Airports and travel amuse me. Where previously I found them terribly intimidating, I now mostly enjoy observing the stark contrast of human behaviour thrown against highly regulated protocol and procedures.
This is not limited to being nice to the people that work in this strange, isolated world and seeing their positive reaction in response. I don’t think it happens to them very often and they are only people, after all.
But the key source of amusement around this part of a journey is the inevitable stop-go fiasco. Before the airport, it’s go, go, go with packing and getting there on time. And then you stop, and wait for however long it takes at check-in and bag drop (bless the development of mobile check-in). Then it’s usually rush, rush, rush to find your gate and pick up a few items before your flight. Stop, while you wait for boarding.
Some people experience the need to rush again at this point, hastily getting into line to board a plane on which they already have an allocated seat. I always chuckle at this part, especially when I catch myself doing it too. But then it’s time to stop again, sometimes for a while. If you’re in transit the pattern continues, particularly when your name is paged for final boarding while still making essential duty-free purchases at Tiffany; then you really rush. Yet, still not quite as much as fellow travelers will when the plane has landed, the seat belt sign has been switched off, and there's a race to get out of the chair – only to stand and wait for the vehicle to clear.
It’s just the nature of travel and our own human behavior. The mere things we endure to visit the places and see the people we love the most. Perhaps none of it would be a trifle of bother if we all started flying first class – but then it wouldn’t really change anything except maybe our mood after a vino in the Member’s Lounge. I’m pleased in the very least to have started enjoying even this part of travel. Surely, to be lucky enough to do it at all is something to appreciate and be grateful for in itself.
Your intrepid traveller,
Little Miss Melbourne
xoxo
xoxo