In Transit

Exhausted after 10 hours....but another 10 or so to go..

Well, thank God my plane didn’t crash, although there were a few times I thought it might. Let’s just say, it was an eventful flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam and at one point there were a few yelps (none coming from me), flight attendants running down the isle into their seats, me in tears, and my new Russian friend (who didn’t speak very good English, but we had a great time talking still) and I holding on to the front of our seats. At one point, the entire plane felt like it just dropped, that feeling that you get on a rollercoaster when your stomach sinks-not the best feeling to have on an air bus while over the ocean. One of the flight attendants described it as turbulence like she’d never been through before, but luckily it only lasted about an hour and we eventually landed safely. (Don’t worry Mom, I’m safe I promise, and the tears only lasted for about 5 minutes…)

Now I’m sitting in the Amsterdam airport drinking a skinny vanilla latte and eating a blueberry muffin. For the record, this is the most expensive Starbucks I’ve ever had…$12.00…damn Euro exchange rate. BUT, I figured since I’ll be without my person sidekick Starbucks for a while, it was ok to splurge. After my near-death flight, I deserve it.

I love airports, I really do. I typically enjoy flying but my favorite part is the people watching. Airports are the best for that and everyone is in transit, one way or the other. I like to sit and watch people, and make up stories in my head of who I think they are, or where they might have been, or where they are headed off to next. You have the business-men in their suits, the families and crying babies, the Jamaican go-ers or heading to Hawaii, the European backpackers…the list goes on. Then, you have just the ordinary Joe who you can’t tell just by looking at them, exactly what they are doing in the airport or at what point in their journey they’re on.

I wish that everyone entering into the airport had to wear a tag around their neck with a short bio of themselves. Given this may violate personal space for some but I would appreciate it! Watching all of these people, I’m just so curious as to who they are, where they are going, where they came from, what they’re passionate about and what their reason is for being in transit today.

It’s been nice to sit here for a while, in a comfortable decent sized chair and watch people, but I just finished my latte and it’s time to go through security. I’m praying that my next flight is less eventful than the first. Exciting times ahead. First a layover in Sudan, and then to Ethiopia. I will update as soon as I’m safe and sound. 

<3