Flight Attendant Andrew King shares his layover chronicles
Published:Saturday | February 25, 2023 | 12:30 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
Growing up, it was a dream for Andrew King to attain a job which afforded him the opportunity to travel. Now that he’s a flight attendant, that dream has become a beautiful reality, one filled with visiting countries all over the world. King shares his royal adventures in ‘Layover Chronicles’.
“I live in New York City, but I have been based in Atlanta, New York and currently Washington DC. I have visited 44 of the 50 states in the United States and 45 countries so far,” King told Saturday Living.
So how exactly did he get into the aviation business? That journey began back in 2015 when he began working at Caribbean Airlines. “I entered the United States aviation industry in June 2021 and I love being a flight attendant because it has given me the opportunity to see the world, network, meet people and make friends from every creed and race,” he added.
Born and raised in Jamaica, King’s father lives in Savanna-La-Mar, Westmoreland while his mother resides in the cool hills of Hanover in a small community called Pell River.
“This is where I developed my love for ‘travelling’. When I was growing up, my dad rode a Yamaha bike and we would ride along the beautiful Negril coastline or through the flat sugar cane lands of Frome to go visit my mother. So, I can thank my parents for my sense of adventure.”
Before leaving Savanna-La-Mar for university in Kingston, the globetrotter couldn’t imagine life beyond living in his home parish. Similar to his previous view, he couldn’t see life outside of Kingston, until he left Jamaica for the first time.
“Each time, I gained a new and life-changing perspective. Every single time I visit a new city or country I gain a new perspective,” he shared.
Three of his layover adventures to date have been while in Lima, Peru; Munich, Germany; and London, United Kingdom. “The most beautiful ocean views are in all of Lima. The area has tons of coffee shops and afford restaurants and street art. Peru is the first and only country I’ve visited so far, where I don’t feel like a foreigner. Nobody is giving you that stare that locals give to foreigners. I was also very surprised at how much desert surrounds Lima; you would wake up thinking the sky is overcast, only to be told it is sand dust over the city, he said”
For Munich, King is a lover of mediaeval architecture. “It’s simply breathtaking,” he said, adding, “If you love old historic buildings and good beer, you will love Munich. Don’t be intimidated by taking the train; it’s extremely easy, all the signs and announcements are in English and German.”
King is also a fan of British politics, so, “any opportunity to see the ‘mother of all parliaments’, that is, the palace of Westminster, is one that I welcome. The building is over 900 years old and is for me one of the most beautiful buildings I have seen anywhere.”
One of his biggest obstacles so far is crossing over different time zones on transoceanic flights. His body still hasn’t figured out how to acclimatise, but he always has trusty melatonin on hand.
Noting that he has coworkers who fly to Paris just to have brunch or dinner, he admits to picking up trips to Germany, just to restock my coffee gold supply.
On his days off, you’ll find him at the gym, cycling, hiking, relaxing and reading at the coffee shop, meeting up with friends or preparing meals for his next work trip. “Sometimes I am so exhausted after an eight-hour flight, I just go and crash for the entire day.”
Highlighting China, The Netherlands and Trinidad and Tobago as a few of his favourite countries to visit, the flight attendant hoped to one day see the Taj Mahal in India, Petra in Jordan or Cape Town in South Africa.
His advice to those looking to travel the world is to do extensive research on specific country requirements. “This world is too big and beautiful for you to not try and see some of it,” he said.