How one writer's sleeping-pill blackout reminds us all to fly aware

We've all been there: A 15-hour long-haul flight to Singapore/Hong Kong/Seoul/Sydney staring us right in the face. That moment of standing in the boarding line, warily eyeing fellow passengers and just hoping that none of them will make this a particularly hellish journey.

And then, there's the moment we double check the sleeping pill tucked in an easy-to-reach carry-on pocket. Yes, it's often self medication that make a painless flight for many.

Yet, I can recall several moments of waking up, startled, in a groggy stupor - and wondering if I had done anything embarrassing like Ambien-walked through the cabin chanting unintelligible rhymes in my underwear.

While not in his underwear, travel writer John Vlahides had a full-on blackout experience after imbibing a potent cocktail of restful pills and alcohol during a recent flight. Thankful for him - and us - there were photos to document the blackout.

If it weren't for discovering the above shot many hours after he arrived at home, Vlahides probably never would have solved the mystery of what happened during the flight. While his tale is a comical one, this situation could have wound up much worse.

Let this be a reminder that no one is immune. The lesson is that there's always a first time for everything - most especially while on the road.

Let's just use this as a word of caution - beware the pills on a steel tube hurtling through the sky. You just never know when you're going to need to fight back from a Sharknado...!

Read the full treatise here.