window seat can be foreseen.  I am happy near the window with camera in hand, a soft down blanket at my side, and a head clear and alert for any sort of reading that I have brought along.  I'm in a cove of sorts (yes, I am still stuck here!), yet as there are two passengers between me and the flight attendant, I have no worries to ever be asked to move my feet again.  Indeed, all is perfect in this side of paradise, everything is heavenly, unless ... oh no ... I have to pee!