Astonishing Behavior

Pati and Beebee flew from Rome to Cairo yesterday. They observed astonishing procedures and human behavior throughout the process.

First they had to wrestle their luggage to the metro and onto a train to Roma Termini (like Metro Center at home). There, they went up to the highest level (2 or 3 above metro train level) of Termini to buy tickets for the train to the airport. As they approached the ticket machines, a young gypsy woman took pity and helped them buy their tickets. Then she walked them to the correct platform and correct position on the platform and said "don't move from here," followed by the universal sign for "give me a tip." Patti had already tipped her some at the ticket machine but was happy to give her a handful of change, because the coins could not be used outside of Europe. (He kept some small coins as souvenirs.). And she had actually performed a very useful service. A helpful gypsy! That was a first!

Pati and Beebee arrived at the airport. At the gate, boarding was delayed about 50 minutes because the airplane had a "technical problem." This was announced as a 10-minute delay after 40 minutes of waiting. When boarding was announced, everyone surged toward the ticket checker. There were no boarding zones, preferred passengers, etc. Pati and Beebee were positioned to be one of the earlier boarders, got their carryons into overhead bins, and then watched. They had aisle seats across from each other.

As passengers came down the aisle, they had great difficulty finding their seats. It seems they could not read the numbers above the rows, which seemed strange because they were arabic numerals on an arabic airplane (actually, a Boeing 737). Arabic numerals were invented here! (Pati later saw numbers on license plates; they look very different from European versions. He said that he and Beebee would soon be the ones having trouble with numbers.) Some passengers just sat where they wanted, and the legitimate seat owners were expected to take the seats not used by the usurpers. And they did.

Pati and Beebee, being among the earlier boarders, had easily found space in the overhead bins for their carryons. As more passengers arrived, they forcefully stuffed all sizes and shapes of objects into the bins. One man tried to stuff the largest carryon size wheeled suitcase into the space left in front of Beebee's tote. Of course it didn't fit, but he was going to leave it there hanging out until the flight attendant made him take it out. When the bin was finally full, someone closed it, but new arrivals would open it to check for space. One of these passengers found space to stuff in 2 cartons of cigarettes on the very top; then he closed the bin again. Surprise, surprise - the next time the bin was opened, the cigarettes fell into the lap of the person ahead of Beebee. When all the bins were finally closed, some of them were physically bulging, not completely closed.

When the door was closed and the aircraft finally started to taxi, some people were still walking up and down the aisles. Of course, the fasten seat belt sign was on. The safety video was shown in several different languages. Only Pati and Beebee watched it. The rest talked nonstop, including the young Italian couple next to Beebee, who talked so loudly they drowned out the video.

The man ahead of Beebee and his male companion were two of those who sat in the wrong seats; the displaced couple ended up next to Beebee. At the time, she thought it was a good trade. Before takeoff, the flight attendant told the man to raise his seat to the upright position, which he did. As soon as the airplane started down the runway for takeoff, he reclined his seat. Later in the flight, he reclined it more and more, until finally he had it all the way back into Beebee's meal.

As the flight continued, the man ahead of Beebee and his friend (with typical Middle Eastern features) began to look around furtively. They seemed particularly interested in the man beside Pati, who, with his male companion, both of them having typical Middle Eastern features, were also passengers who took and kept the wrong seats. However, there was no obvious contact between the two groups. This was getting uncomfortably reminiscent of some flights in 2001. But nothing happened.

The announcement just before departure required window blinds to be up for departure. At the very second the wheels left the ground, the loud couple beside Beebee put down the blind. They continued their loud conversation for several minutes into the flight, and then engaged in a protracted makeout session with loud smacking sounds. Finally exhausted, they fell asleep until 30 minutes before arrival. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Beebee saw smoke and turned to see the young woman smoking. (It was probably an electronic cigarette, but still.. Beebee thinks she could have gotten away with a real cigarette on that flight.)

Finally, the flight had landed and another set of lines presented: arrival card collection, visa purchase, money exchange, passport control (where the newly-purchased visa was inserted), baggage claim, and customs ("nothing to declare"). None of the lines was extremely long, until the traffic jam at the last one: it wasn't a line as much as a free-for-all with passengers aimed at the customs officer from all angles. As Pati and Beebee arrived at the front, passports in hand (everyone wants to see them), the official waved them through with no interest in their passports or baggage.

Finally out into the arrivals area only one hour after arrival, Beebee spotted their driver waiting patiently for them. Then out into the 72-degree night and an air-conditioned drive to their B&B.

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