Time in space

Some people love flying, others hate it.
Personnally, I have always enjoyed airplanes and even, dare I say, airports. There is something exciting about walking about in airports, hearing foreign languages spoken, being in a state of total exhilaration and truly living in the moment. When I was a child, we used to take the plane a lot, due to the amount of moving we did as a family. I would grasp my beloved toy dog "Chien Chien", close my eyes tight, and count to ten as the plane took off. My stomach would turn as the plane lifted off the ground. It was, and is, one of the best experiences I have ever had.
Some people claim that being in the air allows them to "think". I love looking at the clouds, changing from fluffy white cotton balls to full grown grey matter. Being in the air is a time to clear the mind, to be... how can I put it.... think-free? We are slaves of the mind, continually thinking, assessing, calculating. To be free of thought, to clear the mind, is not so easy. Some turn to meditation, others to intensive excercice, others to sleep, to avoid thinking.
A good friend of mine, knowing I am off to Europe, shared a link about Le Petit Prince. Watching the clip, I was amused at the grown up prince, in his plane, singing "I need air!" Disgusted by the adults who affirm that the elephant within the boa constrictor is a hat, the little prince takes off to be in the air, to share the sky with God, as he says in the clip.


I haven't even left yet, but thought I should post one more blog, since, yes folks, there are more changes to my trip which I must mention.
Change number 1: I am not going to France.
Change number 2: In lieu of replacement, I am going to Croatia.
My reaction: Why not?
At first, the idea of not visiting France, which to me means baguette, crunchy croissants, fourme d'Ambert.... I will stop there.... was dissapointing. That said, Croatia now seems just as enticing. For those who have not had the chance to see this gorgeous country, I would say the three attractions I love are fish, sea and sun. Long beaches, sun-drenched villas covered by bougainvillea, fish markets that never end.... voila Croatia.

I would venture to say that time spent on the plane is not just time spent travelling. It is a time to disconnect, to perceive reality from another angle, to float among clouds. As I will be on the plane tonight, I will hum the tune on the clip: "I need air!"
P.S.: In case anyone is interested, the picture on this page is one I took in Verona, Italy. Just to give a foretaste....