7 Reasons Why I love Airports

― Douglas Adams

I live and breathe travel. Most self-proclaimed travelers do, yet you hear them say they hate airports. I never understood that. I love airports. Always have and always will. Especially when am traveling by myself. With time in my hands, let me count the why's.

1. The Sound

I call it the airport melody. The whoosh of the luggage wheels tells whether a traveler is trying to catch his flight or has time to meander. The numerous "excuse-me's, pardon's, mi scusi's, excuse-moi's, sorry's" in various accents and languages - always put me in a guessing mode where that person is from. I always catch myself saying "ooh Greek, totally French or Chinese, hmmm maybe Turkish" or sometimes - "woof, I did not get what he just said but he sounded harassed so am gonna step aside". The chatter of languages I try to decipher. Even that dingdong which is always followed by an announcement that someone needs to hurry up or they will be offloaded ironically said in a soothing voice. And the thought that even in that cacophony of sounds - you can manage to get a shut-eye if needed between flights.

2. The Rush

Remember when you made that stupid choice of confirming a 45-minute difference between the time you land and your next transfer, without calculating the distance between terminals from the swiftness of how your feet move? Remember that adrenaline rush? Remember how you kept on begging everyone to let you go first because you were about to miss your flight and everyone is so accommodating and understanding (which will never happen anywhere else)? Remember when you were sprinting/walking/then doing a full-on run while a random thought popped up that this was the best cardio you had in months? Remember how you made it to your gate and realize you have enough time as there was a big a$$ queue in front of you? Remember that feeling of relief? And that promise - next time I will make sure I have longer layover stops? Yes. that. rush.

3. The Shops

Where else in the world can you get good books (same title in different languages at times), pillows, an apple, a universal adaptor, a headphone, colorful fridge magnets, super fluffy toys, postcards, chocolates flavored with any type of booze you can think of, elaborately designed pens (sometimes with feathers on it), Doritos, Cosmo mag, a sweater, luggage, perfumes (and am talking Chanel here next to some random huh-this-exists-brands), the local food offering is creatively packaged with the city's major landmarks, socks, mints, and the list could go on. No 7-Eleven can beat that. Only in airports.

4. The Strangers

Have you ever been in a place where it's okay to strike up a conversation at past 2 am with a random stranger and hours after you feel that you've known each for a long time? (I meant, completely sober and not in some dodgy bar hitting on some poor soul). The idea that this is now and there might not be any later eliminates any form of putting up defenses. It's okay to be open. We wear masks after all. One for work. One when we are with closest friends. One when we are socializing at a posh place and need to network or when we are chatting up/being chatted up by a potential someone - we choose what side of us to show. But in airports, just because you know you'll never see this person again and they have no reason to judge you - proverbials masks are packed safely somewhere in your luggage. Even if they saw you drooling when you excused yourself for a nap - it's okay. No pretensions from both side. You are just there to listen and share each other's stories to pass time. The best conversations I had was in some random airport with a random stranger, with random stories that swing from Taylor Swift to the best places you've been, to what gets you out of bed in the morning. Trivial to profound. And realizing that being random is perfectly fine.

5. The Food

Am a little bit biased here. I love airplane food. I am one of those that fall into a deep sleep the moment I curled into my teeny tiny aisle seat (always on the right side of the plane). No alarm clock wakes up my sluggish brain faster than a whiff of airplane food in that magic trolley. Ergo, airport food works for me. Funnily enough, am a picky eater, but I digress. Most think of airport food as fast food. Maybe, maybe not. But what makes it so interesting for me is getting the chance to taste the local cuisine at airports. It's a taste of the culinary landscape of the destination. An airport pizza in Naples scales better than any local pizza delivered when am back at my apartment. That steaming tom yum soup ended with sticky rice and mango in Bangkok airport - tasted a thousand times better when I ordered the same in some upscale-y hotel I've dined at back home. Paid way less, I might add. Even French Fries tasted better when I was at JFK Airport. Maybe it's the local ingredients or just the thought that you are eating something from a place you just traveled and you're reminiscing that French fry bite while you were dazzled by the lights in Time Square. Or maybe it's just me.

6. The Waiting Time

So I have 5 hours until my next flight. Hmm. And then time starts to slow down. Like really slow. And then you'll realize you have these 5 hours all for yourself. No deadlines. No rushing off to somewhere. Wasting time is always frowned upon. And these 5 hours, you can waste away however you want it. Sleep in a corner, daintily or with your mouth open. Read a book. People watch. Play candy crush. Chat strangers. Walk around. Tinker some ideas. Think of ways you can be a better you. Write in your journal. Plan your life. Meditate. Listen to music. Stream again Gossip Girls for the umpteenth time. Or just do nothing. The list is endless. Those 5 hours are yours and yours alone. And nowhere in the world will it move that slowly.

7. The Feeling

Unless you just watched an episode of Games of Thrones or went through a marathon of Friends - nowhere in the world can you find that feeling. A mixed bowl of emotions. Sadness as you might have left someone behind and yet a sense of excitement because of the thought of something new. Exhilaration because this is the first time you will have a glimpse of that place that has been calling you all your life. A little bit scared because something new plus the unknown can be a bit daunting. That feeling of wonder because you realize while you are walking among these hoard of strangers - all from different walks of life, from different areas in the world, with different adventures - in some way, you belong. And like you, each one of these strangers has their own story to tell.

What about you, hate or love airports?