I think it is innate for human beings to want to see and experience new places around the world, wouldn't you say? Whether it's for a destination just a few miles away from home or one that takes conquering a ten-hour plane ride-whatever the end game is, we are always up for the trip, awaiting that something new, something exciting, will meet us at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, whilst having our eye on the destination, we always seem to neglect the journey itself, quite sad you see, given that the journey holds within itself just as many beautiful and wonderful new sights, and people.
I have been traveling ever since I was about five years old, eager to hop on practically any mode of transport, from taxis and buses to trains and planes-I was always more excited about what I was traveling on, rather than where I was traveling to. In my experience, after having been to over twenty different cities, in ten wonderful countries, the moments I seem to remember, and hold on to the most are those I spent in airports, and on long-distance bus rides. Don't get me wrong, the destinations were all spellbinding in their own ways- I mean there is nothing that can replace seeing the view of Paris from atop the Eiffel Tower, or be breathing in that crisp mountain air of the Alps, yet I find just a bit more personality in everything around me on the journey itself.
Airports are by far one of my favorite places, so much so that I used to drive an hour out of town to the closest airport just to watch those planes fly in and out. I find exquisite beauty in airports. They are the ultimate melting pots of our society and in their purest form, portals to new worlds. In a matter of hours you can travel through time zones, leaving one world behind and stepping off into a completely different one; how can one not be taken aback by that? You have people from quite literally every part of the world shuffling in and out of airports, and all of us, with the same purpose- we're all just travelers, awaiting that something special, or someone special, at the end of the tunnel.
If you take a minute while traveling, and observe your environment, you will be met with an overwhelming amount of emotion. You can see both sadness and joy, fear and excitement, love and anger, all in the same place. Within the pale walls of airports, you see the most sincere hello's and goodbye's, the tightest hugs, the most passionate kisses, the most authentic tears, and I do not think anything in the world comes close to this pure mortal beauty.
Next time you catch yourself at an airport, feeling sorry for yourself, lift your head up from your phone, and just open your eyes to everything around you. Let yourself see the people, and feel their emotions, don't let the miserable stigma of airports get you down. Just remember, you are always on a journey, and the airport is your portal-make the most of your experience.