Oliver Markota is a pilot for a Japanese airline (one of the good ones) and when he isn’t flying to and from your favourite destinations he lives in one of your favourite cities, Tokyo. Is a airline pilot’s life the dream or an endless battle with the effects of chronic jet lag?

So everyone has their own mind up about how a pilots life is meant to be like. At least if you didn’t then there are a lot of cliches in our english speaking world to make it up for you. I’m not here to tell you that it’s all a lie nor am I to tell you it’s what all pilots experience in their careers. Each one or us has a unique take on the job and focus in life so the commonalities are that we travel a lot, we see a lot of airport terminals, hotels, sunrises and sunsets. For most of us its a lonely journey at work so music becomes a comforting companion. Days turn into numbers cause we don’t have a normal working week and jet lag gets us as well, no one is immune. So the morning, afternoon or evening (whichever time zone your body is on) wake up ritual is vital in getting to work in a frame of mind, to go hurtling through the sky at 1,000 km/hour.

Kimbra – Love in High Places

Frank Ocean – Sweet Life

Thrice – Come all you Weary

Ladyhawk – My Delirium 

Kurt Vile – Pretty Pimpin

Then as always it wouldn’t be right of me to not throw in some cliche moment and have the ramp up to take off. A throw back to the motivational feel good portion that has you almost flying before the plane is.

Bon Jovi – Livin on A Prayer

Van Halen – Why can’t this be Love

Christopher Cross – Ride like the Wind

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Learning to Fly

Then for the most part it’s hands off and auto pilot has the job done for the cruise. So much the same as your long road trip we are up front with one other “chewing the fat” and gazing out the windows excited of whats to come or daydreaming of what has just been. Sure the scenery is a little different than on the road but the feelings just the same just a little higher in elevation.

Duke Dumont – Ocean Drive 

St Lucia – Elevate 

Fleetwood Mac – Dreams 

I Know Leopard – Perfect Picture 

Tame Impala – The Less I know the Better

Arriving and the day is done or it may just be starting if you’ve just done the Red Eye. Either way it a job done for us and no matter how you do it, travel has a come down. Even if it’s for work or pleasure the same feelings exist at the end of the experience. You could be home and post vacation depression sets in or you are away and you’re away from the people you’re most close to AGAIN. Music to sooth the lonely traveler.

City and Colour – Comin’ Home

Angus and Julia Stone – Big Jet Plane

Kimbra – Settle Down 

Frank Ocean – Lost