Fasten your seatbelts, folks! A new book 'Sicko' is about to take off and leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about airline collections. Trevor Cunningham's 37-year journey of accumulating over 150 airline sick bags has been meticulously chronicled in this fascinating tale that will have you hooked from the get-go.
The story begins in 2023 when the author stumbled upon Cunningham's incredible collection while filming a documentary about his 'Ask Trev' support group. The author was immediately captivated by the sheer variety and history behind these often-overlooked essentials, each one telling a unique story of travel, adventure, or misadventure.
Cunningham's own tale is as poignant as it is intriguing. After losing his boss Peter in 1989 to a brain aneurysm, Trevor took on the task of clearing out Peter's office and discovered his nascent collection of airline sick bags. Honoring his late colleague's memory, Cunningham committed to continuing the collection, now boasting rare examples from airlines that no longer exist – including the likes of Dragonair, Air Berlin, and Varig.
The book 'Sicko' is an intimate diary of sorts, with each bag serving as a trigger for Cunningham's vivid recollections. From light-hearted tales of turbulence-induced cabin crew mishaps to more harrowing memories of planes thick with cigarette smoke in bygone eras – or even the time he used at least 20 sick bags on a single flight from Mumbai to Delhi after drinking questionable water.
Despite the challenges faced during its creation, including Cunningham's bouts of procrastination and teenage-like sulking, 'Sicko' offers an unparalleled glimpse into aviation history and global travel through the unlikeliest of lenses – the humble airline sick bag. And let's be honest, who wouldn't want to dip their toes into this strange yet alluring world? The initial print run has already generated considerable interest, proving that sometimes it takes a little bit of madness to create something truly remarkable.