travels

ok here is the thing, I love to travel.
I love the packing, the mad dash to leave your house clean so it is clean upon your return
I love planning the trip... maps.... directions
I love looking up places on the Internet
I love travel sized shampoo
I love imagining how many pairs of pants I am really going to need then bringing clothes home I didn't even look at
I love the anticipation of getting to the airport... security.... checking my bags and settling in the awaiting lounge
I love the "hudson news" the magazine mecca that awaits you around every corner of the airport
I love listening to other peoples conversations learning where they are going or where they are coming from as I flip through the latest trashy magazine I have picked up for the flight--this being as much a part of the ritual of travel as buying the ticket itself.
who is dating who, who is famous now, who within the glossy pages of the tabloid news do I have no idea about? for the most part I don't know half the people in the magazines.. does this mean I am too old to buy them now?
I love loading up the plane, I love watching the people who in spite of the rows being called feel the need to rush on-- dude that is why you have a ticket... you have a seat on the plane... no one can take that from you!
I love stowing my luggage appropriately watching Mr.I-don't-check-anything try to cram his over-regulation-sezed "carry on" suitcase int he overhead bin then gripe about how there is no room... shoving the carefully stowed baggage of some poor unsuspecting old lady into the back corner..
I love the pre-flight bustle the safety panel and the seatbelt demo...
I love the take off.. the time in the flight that you feel like you are limp being forced back into your seats by the shear power of the moment you leave the earth and begin your climb airborn... still a bus shouldn't fly
I love when they come around asking what you would like splashed over your 20 ice cubes giving you the impression you are getting something to drink
I love the turbulence, the bumps, the thrills
I love the landings.. especially when people clap! I love that on the way here I was on a flight sitting beside a very nervous flyer... dressed in a suit... I swear the poor man read the safety brochure 100 times to the point I asked him if there was going to be a test on it later that I didn't know about it and if there was I was definitely going to copy off him.
*insert tiny awkward chuckle from him here then right back to the safety insert.
because nothing is better then surviving the crash into the body of water, I am excited about using my seat as a floatation... I will pay my respects to Davey Jones before I remove the seat cushion that a million sweaty strange asses have sat on only to clutch it to my chest in a bear hug type fashion locking my arms tightly around it.... mmmmm talk about motivation to stay up on my swimming! there must be a better piece of fuselage to cling to than that one article!
yes I do enjoy traveling... getting to your destination having someone meet you at the gate big hugs discussion of all the fun people watching on the trip while you collect your luggage and get ready to begin your vacation/holiday...

So as I finish up my lovely time on holiday I am doing it all in reverse... it is a bitter sweet event.
I love it here, but I miss home too so I know I can come back but it is never soon enough for my liking :)
SO until next holiday I will put away my traveling gear and hope for a gentle transition back into full time life :)
and remember to study that card in the seatback in front of you cause you never know when you might need to get up close and personal with your seat cushion