Aegean airlines surprisingly pleasant: friendly (!) service, gave everyone candy upon completion of boarding (I found this oddly touching, like a dr's lollipop..."We know this experience sucks- here, have a sweet"), ERGONOMICALLY SENSIBLE SEATBACKS and more than enough legroom even if you're 6'3", which I've never seen outside of biz/first.

While waiting for flight, met dude who designs/supplies roller coasters, including some of my favorites (Freefall, Stratosphere) and my sure-to-become-all-time-favorite should I ever manage to be at the park when rain doesn't appear from nowhere and close it (Kingda Ka). It was SO cEXCITING to talk to him about something I've often described to people as metaphor for various other things: the psychology behind rides, especially Freefall. What I *LOVE* about it is that you get up there, & you're fine, and then it takes a few seconds too long for the car to push you out (making disturbing and probably superfluous clanking noises, of course), and then you look down and can't help noticing there's NOTHING UNDER YOU, and you are just hanging there -- long enough to think "hm, that's a little weird," followed closely by "I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE RIDE", followed closely by "GET ME THE F* OFF THIS RIDE", followed by you being dropped. I HEE! just thinking about it. He said, "How long do you think [that wait at the top] is?" I said "25 minutes? It's made to seem so." "Nine seconds." [Gleeful grin] He told me many stories that made me (1) lol and (2) never want to get on an amusement park ride again ever.