You may think I’m a tad bit out of my mind with the way I view the world, or maybe you’ll already comprehend what I am trying to say, or perhaps your eyes will be opened to a whole new perspective. Some may say that I have done quite a bit of traveling, however in my mind; I feel like I’ve only touched the surface of what the earth has to offer. Sometimes it’s hard to grasp that some areas of the world have been left untouched, unscathed by human touch. These unblemished areas are on the top of my list which cause me this insatiable sense of awe. It’s amazing to realize that even in my lifetime, I will not be able to touch every area on the earth. I may be able to reach every continent, travel across each piece of land, but there are places that will remain unseen, untouched by my eyes, ears, and hands.
Anyway, let me begin by explaining on how traveling makes me feel.
It provides me a sense of awe and euphoria that nothing else can deliver. The feeling of stepping in to a simple airport provides me a sense of excitement that not much else can produce. I could honestly sit in one for hours, admiring the diversity of people who make their way through this building that brings millions of people together in one roof at a time. Different cultures flash right before your eyes; it’s almost as if you don’t even need to fully travel to experience something different than your everyday life. Don’t forget about finally having the ability to meet people across the world, making new friendships, new love.
Sometimes I appreciate the layovers, because it gives me a chance to people watch. I’m able to listen to many different languages, witness the variety of ways people hold themselves, portray themselves. Then when you finally are able to sit down in the plane, you’re placed next to a complete stranger. Sometimes you and this stranger don’t interact in the slightest, even if you try, but most of the time they are completely willing to talk about themselves. You can learn about where they’re from, their background, where they’re flying to or from, and all about their trip and what they’ve learned or witnessed. You momentarily can live their life through their words. If not that, you can still meet sweet people.
On one of my trips, I met an adorable elderly couple who had been together for 30 years. They woke me up when the flight attendant came by for drink and food, which I would have otherwise missed. They also woke me up when the flight was over (working third shift and traveling during the day is very tiring). They interacted with me, despite my piercings and tattoos, which most tend to look down upon. It was almost as if they treated me like their own grandchild. I also sat next to another couple, a younger couple, who traveled to Ireland to visit family. Watching these two interact was incredibly heartwarming, and being able to hear their stories of Ireland was admirable.
Then when I finally reach my destination, my heart soars. Traveling is like going through a time portal. You’re in a different time zone; either in the past or the future, and you’re in a complete different scenery than what you’ve become accustomed too. When I had traveled to the Netherlands from America, I felt as if I was in a completely different world.
Architecture, nature, culture, people, these are the things that renew me. They revive me; refresh me, get me going again.