Jul 11, 2009

Mile high clubs


Are you one of those persons that tends to take many photos while you are on the plane? Do you normally do your best so that you can spend all the flight photographing great moments? If you do, then you will be delighted as soon as you read the msnbc.com article below and discover that you are not the only one:

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A strange new airborne trend has passengers grabbing their cameras and heading for the airplane lavatory to join a new "mile high club." But, unlike the original, this one is "G" rated.

Amidst the harsh amber light, the stale smell of air fresheners, and standing next to the bowl with the mysterious blue water, airline passengers are photographing themselves by capturing their own reflection in the lavatory mirror. Then, in a curious move, they post the pictures on Internet photo sites like "Flickr."

Blogger/flight attendant, Heather Poole, coins the phenomenon "laviating" -- the act of photographing yourself in the airplane lavatory. In a play on the word aviator, participants are dubbed "laviators."

In her blog, Poole said she loves the photos she receives from passengers and wants, "more, more MORE!" Poole credits her blog with fueling her growing collection of photographs.

"I had written, 'Oh you better believe I'll be taking my own self portrait in the lav on my next flight to New York on Wednesday. Until then, check out these interesting shots,' wrote Poole in her blog. "A few days later I got an email with a photo attached from a Gadling reader. 'This one's for you,' Nate wrote, and that's all he wrote, and it cracked me up!"

Some people take pictures in pairs, others capture the essence of the airplane lav odor, holding their noses in disgust. Even pilots have gotten in on the act, although apparently with the plane on the ground.

Whatever you do, don't touch the seat.

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