Lori and the Llama

Lori and the Llama

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Airports - a myriad emotions waiting to be checked in at the gate

Travel elicits responses in most of us, especially those of us who live for it and are constantly discussing our last adventure while simultaneously planning our next journey.  Regardless of where we're going, there's something about the whole entity of the airport that manages to bring out the largest range of feelings in all of us.

There's anxiety that you might sleep through your alarm and miss your 6am flight. Internal battle over whether to fork over the $70 for a cab or stick to public transit. Second guessing yourself -  what if there's traffic? What if the train is delayed? What if there's an accident and I get stuck in a standstill and I never get to leave London (or are stuck in Heathrow Airport for 12 hours with not a pound to your name, damn Brits!)

Then you get to the airport.  You encounter annoyance. At the people at the gate who can't seem to move any faster when you're late. For the ones who go too fast when you got there early. At security - why don't people know how to take off their shoes? Have they never left the confines of their apartment before? The TSA employees. Do they really think my Fage yogurt contains harsh chemicals that are going to blow up the place? Or is it a ploy to get me to spend triple the price to replace it once I cross the threshold of safety.  I won't even bother highlighting all the annoyances in the airport post-security, because from weather-related to mechanical delays, my Facebook feed has proven that every airline is incompetent and people will only take Amtrak from now on.

Then we move on to fear. What if my delay means I'll miss my connection? What is that noise coming from under the wing? Why is there so much turbulence? Is it normal for the plane to be plummeting in the air like this? As someone who is severely terrified of the helpless feeling of having zero control over my situation, being on an airplane during take off and landing is not fun for myself or anyone near me. Combined with my desire to frump around in leggings and mismatching sweaters and uggs, I typically prefer to travel solo, as to not offend my travel companion this early in the trip. Every single one of my rinkydink flights around Asia sounded like the engine was about to spontaneously combust, and landing in Vietnam I actually walked off the plane with tears streaming down my face. It could have been the lack of sleep too, and the zero food I'd eaten since Air Asia doesn't feed you, but I'm glad that experience is long  behind me.

But then there's the fun parts. There's the excitement when you first step off the plane and you're there. About to embark on your adventure. About to reunite with a family member or loved one.  The gratitude when you're returning home and someone volunteered to pick you up so you don't have to wait on the cab line in the cold (really, do people bring coats with them to tropical destinations even if it is winter again when you land?!) Happy recaps of the wonderful place you're returning from, that you can hardly wait to get home and start uploading pictures from your camera.

Everyone has a story about their trip, but everyone also has a story about the encounters getting there. I've met people on my flight, sharing our little 4 feet of $500 a seat space, that have become lifelong friends.  I've met strangers who have given me priceless tips that have significantly improved my trip. And I've been stuck next to that crying child that had me swearing off kids forever. But no matter how the flight went, or how near you were to missing it in the first place, all of that disappears once you're at your final destination.

So sit back, but don't forget to keep your seat in an upright position, and just enjoy the ride.