there's something that i just LOVE about airports. all the rushing and chaos and brightly lit corridors. i know most people dread them and love to complain about the state of travel these days, but to me, it's all just a part of the excitement! and i absolutely love love love the people watching. i like checking out the destinations board with all the different airlines (international ones are always infinitely more interesting to me), seeing how people are dressed, ogling all the overpriced candy at the newspaper stands, imagining who the first class passengers are and what they do, and wondering about the lives of passing flight attendants. everything and everyone is moving at a higher than normal speed with a firm destination in mind. i love it. i love it so much that i actually don't mind getting to the airport way early.
and then once i actually get tucked into my seat and we break through the clouds, i am always fascinated by this concept of being neither-here-nor-there. for those few hours, we are all in a moment of mid-air suspension, flying through time and space. quite a miracle, isn't it? and within this silver capsule, it seems as if someone just hit the pause button on life. the time i have right then and there, just hanging, is one of the few moments i have of being totally out of touch yet so in tune with my thoughts and my body. if the passenger next to me chats me up, i could honestly be anyone i want to be. i could make up a whole life story and they would never know. and somehow, just that thought alone, frees me up to start thinking - who is it that i want to be? what's going on in my life right now? i don't have to be anywhere, answer to anyone, and have absolutely no control over how to get from point A to point B. so i just ride, looking out at the clouds, drinking my tea, just reflecting, just breathing, just being.
whenever i go somewhere, it's always a game to see how little i can pack. i pull together all my favorite clothes first, then slowly whittle it down from there, trying to see what can be worn easily multiple ways. usually it comes down to a pair of jeans, black pants, leggings, a couple of tanks, then a few shirts both short and long-sleeved. a sweater, my motorcycle jacket, a dress that can be dressed up or down, a baseball cap, some underwear/socks/bras, a swimsuit, flip flops (for the hotel), flats, sneakers and a pair of heels. i still haven't figured out how to take less shoes than that, which bothers me. it also always surprises me how much space toiletries take up, even though i have a very minimal maintenance routine. hmm, still working on those parts. as for the plane ride itself, i always take a scarf, my own tea bags, a water bottle that i fill up once i get past security, antibacterial wipes, magazines, and of course, snacks. good ones include walnuts, hummus, crackers, carrot sticks, oranges or grapefruit (the fresh scent makes such a welcome difference in the stale air), cherries, grapes, snap peas, oatmeal, and instant miso soup or cup of noodles for longer flights. throw in a pair of sunglasses, my phone+charger, wallet, passport, and i'm set. i can fit everything in a compact carry on plus purse and i love feeling so efficient. kind of like george clooney in "up in the air" hehe :)
why do i love being a nomad so much? it's not just the places themselves i love to go, but even just the act of getting there... all the preparations, the anticipation, the constant adjustments i have to make to arrive at my destination. i wish i felt that way about all things in my life, this journey, this process...
as always, to be continued...
(nyc)
#travel #nomadic #traveltips #airports
