I've hugged and kissed my mother's tear-soaked face good-bye after a quick MTO stop at Sheetz on the way to the airport and picking up a couple other essentials from the over-priced airport general store.
The worry in her eyes is quite apparent, but I make her laugh a little by suggesting that she won't have to cry like this again if my sisters decide to travel. Why? Because as the eldest child, your duty is to pave the path for the younger sisters by proving that trips like this will still leave me alive and well.
After today's goodbye and last night's dinner/goodbye with Dad, I realize that I'm growing up since neither Mom nor Dad slipped cash to me at departure time.
No problems at security check in-that's a first. Then board the tram to the other side of the airport and watch the symbollic red neon circle get farther and farther away as I go farther from home. Most people stand and hold onto the poles, but I prefer to sit on the back seat and watch that neon circle nearly disappear in the distance.
After as much packing and preparatıon as there seemed to be tıme for, I'm sıttıng ın the aırport waiting to board my first flight (to NYC-JFK). Time for worry has zipped by and now I'm left hoping that I remembered everythıng, rather than trying not to forget. Once all-important post-it notes have fluttered their significance away into the trash cans of the day.
The people waiting for the plane are in all types of moods. Most travellers are solo; reading, staring, keeping to themselves. A group of cackling hen types soon join and take their seats, while laughing over a book that you have to be nearing menopause to appreciate, I'm sure. I thought I heard them say it was called Sweet Potato Queen or something to that effect. One of them quotes the book aloud: "Every man I've ever loved is either married, dead, or gay." They all laugh again. I turn my attention to another young backpacker who is expressing her admiration for the man beside her, whom she's never met before, but apparently invented something that she has found to be useful in her 23 years.
After a short wait, it is time to board the 50 passenger plane. The mid-50s couple behind me are talking and laughing. The man is on the phone and keeps repeating "September 11th, 9/11/05, I'll be flying in on September 11th," as he pushes his knees into my back. Nice.
My waist money belt is a little tight around my stomach; most likely from all of the comfort foods that I consumed while at home. Most likely, this was subconsciously in preparation for the lack of food that I'll likely find myself with in my travels.
After we're in the air, I realize I have both seats to myself and feel good. I realize that Pittsburgh is very green-fields and trees everywhere- and once again understand why it has been dubbed the city of bridges with all of its rivers. I nap after writing a little bit.
Talking to JC yesterday made me feel better and less anxious about the trip. He said don't worry about trying to see every little thing that everyone else tells you to see. Just go, have fun, and realize that you'll probably end up remembering lunch at a little cafe more than some touristy sight-seeing.
After my little nap, I woke up to a beautiful scene overlooking the New York coast. Really awe-inspiring- and this is before even leaving the country! There were islands with only one house on them and it was so neat to fly over the ocean for the first time. There will be a lot more of that in my near future.
JFK has to be the most confusing airport ever. I've been warned about others- Atlanta, even Heathrow turns out to be a little better (more about that adventure later). Regardless, after a few not-so-helpful attendants gave me vague directions and left me to fend for myself, I just followed my gut and happened to get on the right train. I confirmed this by asking a few close-by pilots-lucky me. Once I found where I was going and waited in line for a bit, I get checked in to discover my flight is delayed and I'll miss my London-Istanbul connection at this rate. Great. The lady there was able to put me on an earlier flight and puts Hannah in the seat next to me. The next stop was trying to make sure my baggage(2 pieces) would be on the same plane as me and once this was taken care of, I killed time in the bookstore, browsing books ("Blink" is really cool and I read the first chapter while waiting) before boarding the plane in my center row seat. I ended up switching seats so a couple could sit together and ended up in a better spot- between two cool British kids who had just spent the summer in the States doing a "Work America" program. Lisa, 21, was an all-girls camp counselor in New Hampshire and Aman, 20, was working at an aquarium in San Francisco. They were both really cool and a pleasure to talk to and sit between.
I ended up watching "The Interpreter" with Nicole Kidman and ate a chicken/rice/green beans dinner with a salad, wine, and chocolate and tea after dinner. Soon after, I put my eye mask and earplugs to use along with my very handy inflatable neck pillow.
