Traveling Is No Trouble

I have spent a fair number of hours in the airport, more than several of the people I know will be studying with me in Europe.  However, I am not an experienced traveler.  I always fear my bag is too heavy and I hate take-off, but I can navigate an airport and I don’t mind the wait.  My military background comes in handy at these times, and so does my ability to sleep anywhere.  I’ve slept in airport chairs before.

Each airport is different; they have their own style and way of doing things.  I love the Chicago bathrooms, the Detroit tunnels with music and light, and the Dallas/Fort Worth sky train.  There is something special about each airport.  The same is true of the Orlando airport, and since that is where I catch my first flight, it seems right that I talk about Orlando.

Orlando’s airport is large, but it some ways it is small.  It is like those web-charts you make in elementary school to show how everything is connected.  You have the central bubble, walk through security, and take one of several trains that will take you to the next bubble you want.  After that, you split off into even smaller bubbles. The next branches would be the planes, so right now all the flights squash together.  I sit by gate 75 when I am taking flight 77, but that is not very far from me.  The setup means that restaurants are few and vending machines non-existent.  Stupid corporations.

It’s not that bad, since we buy into it.  I’d love an Orange Julius right now though, it would settle better with me. 

Miami is nothing impressive so far, except maybe the city view from terminal H odd side.  That being said, I haven’t spent a lot of time walking around.  The sky train, or whatever they call the system here, is down, something that would have killed the Orlando airport.  The décor of the airport is very bland, more functional than fashionable.  I like décor, even the Evansville airport has décor.  Still, the place isn’t small.  Smaller, yes, but not small.  I am trying to figure out how they will fill a jumbo jet with so few seating areas.  Maybe I’ll take a place on the floor for someone.

While walking through airports, and going through security, I often wonder what type of traveler I seem to be.  I have those moments of feeling like the trashy college-student traveler, willing to sit down anywhere (currently sitting in a corner on the floor, this seems accurate).  Other times I feel like the collected business woman.  My lack of finery and make-up betray that I don’t fit into that category.  I feel it though, and that is what matters.  I’ve never traveled in sleeping pants, thought I have thought about it.  However, that just seems lazy.

Security is no problem for me, I have a system when I enter security.  Before they even check my boarding pass I slip off my shoes, and I have my bag open so I can easily grab my computer and liquids (mouth wash, toothpaste, glasses cleaner, and hand-sanitizer), and I shuck of my coat very quickly.  Getting back together is even easier, I slip on my shoes, put my liquids and computer away, and grab my coats before the person in front of me is finished grabbing their things. 

I don’t like delays, and I hate causing them.

It is a curious dilemma, to travel with others or not.  The joys of traveling alone include no one to keep up with, but you do have to keep your items near you.  I am currently debating about meeting up with the other student traveling to England on this flight.  We could watch each other’s stuff, but we would have to introduce ourselves.  I think I’ve found him, but the guy is sleeping and the old lady gave me a glare when I looked at his baggage curiously.  Good thing I’ve gone through security or I would probably be taken aside for suspicious behavior.  It might seem stalker-ish, but I am currently sitting behind the guy, trying to figure out if he is the one or if I need to keep looking.

Suddenly, as he emerges from sleep, I know he is far too old to be the guy I am looking for.  Oh well.

Fate thinks she is very funny, and at times, she can be a riot.  What are the chances that the only other person in my study abroad program on that flight would have the seat right next to me?  It was nice, knowing a person without knowing them.  We were comfortable with each other knowing that our shared goal was to explore and study in the UK.  We talked about the portion sizes of the in-flight meal and found mutual acquaintances from our time at our home school.

Indeed, travel has been kind to me on my journey to England.  Though I have not slept more than 20 minutes in the last 20 hours, I feel good.  A little hungry now that I am back on solid ground, but over-all, I am very happy with my travels. 

Signing out at the London Heathrow airport,

JClark
Written January 5^th and 6^th, 2012, edited January 9^th, 2012.