paris, getting there

Our trip overseas was a taxing one - and the taxing part started on the red line, where a screaming couple delayed the whole train. American Airlines greeted us with a line of magnitude that I remember only from the old country; then, an old Asian lady who was in the security line right in front of me had to part with her makeup bottles one by one... finally, the flight attendants herded us into seats that forced us to pretend like we're doing ab excersises - only without a chance to unbend. All of this would be OK if the drinks would be free, but guess what - $5 a pop if you want anything alcoholic. Oh the torture.