Dangers of in-flight entertainment

I’m back home after my first big retirement holiday adventure, which I have inconsiderately documented elsewhere. My return entailed a 23 hour flight with just a one-hour respite spent in Changi Airport, mostly queuing to get through the in-gate security to get back into the same aircraft following its refuelling. Joy.

I am not a film buff and rarely choose to watch a feature film, although perhaps that will change in retirement when I can dawdle along to mid-week screenings. However, in the past few years I have travelled regularly on long-haul routes as part of my work, and if I have watched a film at all, it will likely have been on a plane.

Leg one of the flight – still quite perky. In fact, I was buoyed up by the knowledge that we had an on-board VIP – Joanna Lumley (we weren’t supposed to know that, and of course we were rows and rows away from her) despite the fact that she seemed unwilling to act the safety video “live” – if you’ve not travelled BA recently, this won’t mean anything, but she has one of the best moments in that video, in fact the one moment that actually makes me laugh whereas the rest is generally just annoying now.

First film – “Can you ever forgive me?” All good, and a worthy accompaniment to in-flight dinner. Second film “A Private War”, and things start to unwind – I am becoming tired and, even without alcohol, emotional. Start to panic when I realise I’m watching Marie Colvin with one of my eyes covered – what if someone notices and thinks I’m taking the piss? Doesn’t stop me though – starting to get that headache I always get on planes…

After the Singapore decanting and readmission, another meal (I think) and I decide to watch “A Star is Born”. Watch it in two parts with 4 hours of fitful seated sleep in between. This is where the warning comes – I think it has infected me with something. I have been home for more than a week now, and every single morning I have woken to the ear-worm of Shallow. Not only the ear-worm, but a mounting obsession with the film soundtrack which I foolishly downloaded to try a purge. I have googled the Oscars and various film reviews – most of which have briefly intrigued me, then annoyed. Dragged me into the abyss of debate as to whether Jack and Ally really are an item irl. I mean, who cares? (Remember, these two are actors … )

Still, my every waking hour « in at the deep end » watching as she dives in, never hitting the ground – nor indeed ever hitting PAUSE. I tell you what, I’ll hit something soon if it doesn’t subside. With reference to an earlier post, I’m definitely shallow now.