A Big Plane and a Big Adventure

My First International Flight

Denzil Jayasinghe

3 min read

Iwas about to embark on my first international flight, a hop of three and a half hours from Colombo to Dubai. I had only flown on Air Ceylon’s domestic planes before, which were small and old. This was a whole new experience for me.

I wore my best suit, a dark navy Crimplene that matched my platform shoes. It was my most expensive outfit, and I only wore it for special occasions. I checked in my luggage, a blue Ford suitcase, and went through immigration without hassle. The security officer asked me if I was going to study abroad. I smiled and said no. It was 10 p.m. when I boarded the bus to the tarmac.

There, I saw the plane that would take me across the sea. It was a Boeing 747, a huge beast that towered over everything else. It was longer than the terminal building and had two decks of seats. It was the most impressive thing I had ever seen. It was tall, at least 6 floors high from the ground up. Blue and yellow stripes adorned its large body.

I climbed the steps and entered the plane, where two beautiful women in kabaya uniforms greeted me. They were Singaporean and had a charm I had only seen in magazines and billboards. One helped me stow my hand luggage in the overhead compartment, smiling kindly at me.

The upper deck was for the first-class passengers, who had access to a spiral staircase.

I found my seat next to a middle-aged couple. They were from South Africa spoke with an accent that sounded strange to me. They introduced themselves as Pieter and Anna.

“Hello, I’m Pieter, and this is my wife, Anna. We’re on our way to Dubai for a holiday. Where are you headed?” Pieter asked me.

“I’m Denzil. I’m going to Dubai.” I replied.

“Is this your first time flying internationally?” Anna asked me.

“Yes, it is. How did you know?” I asked.

“Well, you look a bit nervous and excited at the same time.” She said.

“I guess you’re right. I’ve never been on such a big plane before.” I said.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. It’s a smooth and comfortable flight. The crew are very nice, and the food is delicious.” Pieter said.

“Really? What kind of food do they serve?” I asked.

“They have different options. You can choose between Western or Asian cuisine. We usually go for the Asian one since we like spicy food.” Anna said.

“I think I’ll do the same. I love Singaporean noodles.” I said.

The flight, SQ707, took off at 10:35 p.m.

We continued our conversation throughout the flight, discussing our families, hobbies, and dreams. They were very friendly and curious about my life in Sri Lanka. They told me stories about their travels around the world and their adventures in South Africa.

Half an hour into the flight, the crew served us our meals. I chose the Singapore noodles as Pieter and Anna had suggested, and they were right — it was delicious. We ate while chatting and laughing, enjoying each other’s company.

I felt relaxed and happy on my first international flight, thanks to my new friends and the wonderful service of Singapore Airlines.

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