伊哈小時候搭飛機還會在機上睡覺，約接近三歲左右，知道在飛機上可以看卡通，怎樣都不肯睡覺，累到崩潰也不睡。這趟暑假去布里斯本是伊哈第一次離開亞洲，又是長程過夜航班，出發之前每天洗腦：「要搭飛機搭很久喔～要在飛機上睡覺喔！」
伊哈平時作息非常固定，每天晚上約7:30-8:00進房間準備睡覺，跟爸比聊一下天，約8:30-9:00之間入睡，睡到隔天早上7點左右，平時在學校也會午睡，是個睡眠充足的孩子。
出發這天的午睡，我們一起睡了3小時，長長的午睡，睡到伊哈矇了，問我：「為什麼手機鬧鐘都沒有響？已經晚上了嗎？」
吃完晚餐、洗完澡，慢慢搭捷運出發去機場。
When Hija was little, she used to fall asleep easily on flights. But once she approached three and discovered the magic of in-flight cartoons, sleep became impossible. No matter how exhausted she was even on the verge of meltdown. She simply refused to close her eyes.
This summer’s journey to Brisbane marked Hija’s first time leaving Asia, and her very first long-haul overnight flight. In the days leading up to departure, we repeated the same gentle mantra: “It’s going to be a very long flight… you’ll need to sleep on the plane, alright?”
At home, Hija follows a remarkably steady rhythm. She heads to her room around 7:30 to 8 p.m., chats quietly with her dad, and drifts off between 8:30 and 9. She wakes around seven the next morning, and even takes a nap at school. A child deeply anchored by good rest.
On the day of departure, we lay down for her midday nap together and ended up sleeping for three whole hours. She woke in a daze and asked, “Why didn’t your phone alarm ring? Is it nighttime already?”
After dinner and a warm bath, we moved slowly through our evening routine and made our way to the airport by MRT. Unhurried, almost ceremonial, savoring the beginning of a journey that would take Hija beyond the familiar borders of Asia for the very first time.
這趟是過夜航班，從台灣飛布里斯本這一段，H先生特別安排我們全家搭商務艙，想讓伊哈第一次長程過夜航班睡得舒服，天知道，根本是個災難的開始。（喔，災難只有針對媽媽我本人）
Ours was an overnight flight: Taiwan to Brisbane. Mr. H had thoughtfully arranged for our family to travel in business class, hoping Hija would rest comfortably on her first long-haul journey. Little did we know it would mark the beginning of a quiet disaster. (And to be clear, the disaster applied exclusively to me, the mother.)
上飛機前有跟伊哈強調，已經很晚了，上飛機不能看電視，要睡覺！我們找到自己的商務艙坐好之後，伊哈一直想要去後面經濟艙，這樣「才能坐在爸爸媽媽旁邊」、「不要自己坐一個獨立的椅子」，我花很大的力氣才安撫好伊哈，也願意坐在自己的商務艙位子上面。
一上機空服先上迎賓果汁，熱毛巾，並遞上菜單，H先生很認真研究菜單，我則是爽快打開酒單，我選了一款喜歡的香檳，空服說是歐洲線才有，改推薦我另一款法國香檳，我也欣然接受。
Before boarding, I gently reminded Hija that it was late, and once on the plane, she would need to sleep, not watch TV. After settling into our business class seats, Hija initially expressed a strong desire to sit in economy with her father and me, preferring not to occupy her own “independent chair.” It took considerable effort to soothe her, but eventually, she agreed to remain in her spacious business class seat.
As soon as we were airborne, the flight attendant gracefully offered welcome juice, warm towels, and presented the menu. My husband, H, meticulously studied the culinary offerings, while I, with a touch more spontaneity, eagerly perused the wine list. I selected a favorite champagne, only to be informed it was exclusively available on European routes. The attendant then recommended an exquisite French champagne, which I happily accepted.
這是伊哈長大有意識以來，第一次真正自己一個商務艙位子（第一次搭乘商務艙是2歲以前，台灣飛清邁，最後趴在爸爸身上睡著了），她接受自己一個商務艙位子之後說：「我的電視好大台～」而且可以半躺，似乎很滿意她的商務艙，也不再吵著要坐爸爸媽媽旁邊。
This flight marked Hija’s first truly independent business class experience since she was old enough to remember (her inaugural business class journey to Chiang Mai occurred before she turned two, ending with her fast asleep on her father’s lap). Once she accepted her own luxurious space, a delighted gasp escaped her lips: “My TV is so big!” The ability to recline into a semi-flat position seemed to seal her satisfaction, and she no longer yearned to sit beside her parents. From that moment, she fully embraced the comfort and privacy of her business class sanctuary.
此時的伊哈還有點抗拒自己坐一個位子，原本爸爸是坐在她的正後方，但發現完全無法照看到她，因為商務艙還有空位，詢問空服之後，同意讓H先生換位子到我後方，這樣伊哈坐靠窗邊，就能同時看到爸爸媽媽，她安心很多。
At this initial stage, Hija still harbored a slight reluctance about having her own independent seat. My husband, H, was originally seated directly behind her, but quickly realized he couldn’t adequately supervise her from that position. Noticing several empty seats in business class, we inquired with the flight attendant. Graciously, she permitted H to move to the seat directly behind me. With Hija positioned by the window, she could now see both her father and me simultaneously, a simple adjustment that brought her immense reassurance and allowed her to settle in with renewed peace of mind.
打開一看，竟然是斐濟水！！！還有拖鞋也在這裡，太久沒有搭過夜商務艙，一度連過夜包都找不到在哪裡…。
Upon opening, to my delightful surprise, was a bottle of Fiji Water! The journey’s thoughtful amenities continued with a pair of comfortable slippers nestled alongside. It had been quite some time since my last overnight business class flight, so much so that for a moment, I even struggled to locate where the amenity kit was stored. This pleasant rediscovery of forgotten luxuries truly enhanced the experience.
想著已經很晚了，伊哈若是在家，早不知道睡到哪去了。原訂是她上機就睡覺，她有睏意時，主動討了她心愛的月娘小棉被，我以為她要睡覺了（內心撒花），過了一會兒，伊哈說：「電燈這麼亮，我要怎麼睡覺啦！」又問：「你們怎麼不睡覺？你們要做什麼？」
我沒好氣地說：「我們等一下要吃飯」
Considering the late hour, had Hija been home, she would have been sound asleep long ago. The original plan was for her to drift off shortly after boarding. Indeed, when weariness began to set in, she proactively requested her beloved moon-patterned blanket, prompting me to believe she was finally ready for slumber (a silent cheer erupted in my mind). However, moments later, Hija piped up, “How am I supposed to sleep with the lights so bright?” Then, with an added touch of innocent inquiry, she asked, “Why aren’t you two sleeping? What are you going to do?”
With a hint of exasperation, I replied, “We’ll be having dinner shortly.”
H先生說他點了一杯歇腳亭的珍珠奶茶，聽到時我整個笑瘋，搭商務艙點珍奶？好歹也點個氣泡酒嘛！我的前菜是海陸鮮匯拼（明蝦、干貝、紅糟松阪豬）、生菜沙拉、紅烏龍蜜桃麵包、紅藜麥地瓜麵包，喔，配上香檳。
My husband, then announced he had ordered a bubble tea, a revelation that sent me into peals of laughter. Ordering bubble tea in business class? One might at least opt for a sparkling wine! Meanwhile, my own appetizer featured a sophisticated “Surf and Turf” platter—an exquisite medley of king prawns, scallops, and red yeast pork belly—accompanied by a crisp green salad, a fragrant Ruby Oolong peach bread, and a wholesome red quinoa sweet potato bread. All, of course, perfectly paired with a glass of fine champagne.
我的餐是蒜蓉鮑魚海虎蝦佐粿條，飯後點心是水果跟起司，吃水果時，我又點了一杯酒，因為媽媽很需要酗酒來寬解育兒地獄…我都在忙什麼呢？伊哈打翻水杯上衣濕掉，帶去廁所換衣服，要求脫鞋子脫襪子、玩我的打燈器，最後說她累了，不要吃了（不對，妳幾乎沒吃ok～）我幫伊哈鋪好床之後，又喊無聊…我則是不斷查看、回應她的需求，一直到她座位旁邊，再回自己位子吃餐，這樣回來了N次，第一次無法好好吃商務艙的餐食，感到很無奈，可是沒有辦法，孩子的需求需要滿足。
My main course arrived: garlic-infused abalone and tiger prawns served with flat rice noodles – a truly delectable offering. For dessert, a selection of fresh fruit and fine cheeses. As I savored the fruit, I indulged in yet another glass of wine, for a mother’s journey through the parenting labyrinth often necessitates a spirited respite. What, you might ask, was I truly occupied with? Hija had managed to spill her water, drenching her top, necessitating a trip to the lavatory for a change of clothes. This was followed by demands to remove her shoes and socks, playful antics with my personal LED light, and finally, a declaration that she was “too tired to eat” (despite barely having touched her meal, to be precise).
After meticulously preparing her bed, she promptly announced her boredom. My evening became a ceaseless ballet between checking on her, responding to her latest requests, moving to her seat-side, and then retreating to my own to attempt a bite of my meal. This back-and-forth occurred countless times. For the first time, I found myself unable to fully savor the renowned business class dining experience, a feeling of deep resignation mingling with profound love. Yet, there was no alternative; a child’s needs, after all, must always be met.
最一開始，先跟空服說不要送伊哈的餐點，讓她睡覺，結果伊哈竟然還醒著，並問：「為什麼我都沒有飯？」很抱歉地請空服再送一份她的餐給她，跟空服討了餐，只吃了堅果沾奶油吃（這是什麼另類的吃法？）發現她愛吃不吃的，她的餐都送去給爸比，撐死爸比。
H先生一直問我要不要拍他的餐跟湯品，如果沒有帶伊哈，我絕對會好好認真搭乘商務艙跟拍照記錄，我連忙搖手說：「我不拍了，我也不想吃你的餐了，我覺得很累…。」
Initially, I had proactively requested the flight attendant to withhold Hija’s meal, hoping she would drift off to sleep. To my surprise, she remained wide awake, eventually asking, “Why don’t I have any food?” I then had to apologetically request her meal to be served. What followed was a peculiar dining ritual: Hija largely ignored her main dish, opting instead to dip nuts into butter – an unconventional approach, to say the least! Realizing her disinterest, we discreetly passed her untouched meal to her father, much to his (perhaps overstuffed) delight.
Throughout this, my husband, repeatedly offered to have me photograph his exquisite main course and soup. Under normal circumstances, free from the delightful chaos of parenting, I would have meticulously documented every aspect of this luxurious business class journey. However, I simply waved him off, declaring, “No, I can’t photograph anything more, nor do I have the appetite for your meal. I’m utterly exhausted…” The reality of traveling with a spirited young child had, for this flight, superseded the indulgence of a pristine business class experience.
台灣時間快半夜兩點了還不睡覺，此時要慶幸午睡睡了三小時，累了沒有哭鬧、歡，只是一直叫我而已…，伊哈搭商務艙，根本是在折磨我！爸比吃飽就睡了，我蹲在她的座位旁邊40分鐘，嫌燈光太亮幫她遮眼睛，蹲到腳痠還一直換腳，拍拍屁股、拍拍胸口、牽手安撫，這位小的沒有睡，我也別想睡！最後因為關燈了很暗，我蹲在地上，被前方的乘客踢到一次，也被空服踢到一次，我容易嗎！！！
蹲了40分鐘還不睡，我起身去上廁所，回來查看伊哈，竟然還不睡！（我眼神死，爸比都不知道睡到哪去了）我繼續蹲在地上陪，最後伊哈大發慈悲（？）說：「妳可以回妳椅子了！」我就回位躺著休息，不時偷瞄她在做什麼？一直動來動去，好不容易不動了，我起身幫她偷偷蓋她自己的月娘小棉被，伊哈踢掉說不要蓋！我再回我位子躺著，等到她完全睡著了，再偷偷幫她蓋小棉被，我終於可以睡覺了。（哭出來）
我躺著還沒入睡之際有一陣有點強的亂流，機上有廣播，伊哈有嚇到有小哭一下，我出聲音說：「謀代誌，馬迷底加～」伊哈聽到之後安心了，又繼續睡。
It was nearing 2 AM Taiwan time, and sleep remained elusive for Hija. At this point, I found solace only in the thought of her three-hour nap earlier; thankfully, exhaustion manifested as constant calls for me, rather than meltdowns. Truly, Hija’s business class journey felt more like an endurance test for me! While her father, having enjoyed his meal, had blissfully drifted off to sleep, I found myself crouched beside her seat for a grueling forty minutes. I shielded her eyes from the cabin lights, constantly shifting my weight as my legs ached, gently patting her back and chest, and holding her hand in a futile attempt to lull her to sleep. As long as this little one remained awake, sleep was a distant dream for me. In the ensuing darkness after the cabin lights dimmed, I, still crouching on the floor, was inadvertently nudged once by a passenger and once by a flight attendant. Was my ordeal truly this challenging?!
After forty minutes of squatting with no signs of sleep from her, I stood up for a quick lavatory break. Upon returning, I checked on Hija, only to find her still wide awake! (My internal gaze was utterly defeated; her father was by now lost in dreamland.) I resumed my vigil on the floor, and finally, Hija, in what felt like an act of great benevolence, announced, “You can go back to your chair now!” I gratefully retreated to my seat, lying down to rest, all the while discreetly peeking to see what she was up to. She continued to toss and turn. When she finally settled, I cautiously rose to gently cover her with her beloved moon-patterned blanket, only for her to kick it off, declaring she didn’t want it. Back to my seat I went, patiently waiting until she was completely asleep before attempting once more to drape the blanket over her. At last, I could surrender to sleep myself. (A quiet, tearful sigh of relief.)
Just as I was drifting off, a period of rather strong turbulence rattled the aircraft, accompanied by a cabin announcement. Hija, startled, let out a small whimper. I immediately reassured her with a soft “It’s alright, Mama’s here.” Hearing my voice, Hija settled back down, finding comfort and resuming her slumber.
我喬了姿勢，睡了3-4小時左右，伊哈醒來了，問我：「為什麼開燈啦？」
我說：「要吃早餐了啊！」
起身上個廁所回來，爸比開巧虎給伊哈看了（還沒出發之前，有跟伊哈說，晚上要睡覺不能看卡通，睡醒才可以看）
After finally managing to secure a comfortable position, I drifted into a much-needed sleep for about three to four hours. Hija then stirred awake, her first query being, “Why are the lights on?”
“It’s time for breakfast,” I replied.
Upon returning from a quick trip to the lavatory, I observed that her father had already started playing “Shimajiro” (a popular children’s show) for Hija. This, of course, was in line with our pre-flight agreement: no cartoons until after she woke up, a promise we were now happily fulfilling.
吃早餐時，伊哈一直在看卡通都沒有認真吃早餐，我要她趕快吃，隨便吃了幾口就不吃了，開始嫌棄這些卡通都看過了。降落時一直說耳朵痛，空服給她一瓶斐濟水，喝了大半瓶，依舊很討厭商務艙的安全帶。
During breakfast, Hija remained entirely captivated by her cartoon, barely touching her meal. Despite my gentle urgings to eat, she took only a few perfunctory bites before declaring her disinterest, announcing that she had already seen all these episodes. As we began our descent, she repeatedly complained of ear pain. A thoughtful flight attendant offered her a bottle of Fiji Water, which she consumed nearly entirely. Yet, even the soothing sips couldn’t alleviate her strong aversion to the business class seatbelt, a minor but persistent annoyance for our young traveler.
抵達布里斯本，總算結束這場硬仗惡夢，我也去掉半條命了。而伊哈本人像沒事一樣，好奇盯著眼前的新奇事物，我呢？只想趕快到飯店躺平，不要跟我說已經搭商務艙躺著飛了，這應該是我史上最壯烈的商務艙之旅吧。
Upon our arrival in Brisbane, the epic, challenging journey finally concluded. I felt as though I had expended every ounce of my energy, left with half a life force. Hija, however, emerged from the flight as if nothing untoward had occurred, her eyes wide with curiosity, eagerly taking in the novelty of her new surroundings. As for me? My sole desire was to reach the hotel and simply collapse onto a bed. And no, please don’t remind me that this was a business class flight where one could supposedly lie flat and rest. This, unequivocally, stands as the most arduous business class experience of my life.
Read more：更多飛行文章
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