My lovely husband thinks I am mad.
He hates airports with a passion.
But I really do love the space, the vibe, the light, the noises and the smells of an airport.
As a child I would travel up to Heathrow and meet realtives off planes. I loved the excitement then, and despite having travelled a lot since then, I still love a busy airport. Their size blows me away. Even tiny airports are impressive.
I love to get to the airport early and check in early. And then I can shop a little - perfume usually.
And then I can peruse the book stall. Airport bookshops are overt in their promotion of the trashy novel. They have whole shelves dedicated to"In Flight Reading". How I love the promise of an embossed cover!
Coffee from one of the many stalls.
Toilets where the lighting shows up every wrinkle, but is also brilliant for the middle aged business of plucking.
Minimal chit chat.
Time to read, to think, to people watch.
The anticipation of a snooze on the plane.
Peace. Solitude.
What's not to like?
Am I the only one? Airports: do you love them or hate them?
I LOVE airports. The excitement and anticipation that a visit brings. Even if its not me flying, I love to go and get excited for those coming or going. But then, I love airplane food and its neatly ordered compartments, so maybe we are a minority??????
ReplyDeleteYes I'm another lover of Airports I love the excitement they exude I love watching People and wondering where they have come from or where they are going and I'm another sucker for the Bookstore but mainly put all my effort into picking the right Magazines for the flight. Coffee and a Muffin is always the Breakfast of the Day as I scan the Departures and Arrivals yes I truly love the Childish excitement Airports stir in me.
ReplyDeleteI love airports. The Hubs loves them too. We like to sit and watch the different people go by, sometimes we make up stories about where they are going or where they have been. It's a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteEver since having kids, IF I am traveling alone, I love them - ahhhh, time to sit and read or people watch. If I am not traveling alone, they are not the greatest place to be waiting around I have to admit.
ReplyDeleteAirports give me the thrill of adventure! I love them
ReplyDeletei LOVE airports. i go to ours regularly to just sit and soak up the atmosphere of it. i go about once a month, sometimes more frequently.
ReplyDeletei'm an early checkin gal, we usually arrive at least 2 hours before we actually need to, sometimes earlier - because we alllll know that the holiday starts as soon as you hit the airport!
and i have to admit, like one of your previous commentators - i too love airplane food!
~x~
I'm with you. I wonder where everyone is going. I love just wandering and people watching. A coffee, a stroll, a magazine or an 'airport novel'. Love airports. Same with big train stations.
ReplyDeleteLove them too. On our last trip overseas we watched baggage handlers load a few planes with bags. We were enthralled for a good hour.
ReplyDeleteI love the excitement of going to a new place.
You are not alone.
also I think your pic for this blog is great! It looks old school. Imagine what it would have been like in the 70s/80s flying! Come fly with me.
Sorry, I'm a hater!
ReplyDeleteIf I could teleport from HERE to THERE I'd much rather it than the airport thing. I find them creepy, impersonal, expensive, uncomfortable and boring :)
I'd just as soon be at the tropical destination.
I don't mind being on the PLANE however... that's kind of cool.
I love airports too. And planes. It means I am travelling. Somewhere. Anywhere. And I love to sit there and people watch. Wonder where they are going to and have come from. I really could sit there all day and just watch the people, the planes taking off and landing. Yes, I am with you on this one!
ReplyDeleteI loved it when I got on the premium economy and was able to use the lounge.Apart from that, ick.
ReplyDeleteOh LOVE LOVE. I've spent years in airports and they are the only place where I really, truly do not feel guilty for putting my feet up and reading my book in peace. Oh, there and on the actual plane, of course! x
ReplyDeleteI love them too! I used to travel a fair bit for work and would never tire of lounging around airports, buying magazines and coffee to enjoy on the flight. I have only flown once since Max was born, but this post has me itching to book some flights!
ReplyDeleteI love people watching at the airport. When Mr G and I were travelling overseas we would check in early every time for the people watching. To this day we still talk about the people we saw at Denver Airport - such an interesting slice of life in that type of environment. Of course now chasing after Miss A around domestic airport - not so much fun! xx
ReplyDeleteI HATE them because I have a HUGE fear of flying. HUGE. As in I would NOT GO ON A FREE TRIP if I had to get on a plane.
ReplyDeleteI'm a fellow lover of airports and flight. Though I must say I prefer them when I am child free (not that it happens often!!) as there aint much time for people watching and perusing the shops when you are chasing a toddler :)
ReplyDeleteAirports are fabulous!! They give me such a buzz.
ReplyDeleteLove them. Everything you said. Mostly the stories behind the people. The crying at departure gates, the crying at arrivals. The smiles, the hugs. I don't cry much but just watching people at the airport gates makes me tear up every time. And when i'm involved, as passenger (not so much lately) or picker-upper-er, I cry too, mostly at the hugs and joy from my kids at seeing whoever we're picking up. Human emotion at its rawest, that's airports.
ReplyDeleteMy husband too hates them, due to a deep-seated flying phobia. But he fell in 'enchantment' with me on our 2nd 'date' when we were at an airport and i was explaining why i love them so much. I couldn't change his mind but he likes that my mind likes it!
I am such an airport-addict that when I was younger, my best friend and I would wander the international terminal, "deciding" where we would go on holiday that day. The ultimate fantasy!!! And when we actually did go overseas, I never got sick of airports. And I suspect I never will!! (Don't get to see much of them these days - they're very much back in the fantasy basket at the mo')
ReplyDeleteWe will find out! Flying to NYC soon. Haven't flown for over two decades. Aack!
ReplyDelete