The Layover

Airports, the purgatory of the travel world. The waiting place between what awaits. Let's just agree that they're probably the least appealing part of a trip.

I think my most vivid first memory of an airport experience, isn't when I went to California on a trip to Disney World as a child, or when my brother and I flew on our own at age 9 back from visiting family in Oregon through some of the worst turbulence I've ever experienced. My most vivid first memory is a scene that forever replays in my mind when I think of flying. Its of the completely panicked McCallister's, frantically running through the airport, late for their flight to Christmas vacation in Paris. Meanwhile, never noticing that their son, Kevin, is missing from the group. Leave it to "Home Alone" to make a bigger impact on my life than my own childhood memories... (can't help it, I love Christmas movies.)

Maybe airports have gotten a bad rap... So I decided to try and make the most of my experience during my 10 hour layover at Atlanta International before I boarded a 17 hour flight to South Africa. (yes, you heard all of that right...)

First off, a much, MUCH, needed massage that I'd been dying to get since I exhausted my back tearing shingles off a steep roof 2 weeks ago, then driving for hours to another state, jet skiing, swimming, lack of sleep,... you get the picture... I needed a massage before this long flight... And thanks to Phillip's magic hands at Xpress Spa (and not the Indian man at information desk who offered to give "pretty lady free massage" when I asked where I could get one) I felt like a new person!

Lunch was great!! Not sure if I was starving or if this salad was the best thing I've ever eaten, or if I was just happy to be in a little quiet bookstore (looove bookstores, btw), or if it was the really strong coffee... Probably all of thee above.

After lunch I wandered around the airport like a redneck at Walmart for the next few hours... P.S. Atlanta International is HUGE but easy to navigate. It's like a bunch of normal sized airports (by normal, I mean much bigger than Des Moines International) all connected together.

I was really excited when I exchanged my U.S. Dollars for Rand! Not only did I get 7.2 times as much back and felt super rich, but it was so cool looking that I didn't even want to spend it!

 

Damn you Panda Express!! You got me!! No one would ever eat you if it wasn't for food courts!!!

So then came the waiting game. I had somehow managed to occupy myself for the first 7 hours, but by the last 3, I just wanted to get the hell on my way... Luckily, those hours were occupied some by meeting up with my mission team and doing lots of people-watching. Before WAY too long, it was time to leave the country I call home and spend the next couple weeks in a completely foreign land that would forever change my view on life.