Alaska Airlines from Provo Airport to Orlando

Oh the emotional roller coaster that a trip from Provo to Orlando can be! It's not the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but the land of cheap flights, and round-trip airfare that can make even the most fearless adventurer shake in their boots. On one favorable morning, my much anticipated flight schedule was dashed and muffled ‘Now Boarding: Provo to Orlando via Alaska, Buckle your Seatbelts!’ announced through the dull surround sound of Provo Airport, a smorgasbord of sensations rushed through my veins. My heart fluttered with a concoction of anticipation, trepidation and unbounded joy, a kaleidoscope of wonderment that only one flying from the humble city of Provo to the enchanting realm of Orlando could truly comprehend.

Now, dear reader- please brace yourself for the turbulence as we plunge headfirst into this satirical journey. It was not a non-stop flight. Oh no, my fellow passengers and I had the distinct (mis?) adventure of a layover...in Alaska. Alaska, a state with more ice cream shops per capita than any other state, was our unexpected pit stop, our cold layover island in the wild North Pacific. Why Alaska? No one really knows why flights tend to do this.

Our adventure was sprinkled with generous dose of sheer astonishment. There we were one moment, ensconced in the comfortable blandness of airtight, heated, metal tube, the next, gazing out upon a land ruled by the majestic Bald Eagle, where the Northern Lights perform its entrancing ballet, and human to bear ratio is something to take into account before stepping out. The devious machinations of the airlines, I suppose, come from the notion that freezing in the Alaskan cold is the best way to make the Floridian heat seem, well, less hot.

However, despite the icy chill and unexpected detour, Alaska’s surprise proved to be a silver lining. The airlines admittedly provided first-class in-flight services, bribing us with an opulence of flavored hot chocolates, fortifying woolen blankets and an endless loop of dog-sled racing. You could almost forget about the dwindling temperature outside, confining yourself to the snug cocoon of one-way flying luxury.

Midway through our journey, the sight of my fellow travelers meticulously reading the airline reviews online to vent out their frozen frustrations was indeed a spectacle. The paradoxical rage and amusement in their eyes, the comical eruption of exasperation and helpless laughter echoed the absurdity that connected this seemingly disconnected flying experience.

But why stop there? In a final grand gesture, the airlines threw in an extravagant bundle of flight deals at us. These generous offerings in addition to significant mileage program benefits, strangely felt like sweets offered after a rather uncanny medical checkup, as if to say “Now that wasn’t so bad, was it? Here, have a lollipop. Fly with us again!” Pure, unadulterated charm, right there ladies and gentlemen.

As the journey ended with a rather bumpy landing on the beautiful soil of Orlando, I looked back at the harrowing adventure, chuckled to myself and thought - ‘Cheap flights and unexpected layovers…a trip indeed!’ A brush with the scintillating Northern Lights, the frozen yet comely landscape of Alaska, an impromptu snow fight in the middle of nowhere and the warmth San Francisco chocolate melting our chilly hearts. Maybe next time, a direct flight wouldn’t be as half as exciting!

Wear your seatbelts tight, fellow traveler, for the wonderland of air travel is filled with turbulence, adventure, shock, absurdity, and a dash of chill air from our very own Alaskan layover. The epiphany – that a journey matters more than the destination - never felt more real. Keep flying – through Alaskan cold and Floridian heat. After all, what is life but a beautiful, meandering flight!