It’s been a year-plus without international travel, and there’s so much about it I miss. In addition to the obvious, grand-scale things, I’ve even started to long for the tiny, little feelings you only experience on a journey far away from home. Such as…
1. Hitting the Economy Jackpot
As the line of people pouring into the plane dwindles down and the seat next to you remains empty, you start to get hopeful. When you finally hear the cabin crew announce boarding is complete and the cabin door is closed, the feeling of being lucky enough to score some extra space floods through you. Aside from an upgrade, no better start to a flight!
2. Unfolding Your Legs
After sitting uncomfortably upright or semi-reclined on a long flight, is there any better feeling than finally being able to completely stretch out your legs?
3. Customs Nerves
That heart-pounding, nervous, sweaty feeling that overtakes you when going through Customs abroad or at home, even though you haven’t done anything wrong.
4. Booking a Ticket
That slightly terrifying, exhilarating moment of clicking “book ticket” while simultaneously being afraid you messed up the dates or spelled your name wrong (that fortunately is replaced by the delicious anticipation of looking forward to your trip).
5. Heat
The brief moment between stepping out of an ice-cold airplane and onto a hot tarmac where you feel deliciously warm and like you’re dethawing rather than sweaty and overheated. This feeling is even more satisfying when you’re traveling from a cold winter destination to a hot sunny one, and get to shed your heavy coat as you disembark.
6. Wheels Up (and Down)
The sensation of relief you feel when the plane wheels leave the ground after a long delay—and also the same feeling when the wheels touch down after a long flight.
7. The Simplicity of Living Out of a Suitcase
What will you wear today? You don’t have to spend a lot of energy thinking about it because you’re limited to what fit in your bag. Pairs well with the incredibly satisfying feeling of having packed perfectly and having a well-organized bag with all the essentials.
Should I wear the striped shirt…
or the striped shirt…
or the striped shirt?
8. Anonymity
The feeling of being totally alone even in a crowd of people because you’re thousands of miles from home and no one knows you. Honestly, we just straight up miss crowds at this point.
9. Anticipation
The exquisite torture of not being able to sleep the night before because you’re so excited to travel. We even miss the feeling of stressing all night that we’re going to sleep through our before-dawn alarm and miss our early-morning flight.
10. Gate Satisfaction
Completely different from the feeling of sitting at home having nothing to do and nowhere to be, the experience of being at a gate on time for your flight and not having to do anything or be anywhere except right where you are.
