Why I Love Airports

I love airports! Whenever someone in my family has to go to the airport for whatever reason, I always accompany them no matter how many  errands I had to run. I secretly take pride in telling my friends the sentence: "Oh, sorry I'm unavailable for this event 'coz I have to go to the airport." My friends  don't understand my love for simply going to the airport, even if I'm not the one who's leaving. Here's why I love it so much:

1) It's like a melting pot of emotions.

I love to observe people, and the airport is no exception. In fact, the airport is probably my favourite place to simply sit there with a book and occasionally look up to see what people are doing. Whether it's the mournful mother who has just said goodbye to her daughter as the young girl embarks on her first solo adventure (My mum included). Whether it's the daughter who's crying her way through customs before she embarks on her first solo trip (This has been me, twice already). Whether it's the nervous businessman whose company depends on him for another potential client. You're sure to find every possible human emotion when you observe the people around you.

2) It makes you appreciate the fact that everyone has a different story.

This kind of relates to the first one, but still, I love moments where I appreciate the fact that everyone has their own story to tell. It reminds me to be humble and to never assume anything. That backpacker sitting across from you at the departure gates. Where did he come from? How is he spending his waiting time now? Why is he going to Syria when there's a civil war going on? The past, the present and the future. These are all things that influence how their story is formed and their perspective on it.

3) It's a place where everyone's the same.

Again, this relates to humility. I relish in moments where society doesn't have a strict social structure (Yes, I actually believe that individuals can succeed in anarchy). For however long or however brief one's stay at the airport is, we're all just passengers waiting to get on our flight. We're all just stuck in the awkward middle ground, reflecting on where we came from, and thinking about what you're going to do once you get off the plane. Sure, if you might be able to relax in those premium lounge areas, but you're still one of us. Just killing time.

4) You can feel the anticipation in the air, and itch that travel bug of yours.

Even if I'm not the one flying out, I'm the kind of person who still gets excited over people's travel plans. I like to feed off people's vibes, and at the airport, and I feel so happy just because someone else is about to go somewhere. Every time I drop someone off at the airport, I always come back home and begin searching for my next adventure. The continuous association of the airport and travel has meant that the presentation of just the airport is able to stimulate that travel bug of mine. I love it.

5) You're forced to just wait.

This is a beautiful thing for someone like me who's always on her feet and is stressed all the time. I confess, I always calculate what time would be the latest I can arrive at the airport before the departure gates have just opened. Why? It's just so I can run more errands before I leave the airport. It doesn't matter how late I've arrived, I still always have moments where I have to just wait at the departure gates. They're moments where I can't finish my house chores or run other errands. They're moments where I feel like all I can really do is to window-shop or go on Facebook- activities which I would normally perceive as a waste of time. These are the beautiful moments that I treasure, and the airport is one of the few places that offer these moments.

6) Nobody will judge you...

Feeling like taking a nap when it's 12pm? Do it! Feeling like a morning drink at 10am? Do it! The airport's the only place where it's ok to do whatever you want whenever you want, because everyone else understands that jet lag does weird things to people. Yes, even the best of us. Whatever you feel like doing, you can just blame it on the jet lag!

7) You will never meet nicer people.

For some reason, retail workers are always really grumpy. However, retail workers who work in a store at the airport always seem so approachable, and would do anything to make you feel better. Even if they know that you're not going to buy anything from the store, they'll still be willing to talk to you. I guess this is probably their way of helping you get over your jet lag!

Do you love airports too even if you're not the one travelling?

Note: This article is directly copied from https://youngoldtraveller.wordpress.com/2016/12/05/why-i-love-airports.