Actress Shefali Shah has opened up about her deep love for flying, sharing a moving note about the "unadulterated excitement" she still feels every time she boards a plane. Her post comes amid a spate of tragic flight incidents globally, which she calls a "bizarre ongoing aviation pandemic." On Instagram, the Delhi Crime star shared a photo of herself seated by a window on a flight, accompanied by a lengthy note.
"I love flying. I can't remember the first time I flew or how I felt, but it must be similar to what I feel even today," the actress said.
"Unadulterated excitement. I can't sleep a wink before I travel. Many choose to go cut-to-cut to their flight time; I like to go early, especially for middle-of-the-night flights."
She continued, "Inside the airport is a world wide awake as the outside sleeps," and went on explaining how she re-confirms a window seat. "Even if I've pre-selected the seat, still confirming, "It's a window seat na?" And rejoicing when it is, like I got a surprise gift." Then, the actress admitted what all she does in the airport for the next 2 hours - it includes "loafing around, going into stores, picking up a coffee, buying books."
Shefali also shared how she makes herself comfortable once she boards the plane after a quick greeting session with the staff. "I remove my socks, shawl, jacket, and book from my backpack, and try to squeeze it into the overhead bin among many pregnant bags. I settle in, fan nozzle full blast, shoes off, socks and jacket on, shawl wrapped, legs folded and seatbelt strapped. I pick my beverage and hot towel, choose a meal from the menu, browse the in-flight magazine, pick the next holiday spot while soft music plays in the background."
The Dil Dhadakne Do actress adds, "As the plane taxis, I sit, eyes glued to the window. Little lights blinking. Multiple planes waiting in queue. Music fades, engines roar, and this beast we take for granted rises, nose up."
While she admits she doesn't always pay full attention to the safety demonstration, she confessed that recent events made her pause and reflect.
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"I don't think I'm ever going to need an emergency protocol. I message my family "Taking off," switch off my phone, and along with it, I switch off the outside world."
Her post takes on a sombre tone as she references the recent tragic aviation incidents.
She wrote, "Even now, I feel awed. Even now, I feel butterflies in my tummy. But the bizarre ongoing aviation pandemic made me look back and I realised, NOT ONCE... in all these years of travel, has it occurred to me this may be the last journey I'll ever take."
Concluding her post, the actress expressed gratitude for her safety and urged others not to take life for granted. "No, I'm not naive or taking life for granted. I'm grateful for being safe and blessed, and I truly hope and pray that so is everyone flying anywhere in the world," she concluded.
