“Grin like a dog and wander aimlessly.”
The thunder and lightning were tremendous last night. It was an amazing storm. My room lit up several times from the lightning, and the house was shaken by the thunder overhead. I loved every minute of it. Yesterday was ugly and hot. Today is cool and dry, a gift from the storm. The sunlight seems muted. It lacks the glare the heat brings. The next few days will be in the 70’s and the nights in the 50’s. I think that is perfect weather.
My passport came back yesterday with its Ghanaian visa. I’ve looked at that visa at least three times. The handwriting is typically Ghanaian: beautifully written with a flourish. I am now official!
When I was a kid, I dreamed of faraway places. My geography book was a wish book filled with pictures of where I dreamed I could be. I saw myself on Corcovado Mountain in Rio standing below the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer. I went up the Amazon, I wandered coffee plantations, and I saw the sphinx in Egypt, all in my imagination. No one I knew traveled just for the sake of traveling. Marty Barrett went to England to visit his grandmother, but that was the only place he went. Riding on an airplane was a part of my dream.
I once sneaked to Logan Airport with my uncle from my grandmother’s house. It was quite a long walk, miles, but I didn’t care. I stood on the observation deck of one of the old wooden Logan hangers and watched the planes coming and going. From displays I took brochures describing airlines and hotels. I wandered the airport watching people with their suitcases getting in lines to board planes. I was both wistful and jealous.
When I got back to my grandmother’s, my parents were livid, but I thought that a small price to pay for a great adventure. A few days later, I started reading the brochures, cut out pictures and began an album of my trip. I described the plane ride and flying in the clouds. Pictures of my hotel rooms had arrows pointing to my bed. All the wonderful sights we saw in the different cities were pasted on the pages and described by me in a first person account.
I filled the whole album with wishes and a dreams.
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June 10, 2011 at 11:04 am
A day at the airport was always my favorite Saturday activity as a teenager. Watching the planes load and unload passengers. Observing the takeoffs and landings from the observation deck was a great way to imagine myself flying one of those big jets to far away places. The pilots were all tall with a commanding presence in their dapper uniforms. And, the stewardesses were all young, beautiful and very sexy to a 15 year old.
All of this is impossible in today’s security crazy world. Today the pilots are all balding, pudgy and wear glasses. The international flight attendants on American Airlines are flying grandmas. There is no glamour or adventure left to flying except for the wonderful views that can be seen out the window. No wonder youngsters don’t want to go into the aviation industry today. Flying is now very routine, low cost and very different. The airlines have become the 21st century version of the Greyhound bus.
June 10, 2011 at 7:11 pm
Bob,
I remember when everyone dressed up to fly: no sweats suits, shorts or t-shirts. You got meals and hot towels and wonderful service from pleasant stewardesses who never seemed harried. The destination is the best part of any flight. I love knowing I’m going somewhere, on some new adventure.
I like the window to see the ground and the clouds. It’s like a magic carpet ride. I ignore all the rest.
June 10, 2011 at 1:35 pm
Cool but wet over here today, a nice change from the heat wave we had for so long. I do like thunder but the last we had was a bit nasty to be honest.
I did much the same when i was a kid 🙂 I never went away to a airport though 🙂 and I don´t think I ever believed I would travel anywhere anytime. My best friend and his family went to the Canary islands every year though. That was the most exotic place I knew then 🙂 🙂 🙂
I still want to travel up the Amazon or visit Australia and I think I´ll do one of them when I retire, I have way to many animals to do it now, the cost of having them somewhere while I travel would be enormous 🙂 🙂 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
June 10, 2011 at 7:14 pm
Christer,
It was a cooler and drier day today, a perfect day for me.
When I am gone, I have someone stay here to take care of the animals. I pay her but far less than I would be paying a kennel to house a dog and two cats. Gracie and Fern sleep on my bed. A kennel would throw them for a loop.
I’ll need to save more money before I can travel again after Ghana.
June 10, 2011 at 4:07 pm
Boy Kat, sounds like you’d better board that plane to Ghana tonight.
June 10, 2011 at 7:19 pm
Z&Me,
Each month I do something for my trip. In April, it was new clothes. In May I bought new, far lighter luggage and a case for my pills. This month was the visa, a kit for international use for my iPad and a soon to come yellow fever shot and malaria pills. In July it will be downloading books. I can’t help it but all of these preparations build up a sense of anticipation and excitement.
I would miss all of the celebrations if I left any earlier than I am.
June 11, 2011 at 5:21 pm
Downloading books, eh? So, do you have a Kindle (1, 2, 3, n)? Or some other ereader? I like your planning efforts.
June 11, 2011 at 5:30 pm
Rick,
I have an iPad so I have games as well as books to keep me occupied on what will be a long flight of 11+ hours and while I’m in Ghana.
I have strange things bought like travel toilet paper. When I was in Ghana, I learned never to travel without some but i didn’t want to have to lug a roll.