Mood:
suaveI love traveling. That may appear to be stating the obvious, but I'm not talking about visiting places. Without a doubt I enjoy that. I'm talking about the physical act of getting from one place to another. I love it!
I like all of the documentation involved with travel....my passport, visa stamps, the tickets, itineraries, those adhesive tags the airlines put on your luggage. I like reading subway maps and the arrival/departure board. Walking through airports or train stations with my carry-on bag gives me a thrill. My music, a book, water bottle, and camera are staples bag essentials. I think it's great to get off the train, change concourses and hop on the subway. Heck, I just flat out like the subway, period. Don't even get me started on getting to ring the bell signaling the bus driver you want to get off at the next stop. Hailing a taxi makes me happy.
Layovers can sometimes be a drag depending on your location. It's amazing what some airports offer. I've surfed the net, sat in a massage chair, gotten my nails done, napped, had a masseuse relax my tired feet, watched a movie....in a theater, played pool, drank bloody Marys, and of course shopped. The airport shops are great, even though I'm more of a browser than a buyer.
But it's not all a bed of roses. I'll admit I've had my fair share of horrible experiences -- lost luggage, plane delays, countless sprints to through train stations and airports or chasing after buses and taxis, my pick up person is nowhere to be found.... I've had travel snafus that brought me to tears and fellow passengers that made me contemplate violence. Yet, I still love it.
The more I travel the more creative the modes of transportation become. My journey back home from Cambodia started with a tuk-tuk drive from the hotel to the airport. I then boarded a plane to Vietnam. After a lengthy layover I got on another plane bound for Korea. I landed in Pusan and grabbed a taxi to the train station. With impeccable timing I bought a ticket and was on my way to Taegu in a matter of minutes. One more taxi from the Taegu station to my front door and I was home sweet home.
That old saying of "you can't get there from here" is obsolete. There may not be a direct route, but you can definitely get there.
