Airport

 

     The airport is where I first learned that the world was bigger than what I knew it to be. 

As a small boy I remember that airports were a favourite place for me; even if I wasn’t flying, just being near one gave me connection to a wider world. 

                              

 

    The memories I hold dear are still true today. Upheld are the impressionable feelings I get from entering each one with their: unique architectural impressions, mini eco-cultures and the beautiful planes that shoot in and out of the sky like gigantic metal birds.   

    Traveler's get to see through a unique window to the world. Different cultures come together with their own joys and fears and get to see that we are all the same. Airports to me seem like little comunes that are efficiant systems; every thing and person having its own role. The beating hearts of countries.  

   Today I'm transiting through Istanbul's mega International airport. I have a 7-hour-wait between flights and have taken the chance to stay in the Yotel here. On the outbound trip I had the same wait but decided to ride the benches, not sleeping but watching a worker clean the window dividers, which mesmerised me. This time I’m experiencing this large airside hotel that has cost around €250 euros for the one night. This spacecraft-esq room feels like I'm on the Millennium Falcon, everything white but lit up by ambient lighting. It's clean, comfy and efficient. The shower and rest washes over me in a profound way and is an amazing change to waiting in the terminal.  

During my short stay I heard of people having to stay in the airport for weeks! Luckily this airport is desirable and really does have it all from shopping to art galleries. Fantasy's play out where I'm stuck, happily, in this airport for weeks, getting to know the workers and finally being accepted as one of the tribe...   

    Coming from a smaller Minsk airport and leaving behind loved ones, there is a sadness in this culture change but also hope that where ever I'm heading there is life that awaits me. Sometimes its sad and sometimes its joy, but that's life and it's forever changing, especially at airports.