“View From Seat 20A†is series on the blog, chronicling my travel adventures.  20A is my usual seat (last row of Economy Plus + exit row – a poor woman’s first class), and the location of most of my travel adventures occur.
– waiting – and trying to catch the brash, OJ-demanding woman in her demanding glory behind me –
A glass shatters on the side table, its shards spilling on the stained carpet. Â Behind me, a women barks out a grocery list into the phone. Â Apparently she needs orange juice – she needs it, with her cough. Â I’ll take some too, preferably with a heavy splash of vodka.
A TV broadcasts CNN on mute. Â The only noise is the hum of the fan, the turning of newspaper pages, the clickty-clack of computer keys, the clanging of utensils over by the buffet, the random screams of children. Â It’s like a jazz tune – every sound has a purpose, and it melds together into its own unique song. Â Not being much of a jazz fan, I pop in my headphones and allow The Joy Formidable to fill my ears.
People are lost in their own worlds as they wait in their leather armchairs. Â I glance at the boy sleeping across from me, and wonder what he’s dreaming of. Â His father pecks away on his iPhone – I imagine he’s dealing with some sort of work crisis, given his furrowed brow and his head resting in his hand. Â The woman next to me is dressed in flowered pants and a coral shirt; she chooses to snack during her wait, cutting fruit into bite-sized pieces and eating them, one by one.
The smells. Â Ugh. Â A mix of pungent body odor, mixed with the sweet odor of fruit and the tantalizing smell of grease from the buffet is somewhat torturous. Â The smells make the wait the worst, as there’s nowhere to escape to. Â The lounge may have its unpleasant odor, but the waiting area outside is even worse.
Wait. Â It is the one word that sums up travel these days. Â We wait in lines during the whole journey – to check in, go through immigration and security, to board and depart the flight. Â We sit and wait to and from the airport, for the flight, and on the flight itself.
Wait. Â Whoever said “It’s not the destination, but the journey that counts” obviously never traveled in 2012. Â My journey is a haze of flight delays, traffic jams, security and boarding lines – it’s pathetic, really. Â Until certain memories come flooding back…
…the incredible books I’ve read while traveling, which inspired me to write more – and start this blog.
…the random idea that is culminating into a potential business.
…reminiscing about a weekend where I met an incredible man – who would later become my husband.
…random glasses of champagne – the celebration being that it’s simply there.
Perhaps my journey isn’t as pathetic as I once imagined – but rather, forces me to slow down to get inspired and appreciate life.
And then this happens. Â “Ladies and gentlemen, we regret to inform you that the boarding of Continental Airlines flight 048 to Newark is delayed by 20 minutes. Â Kindly remained seated – boarding will begin at 11:10 p.m”
Any champagne left in this joint?
