Thoughts on travel

SeaTac Airport

The last time I flew was in January, coming home from Las Vegas on a Friday afternoon. When I got off the plane in Seattle, I had to elbow my way to baggage claim, there were so many people clogging the D concourse waiting to board planes. Lots of exhausted-looking families, so it may have been the start of a school vacation. Everyone sure wanted out of town. And who doesn't, in Seattle in January?

Before the pandemic, the airport was struggling to keep up with the surge of travelers in boom town Seattle. Over 51 million passengers passed through the airport in 2019. So this was just another typical winter weekend.

But I remember thinking this growth is surely not sustainable. The crowding, the lines, the overbooked flights, the dirty public spaces etc. Can everyone continue to fly exactly when and where they want? I had that same feeling on a jammed tour at Windsor Castle. With so much competition to see the same places, the travel experience becomes meaningless.

In January, the virus was still happening somewhere else. It was just background noise on the news. No one was listening to the warnings, much less wanted to hear what the experts had to say.

In retrospect, how scary close together we were in that airport. It makes me cringe to think about the exchange of garden variety germs we shrugged off as part of the flying experience. The Asians were the only ones wearing masks, but we thought the virus was only "their problem." Little did we know how drastically our lives would change in a few months.

People have short memories, and the airports will surely fill up again. Of course, some people haven't even stopped traveling during the pandemic for different reasons.  

Much as I'm aching to hug my Dad and sister again, it doesn't feel like the right thing. It's a huge disappointment that we're stuck at home for John's first year of retirement, when we hoped to be free as birds.

But this too shall pass. Guess what?  October 29th is "Hermit Day," a time to embrace and celebrate the reclusive way of life. 

Hey, I think I know that guy!