Napping in the Air

I sleep on a Tempur-Pedic.

I don't just sleep on one; I sleep very, very well on one.

I love my Tempur-Pedic, but it's not the only place I can sleep. For instance, for years I would climb into the front passenger seat for the breathtakingly beautiful drive over the Cascade Mountains from Roslyn, Washington to one of my all-time favorite cities, Seattle. I would be snoring within 10 minutes, mouth gapping, head-bobbing, fellow passengers irritated, indescribably scenery flying by unnoticed by closed eyes.

Today I sat on a plane - a different passenger seat, but a passenger seat no less - next to a first time flyer. She was alternately in awe and fear as the plane taxied, lifted, flew, bumped, descended and then landed. It was fun to watch through her eyes what I am so used to from thousands and thousands of miles of air travel over the years. She was in her 30's, but as amazed as an 8-year old.

My typical flight routine is to grab my seat - typically a window seat on the right side as you face the front of the plane - shed my shoes, shift slightly toward the window, prop my head on a pillow of some kind, and conk out (if not before take-off) before we even hear the "the pilot has turned off the seat belt sign, you are now free to move about the cabin" message. I usually "come to" long after the beverage service is not only over, but the cabin crew is collecting trash. When I wake up I do what most "travel nappers" do: check for drool. Then I wonder if I snored, or rather, how loudly I snored. If I am traveling alone, I never know the answer. If I am traveling with business associates, they are too polite to say anything. If I am traveling with family/friends, I know before I even wake up from the subtle nudges and taps they give me while I am sleep-snoring.

I love to travel, but the getting from point to point doesn't hold my attention. I want to be somewhere. I can stop along the way, sometimes every few minutes to look at a scenic view, take a picture or visit a unique shop, but anything beyond a few minutes and I can easily fall sleep.

So, yes, I love my Tempur-Pedic.

And yes, I sleep very, very well on it, but I sleep very, very well on the road too, and in the air. I am not sure why this is an issue for some people who either can't sleep or don't want me (or anyone else) to sleep while traveling. After all, I can get my own beverage, it prevents any conflicting dialogue from happening,  and I wake up refreshed and ready when those amazing photo opportunities, views and shops roll by.

I suppose it could be the snoring, but at least I don't drool. And I know that I don't, because I check.

Jesse McCartney "How Do You Sleep"