Ice Climbing, Spaghetti Dinners and To-hell-you-ride

(watching the climbers from the upper bridge)

One of the advantages to staying at the Ouray Victorian Inn was how close in walking distance it was to the Ice Park. We woke up and headed up the hill around 9am to see what the festival was all about. Neil and Meghan had already been up walking their dog and said the competitors were walking around town in their harnesses and ice picks. Yet another perk of being in a small town, you're standing in line to get coffee next to someone who's probably summited Everest.

As we walked up the hill the first overlook we came to was, what I can assume as, the beginners ice park. We weren't able to pay the fees and sign up in time, but one of the best parts of the festival is you can take clinics to learn how to ice climb. Unlike rock climbing, when you ice climb you begin at the top of what is basically a giant ice cycle and climb down. The have chains and anchors at the top and someone supervises your descent down to the bottom of the canyon where then someone else was waiting to belay you as you climbed to the top.

(belayers below)


(more advanced climbers in the canyon)

We watched these people for awhile then walked up to the second bridge where you could really get a good look at where the ice competition was held. For purposes of the ice festival your goal as a competitor is speed and the route you climb is a mix of ice and rock which adds to the difficulty. Both men and women compete and truth be told the women usually out climb the men. It's that we are lighter and use our legs more than our upper body which is important when climbing.

(watching the competition. the people on the ledge are belayers and the climber is lead climbing which means when you fall you call from as far as your last clip in was)

Set up further on the hill were various vendor tents to browse should you be bored watching the climbers. There were crampons to try demo, ice axes to try, the latest technology in jackets to try out and extreme outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world. Everyone was so nice and informative and I got some good ideas on lightweight packs I want for this summer's hiking season.


After a few hours out in the cold we wandered downtown for a bite to eat and ended up at the Ouray Brewing Company. It's only been open less than a year and they had a good selection of locally brewed beers on tap (plus football games on tv as bonus for the men) so we tried it out. The food was a mix of everything from Bison burgers and wings to a shrimp salad and pulled pork sandwich. Their IPA (Ice pickers ale) must have been the most popular choice because they ran out before we could even try any. Ouray doesn't have a lot of food options but I think this place will do well especially with their roof top patio for summer.

We couldn't coordinate all the events we wanted to during the festival (such as attending some of the various Everest Movie previews and lectures from famous climbers) but we did attend the Fireman's Spaghetti Dinner that Saturday night along with pretty much everyone in town it seemed. For $20 it was all you could eat spaghetti, salad and bread as well as all you could drink New Belgium Brews. How much spaghetti can one person eat you might ask? Well I had two plates myself (with meatballs I might add) as well as 2 beers and 2 salads and God knows how many pieces of bread and butter. As a bonus they brought out cookies and brownies at the end of the night. Well the price tag may have been a little steep, all the money went to charity and you got to dine family style with the climbers you just watched scaling sheer ice that day. They also had a silent auction of various items which none of us had the money to bid on but were cool to look at. The firefighters cook this dinner every saturday and sunday night each year (I believe Sunday was lasagna) and judging by the people who attended it's probably their only fundraising for the winter.

Being so close to Telluride we had decided in advance that instead of watching more competitions Sunday we would drive over to the tiny mountain town. Anyone who has ever been to Telluride knows how isolated it is and how far from Denver (it's in box canyon so there is only one way in and one way out) so how could we pass up this opportunity to go? The initial plan was to ski but seeing as lift tickets were $98 per person, Meghan, Neil, Chad and I decided to forgo the downhill and try a little cross country while Jason and Angela explored the town.

I have never cross country skied before and so this was quite an experience for me. We rented our equipment at the Telluride Nordic Center for $22 each and then went off to explore the trails around town. Had we more time we wanted to go up the gondola and ski some of the trails on the mountain but Chad felt my learning curve may have not been up to par with those more advanced trails.

Cross country skiing is, in essence, very easy. In fact, I believe I over-thought it for the most part. Your heels are not attached to your skis which takes some getting use to but you are basically doing walking lunges on these little carved out paths. What is great about the sport is not only can you bring your dog, but you can ski alongside your friends, talk, and get to see the scenery better. We took a couple of practice loops around the lake near the Nordic Center then used the trail that went along side the river all through town and out into the wilderness area. I definitely overdressed for the occasion and found myself sweating despite the cold. It was much more of a thigh work out than I anticipated and, I would say a lot more work for less money.

After a few hours we were ready to call Jason and meet up at the bar so we went to one of the restaurants in the old town and had lunch. We chose the Floradora Saloon, at a friend of Jason's suggestion (that friend had lived in Telluride several years thus a trusted source) which had the best fried cheese medallions and sandwiches I've ever had. It's a casual place with wood floors and tables covered in paper (to which some of the guests have created amazing art with crayons which is displayed on the walls) and they served everything from Caprese Benedict to BBQ duck quesadilla's. It's a family-owned and operated restaurant and bar and they use natural and organic ingredients from region. Afterwards we walked up the street to the Steaming Bean, my favorite coffee place which I was introduced to in Steamboat. They have the spiciest chai I've ever tasted.

Even though lift tickets in Telluride are expensive, they have free Gondola rides that take you from the old town to the mountainside village. Dogs are even allowed in designated gondola's and you can take it back and forth until midnight. Taking the gondola is a great way to see the town as well as the tiny airport which is just a landing strip with a cliff at the edge of the runway. Seeing all the skiers come down the hill from the mountain side made me want to run to the nearest lift line and jump onboard, but I guess we will have to save the alpine skiing for another day.

After a full day in Telluride, complete with souvenir shopping we returned to Ouray to enjoy our last night in town. By this point it started snowing pretty hard so we what else to do but enjoy the hot tub? We actually ordered a few pizzas (which as a side not it's ridiculously hard and expensive to find pizza delivery in Ouray. There is only one place in town that delivers which I think is the restaurant in the Best Western) and had them delivered to the hot tub where we soaked and enjoyed the snow. By this time we were only one of about 3 groups left staying at the hotel so we had the place all to ourselves. You really get a feel for how desolate the town is in the winter on other weekends. There is a great hot springs in Ouray with swimming pool size outdoor pools but we didn't have a chance to make it over this time.

(beanies and bikini's)
I really enjoyed my whole experience in Ouray and Telluride. Small mountain towns are so nice to visit and the people there are friendly and accommodating, if not sometimes a little nosy (aka the manager of our hotel). While I didn't get to try ice climbing myself this year I now have a new appreciation for those that excel at the sport and how it keeps a small town like Ouray alive in the winter. I also hope to return to Telluride for the bluegrass festival this summer and perhaps do some hiking in the area. After all, I hear there are a few 14ers to be hiked nearby :)

HoURAY for the Ice Climbing Festival

After 4 months of waiting in anticipation, our chance to attend the 16th Annual Ice Climbing Festival in Ouray, Colorado finally arrived this past weekend. Ouray is approximately a six hour drive from Denver so Chad and I decided we would fly into Montrose where Jason and Angela would pick us up on their drive into town. Angela is fairly new to Colorado so Jason wanted to show her the scenery and since the Magee's fly for free we figured why waste a day in the car? The flight was even more scenic than the drive and gave us amazing views of all the Fourteeners and Crested Butte and the Black Canyon.

(crested butte mountain)
I have to admit I was excited to have an extended stay in Ouray. The only time I had seen the the town previously was while driving through and over Red Mountain pass on our way to a wedding in Durango a few years ago. I must admit Red Mountain pass was terrifying even in the early fall but I remember stopping on the side of the road to overlook the, "Switzerland of America" as it is often referred too.

Neil and Meghan arrived shortly after us that evening; meeting us at the Ouray Victorian Inn where we were staying. The hotel was referred to me by the clerk at the Best Western because it was the only hotel which had room enough to sleep 6 people and allowed pets (we left Bebe at home but N&M brought their dog Marley) AND was close enough to walk to the Ice Park. Of course you can pretty much get anywhere in town by walking around but, seeing as the main attraction was the Ice Park we wanted to be as close to there as possible.

(our hotel)

Ouray, like most small towns in Colorado (it's population is somewhere around 800) was established by miners chasing after silver and gold. It's entire economy today is sustained by tourism. In the summer visitors can soak in the hot springs, hike or take a 4 wheel drive tour over to Telluride or Yankee Boy Basin, visit Box Canyon Falls or take the pass over to Durango. However, since Ouray isn't a ski town, it relies on it's largest ice park in the country to draw visitors in. The ice climbing festival is the only one of it's kind and attracts visitors from all over the world which helps local businesses thrive which were once previously closed throughout winter. The world's first ice climbing park, expanding on previously-popular natural falls, consists of dozens of frozen waterfalls from 80 to 200 feet high farmed along more than a mile of the Uncompahgre Gorge. The water is supplied by a sprinkler system developed and maintained by a volunteer organization and supported by donations from local businesses, gear manufacturers and climbers. Best of all the park is free and so is the event!

(view of part of the ice park)
Living in nearby Crested Butte, Neil and Meghan have visited Ouray several times so they were our unofficial guides for the weekend. Since it was Neil's birthday on Friday we decided to go out and have some drinks and check out what this town had to offer. Neil took us down a side street to a bar called Grumpy Pants which he swore had the best beer in town. He didn't dissapoint us. Grumpy Pants is exactly the kind of bar you would expect to find in a small mountain town. The whole establishment is made of rough wood and the only thing they serve is beer which Mister Grumpy Pants brews himself. The owner, who probably lives above the bar, is there to serve you himself from a swing he built that he glides back and forth down the bar on. While there weren't many people in the bar at first, as the night continued and more ice climbers piled in, it became something out of a movie.

(Grumpy Pants himself with the mug he prefers to drink out of)

(sampling the local brewskis)
Everyone was friendly with everyone and one guy even climbed up on the bar and announced he was buying the whole bar a round of beer. We played several rounds of jenga and sang several renditions of Happy Birthday to Neil (which the whole bar participated in) and before we knew it, it was way past dinner (which we never ate) and time to walk back to our hotel. After all we had ice climbing to watch the next day...

The tops of 2010

As 2010 comes to a close, ending tonight at midnight, I can't help but to reflect back on the past year. While most people make resolutions for their New Year's, I always try to set goals to accomplish by the end of one year. This gives me not only something to look forward too but motivation to work hard for what I want. My husband often times scoff's that my goals are often travel related instead of say, focusing on eliminating debt or working towards another job. Being a flight attendant, however, I can't help but look forward to places I want to see and adventures to take on in the future. Last year a few of my goals included getting another stamp in my passport and climbing 8 14er mountains. Here are a few of the highlights from my 2010 and the obstacles I overcame to achieve my dreams for the year.

1. You better Belize it -

We were supposed to end up in Peru and hike Machu Picchu but an oversold flight and the joys of flying stand-by had us headed to Belize instead. If it's anything this trip taught me is that when you aren't buying a plane ticket you must be flexible in your travel plans. Without a clue as to where we would stay or what we wanted to do when we got there we hopped aboard a Belize bound flight and hoped for the best. My 29th birthday was spent snorkeling with sting rays and eating fresh caught conch kabobs. It was the first trip in my life I've ever taken where nothing was planned out and yet everything worked out. We slept where we wanted, took tours when we wanted and ate without ever consulting a website or lonely planet book. While we still plan on heading back to Peru (hopefully next year) at least we now know that missing a flight doesn't have to be the end of the world and there are hundreds of thousands of excellent travel destinations out there if you're just willing to take the chance to check them out


2. Keep Calm and Hike on -
It may have been 2010 but this was the year of the 14er. At the beginning of last year I set my sights on hiking at least 8 of Colorado's peaks that are over 14,000 feet. My first goal was to hike Gray's and Torrey's because they were close to Denver and we could knock them out in one day with minimal driving effort. I still remember waking up at the crack of dawn and driving up that rutted out dirt road to a make shift parking lot dotted with tents and packed with SUV's. There were groups of people huddled together waiting on friends, decked out in feather weight backpacks and hiking poles. I, in my yoga pants and camel bak felt out of place. "It's only a hike," I thought to myself. "How hard could this really be?"
It took us five hours round trip and 2 days for me to recover but after reaching the summit of both Gray's and Torrey's I was hooked on hiking 14ers. The wind at the top was bitter cold and my thighs have never worked so hard in their lives but the sense of accomplishment I felt had never been greater. I began devouring books about hiking and soon Gerry Roach and 14ers.com became my best friends. When all was said and done I hiked 6 more mountains than my original goal and introduced my friends to the world of hiking, the likes of which they had never seen. I upgraded my boots and attire, purchased a backpack and hiking poles as well as a tent and an assortment of camping supplies. I'm officially hooked and never been happier.



3. Steamboat Surprise -
For my husband's 30th Birthday I wanted to take him someplace where we both had never been. A surprise trip where all his friends could meet us there and enjoy the weekend and celebrate him. Finding a destination that met the criteria of being close, having a variety of activities to entertain us as well as being affordable did present it's own set of challenges. Luckily we live in a beautiful state where weekend getaways aren't hard to come by; so I narrowed it down and chose Steamboat. The weekend of Chad's birthday turned out to also be the perfect time to visit Steamboat. The hot air balloon festival was taking place and, being July, it was warm enough to tube in the river but cold enough at night to make a trip to Strawberry Hot Springs enjoyable. Most all of our close friends were able to attend and best of all Chad was surprised. The town of Steamboat did not disappoint and I can only hope we can return this winter to enjoy the ski slopes as well.

4. Hartman's Rocks Rocks-
Unfortunately the hiking season did not last as long as I would have liked. In mid-October we drove to Gunnison, Colorado in hopes of conquering Wetterhorn. When the weather didn't cooperate we had to find an alternative means to quench my thirst for the outdoors which led us to climbing at Hartman's Rocks. Because Gunnison lays in a valley, you are pretty much guaranteed dry weather even if Crested Butte and beyond are miserable. My brother in-law and friends Meghan and Neil are excellent climbers and Neil had all the gear and knowledge necessary to guide me up an intimidating rock wall. This was my first attempt at climbing in years and the only time I've ever climbed in Colorado. My arms and pecs were sore for 2 weeks after the climb but the experience opened my eyes to a new world of outdoor activities. Neil even gave me some climbing shoes which I vowed to use this winter in an attempt to build up my strength for more difficult 14ers. While I had never intended to climb that weekend, I was once again reminded at how sometimes being flexible in your activity plans can open you up to a whole new world of possibilities

I would say I can't wait to see what 2011 brings me, but in truth I know that it is myself alone who brings good things into my life. You can't just sit around and wait for things to happen you have to make them if you want them. But I've also learned that you can plan all you want in life and it's sometimes life that has other plans for you. Flexibility is key whether it involves your travel plans or yoga. I know 2011 will be yet another year of me trying new things and exploring new places and I know that these experiences will continue to change and improve me. It's only by challenging ourselves that we truly test our limits and it's only by facing what scares us that we see how brave we really are. I plan on doing many things that will frighten me next year but I plan to go into them with an open mind and heart. Odd number years have always been good to me and I'm sure 2011 will be no exception....

Happy New Year's!

What to Give this Holiday Season

Ten days left until Christmas. I can hardly believe it, but it's true. And if you are like me you probably only have half your holiday shopping completed. This year I decided I would start spreading cheer in November and succeeded with putting lights up on the trees outside the house, making and mailing Christmas cards and putting together photo books to send to the grandparents. Shopping early means less stress in the days leading up to Christmas and the more thoughtful your gifts will be. If you are like me, you want your gifts to mean something, and so I've put together a list of items which will are not only thoughtful but in some cases, help others out there as well:

1. Feed Bags - Last year my sister bought me the feed one bag from feedprojects.org. The organization was started by Laura Bush and the proceeds of their products go to the United Nations World Food Program. The proceeds from the bag I got, for example will provide one child in Africa school lunch for an entire year.

The project has grown and the website has even more of a variety of products you can buy at a variety of retailers. I really like the Feed Bracelets which you can get at Forever 21 which come in an assortment of colors with each color representing the country designated to receive the 2 school meals that are provided with the purchase of every bracelet.

They also have a gorgeous feed Kenya scarf which are handcrafted in Kenya by a co-op of women and deaf artisans and provide 10 school meals to children through the United Nations World Food Programme’s School Feeding program.


2. Snapfish.com - This website has become my best friend this holiday season. You can upload your photos (even directly from facebook) and use them to make personalized gifts for the ones you love. Since the beginning of December they have featured a Merry Deal Reveal deal of the day where anything from water bottles to photobooks will be on sale. There was an offer for buy one photobook (at $19.99) and get two free so I used that to make an album for my grandmother, chad's grandparents and my aunt. You can also use websites like retailmenot.com to find extra coupon codes for snapfish for free shipping or a discount on your order. Check out http://deals.snapfish.com to find out the specials they have going on right now and start crafting!

3. Groupon.com - Another website which I have signed up for and receive daily deals. I was able to buy 4 tickets for $20 for the Denver Botanic Garden Trail of Lights. I figured it would be something fun for my family and Chad's to do on Christmas eve and a nice gift for us to give them. I am all for giving experiences to people which is why this website is so great. You can also browse other cities and buy say, a massage or cooking lessons for those family or friends who live out of state. Groupon also lets you do a gift certificate in any amount so if you aren't sure what someone would like you can purchase an online gift card which will be emailed. It may seem a little impersonal giving a gift through email, but trust me there are so many great gifts on this site no one would be disappointed in your gift to them!

4. Etsy - If you have never visited etsy.com you will be overwhelmed the first time you visit the site. There's everything handmade you could ever ask for from art to furniture, vintage accessories and hand knitted items. I like to support small business owners and I've always had good results with everything I've ordered from the earrings I wore in my wedding to stenciled wall art. I could spend hours browsing through the sellers list items and unlike ebay I've never had a problem with getting my items in a timely manner or having payment problems. If you like browsing farmer's markets or boutiques for unique handmade items this is the website to turn to when Christmas shopping.
I love these necklaces:

featured by:
http://www.etsy.com/people/luckymebeads?ref=ls_profile

5. Mercy Corps - I've advocated for mercycorps.org before but I really can't say enough good things about this charity. I donated money to them for Haiti and immediately began receiving emails and mailings about how my donation was being put to use. Year round they feature gifts you can purchase that are perfect for that person on your list that has everything and would rather have a gift in their name that benefits others. This year I am loving their gift of yoga. Mercy Corps incorporates yoga classes into their youth programs in places like Columbia which can help kids recover from the trauma and violence they have experienced. For only $65 you can give the gift of "OM" to those who really need a little serenity in their lives.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr7OA7E8zL4&feature=player_embedded

6. Harry and David - With my schedule as a flight attendant I really don't have the time to hand bake tasty treats and send them off to family like I wish I could. This is where Harry and David (harryanddavid.com) come in. For $24 I can send a tower of treats that includes their famous Moose Munch as well as yogurt dipped pretzels, truffles, waffle cookies, fruit candies, and mini mints:

They are known for their Royal Riveria pears so if you have someone on your list who can't have sweets you can send them a beautiful box of pears and assorted cheeses instead. I've used Harry and David as a thank you gift as well for a gracious hostess.

The true spirit of Christmas doesn't come from a store or involve how many things are wrapped under a tree but the time you spend together with your friends and family. I am truly grateful to have my in-laws and my mom, dad and brother spend the holidays with us in Denver and that's all the gift I could really ask for. I do believe though, that if you are going to take the time and money to pick out a gift it should come from the heart and feel as good to give the gift as you know it would be to receive it. After all you should be excited to have someone open your gift, not embarrassed! I try to take the time to look for sustainable and organic gifts as well because if my purchase can benefit someone else who really needs the help, I feel that much better in my gift giving.

Happy Shopping!

Mile High Turkey Trot

There are two people I can count on when I want to add some excitement to my life or check off something from my bucket list. One is my husband, Chad and the other is my best friend Malia. Both are up for anything at virtually any time and I've learned through time neither one will bail out on me and are there to help me achieve my goals. For a long time now I've had "Run a 5k" on my list of 'must do in life.' It started with me wanting to do The Bolder Boulder, a 10k a few years ago (which incidentally I never ran) which led to me working out in hopes to get in shape to run a race like that, and finally dumbing down my goal by picking a 5k. I figured, hey even the worst in shape non-runner can complete 4 miles. Well in that time I have become obsessed with yoga, spin and hiking and so the idea of running no longer became as important to me. Yet I still had that desire should the opportunity ever arise. Over this past Thanksgiving it did, in the form of the United Way's Turkey Trot.

A friend had suggested we signed up for this fun run/walk 5k on Thanksgiving day. Said friend had done the race last year and found it to be enjoyable. At the prospect of being with our friends the morning of Thanksgiving and knowing we had no place else to be, Malia and I signed up. As it turns out we were the only ones who signed up because the one person who told us to wasn't able to go. Obviously we were annoyed because our yoga studio was having donation based yoga classes the same day and this Turkey Trot had cost us $40. To make matters worse the weather was in the 20's and neither Malia nor I consider ourselves runners. However, we vowed to make the best of things and approached the race with a positive attitude. If nothing else, I could finally check this off of my life's list.

The amount it costs to run these races has been a deterring factor for me before. I know the money always goes to a good cause, and the United Way does a lot in the community but considering hiking a 14er is free and more thrilling, I all but dismissed paying to do something I could do free (i.e. running around a park). Malia and I showed up at about 8:30am so we could get our numbers and free t-shirts. The race wasn't supposed to start until 10:15 but we wanted to get numbers for the first corral so that we could be first out of the gate and hence finish sooner. You are supposed to pick your corral by how fast you run (and in most races you are assigned based on your times from previous events) but we figured we could handle the first slot if we just stayed in the back so as not to get run over. There were lots of people there, young and old; those dressed up for Thanksgiving with turkey hats and those dressed in state of the art running gear; serious athletes and weekend casual runners; even some with dogs. We stood in the cold for a good half hour while guest speakers made announcements on a podium above the starting line and then we were off.

The race itself was held at Washington Park in Denver. It was a lap around the outside of the park that looped inside and then finished at the top of this hill lined with a beer garden and booths with free goodies. The first two miles were through the street and some of the houses lining the way had bands playing music or people watching outside with their bloody mary's and noise makers cheering us on.

I wasn't sure how I would do running but all my other activities have me in shape enough where I never felt winded or needed a break. Malia however, was not enjoying running so I would get a little ahead of her then stop and wait. She urged me to leave her but I wanted us to cross the finish line together and so I silenced the competitive urge within and kept her pace. After all, this was supposed to be a fun event and it we weren't in this together all the way what was the point? We crossed the finish line exactly one hour after we started which isn't a great time but not bad for people who basically slow jogged/walked the majority of the race. At the end we were greeted with water bottles and free bagels from Einstein as well as energy drinks and pint glasses. According to my friends who have run other races we got jiped in the freebie department but it was just as well because we didn't really want to linger outside any longer than we had too although the temperature had warmed up a bit.

After all was said and done I was glad I participated in the Turkey Trot, a tradition that has been ongoing for 37 years in Denver. If I were to do another race I think I would enjoy something a little more competitive and in a different setting. Part of what makes hiking so alluring to me is that the mountains are spread throughout Colorado and each one has different scenery and terrain. I have been to Washington Park many times, so aside from marveling at the gorgeous houses that line the streets around there, it really wasn't anything I hadn't seen before. I would, however, recommend this race to anyone who is considering starting out running and doesn't have much experience. It would be a great event for families to attend or to give you a break from your family that was in town. I commend the volunteers who donated their time to help with the race and make sure those in attendance were set up and having a great time. As hard as it was for me to get out of bed early and be out in the cold, I can't imagine doing that knowing I wasn't even going to be running - just standing around handing out water! All in all it was a great start to the day especially knowing I could eat Thanksgiving dinner guilt free after burning those calories.

Questions from the Curious

Being a flight attendant is akin to being a circus animal - when you are working you take center stage. It's even worse if you are a regional flight attendant like I am because there is no audio or video on the plane to distract the general public from us. Like it or not, we are constantly being stared at and questioned. Since my jump seat is sandwiched between the aisle seats in the back row I'm constantly fielding questions from travelers which range from the mundane to the bizarre to the just plain idiotic. So if you've ever been curious to ask a flight attendant a question, let me go ahead and answer the most common ones we receive for you:

1. Is this your normal route? - Regional flight attendants do not have routes per say. We are given our schedules a month in advance and where we fly varies monthly as cities are added and service is taken away or bumped up. For example in the winter we do more flights to Aspen because the demand is up. As far as having a place where we constantly fly to day in and day out there's no such thing for those of us living in larger domiciles where the routes themselves fluctuate.

2. Does this job pay well? - When I first interviewed for my job I was shown a pay scale so I knew exactly how much I would make from year to year with the company. In theory the starting salary sounds great - $17.80 an hour. However, what you don't realize is that the pay is based on flight hours. I like to tell people we get paid like taxi cab drivers, from the time the airplane door closes until the time it opens. Beyond that we make a per diem of $1.65 an hour which is non-taxed and added in to our paycheck. When you first start the job you are guaranteed a minimum of 75 flight hours that we will work yet we could be away from home as much as 300 hours. So no, most of us start out at poverty level wages working more hours than we are getting paid for. All that time delayed in the airport due to bad weather? Yeah we aren't happy about it either because we are getting paid that some $1.65 whether we are relaxing in the hotel or waiting for mechanics to fix our plane.

3. Am I going to make my connection? - I would say more than half of the general public really believes flight attendants are super humans who have the capability to predict a multitude of things ranging from weather to whether their plane is going to be on time or not. In actuality we have no way of knowing whether you will make your flight or not, if they will hold it for you, when the next one leaves, or what's going to happen if you make it but your bags don't. We have no way to find out nor do our pilots. Can you imagine if every airplane in the sky clogged up the radio asking if so an so's flight would be waiting for them or not?

4. Do you like your job? - This is a loaded and unfair question really because does anyone really like their job? It can be fun and exciting but like anything called work, it can also be emotionally and physically exhausting. Our passengers, our fellow crew members, the airplane we are working on, the cities we fly to, how on time or delayed we are, all of these can contribute to a good or nightmarish day and not one of these things do we have any control over. Unlike most jobs, we can't always just take a time out and walk outside for some fresh air. So depending on the day you will get a thousand different answers for this one.

5. Is this flight going to be full? - Flight attendants hate this question more than any other and we receive it from just about everyone boarding the flight every time we fly. In truth we are given an idea on our trip sheets when we check in for our duty day about how full the flight is going to be. But delays, cancellations, people wanting to jump on an earlier flight, stand-bys, and a variety of other reasons can cause our flights to be more or less crowded than expected. We know you want to know the chances of anyone sitting in front, beside, or behind you but in truth what does it matter really? Most flights are full these days and that's just the way it is. If you like flying solo do everyone a favor and charter a private jet - you'll be much happier.

Faking it like a Flight Attendant

Traveling can be a pain, especially during the holiday season. I should know, I'm a flight attendant and for the past five years it's been part of my job to spend time in airports and up in the sky. While I can't do anything about that dreaded back row seat by the bathroom that won't recline or the guy taking up your armrest, I can offer some advice on how flight attendants navigate the world of airline travel. Follow these tips and you'll have us guessing which airline do YOU work for?

1. Pack like the pros - Everything I need for four days must fit in one suitcase which requires me to pack small and light. I've learned through my job it's OK to wear an outfit more than once (no one cares trust me) and you really only need one or two pairs of shoes. A good rule of thumb is if you can't lift your bag up and put it on top of your fridge, there's no way you will be able to put it in the overhead bin.

2. Take it all off - There's a reason flight attendants get to cut ahead in the security line - it's because we are faster than you. We know to leave our jewelry, cell phones, coats, belts, loose change and anything else in our bags until we are past security. Notice how we all wear slip on shoes as well.

3. Pack your lunch - Peanut butter sandwiches, cut up fruit, vegetables, candy bars, you name it we bring it and it saves us money and time. Contrary to popular belief you DON'T have to eat at the airport unless you like spending $10 on a turkey sandwich.

4. Bring an empty water bottle with you - Yes you can bring empty water containers through security, and guess what you can fill them up at the various water fountains around the airport. On the plane we aren't allowed to give away big bottles of water (0r even take them for ourselves!) but we can fill up your bottle (and ours) and we will happily do it for you. Ditto goes for coffee.

5. A little bribery never hurt anyone - When we fly it's on a space available basis so we know sometimes a little extra kindness is required. A bag of chocolates for the gate agent or a variety of tabloid magazines for flight attendants can ensure you'll be treated like royalty. It's a small way to say thank you for those working so hard to get you on your way as safely as possible. Trust me, it's hard to say no to the passenger who wants to change seats when we know that person just gave us a handful of treats!