So the trip begins…..I’m sitting in the lounge in New Jersey – once again captivated by my fellow travellers. Here are the usual and ubiquitous business road warriors – you can tell the seasoned ones – they have a single minded glare in their eyes, they scope out the good seats, the quiet spots, the connected hot spots and are generally completely insular – they are not people to chat up generally. Then there are the occasional business travellers – now they have that glazed look and a generally lost air – also not people to chat up generally as they either try very hard to impress you with their importance – hence their travelling or they look on their voyage as an opportunity to mis-behave.

The leisure traveller on the other hand – if approached with all the caution due a pride of hungry lions, can be highly entertaining. Some of course are much like the business travellers, either world weary or out to slip the bonds of propriety!

BUT some, ah some – oh so rarely you run into someone with an intact sense of adventure, a solid sense of humour, an open mind, a curious soul and a willingness to embrace life; you can see it in their eyes and demeanour and they are wonderful to behold. They are like a bright ray of sunshine to cozen up to after a nithery day. Even better to connect with them in some way if you can I think!

HOWEVER, based on past experience and current exposure – I very much doubt I shall see any of those bright souls here. There is a very inebriated Kiwi two seats down from me who might be interesting – if I could actually understand him – but he does know his Sauvignon Blancs – evidently!

Back to the before – I had a really interesting time packing for this trip! As most of you may know, I generally pack the day I leave; its a concentrated hour or hour and a half, I am focused and it gets done. Sometimes there are surprises at the unpacking end but generally it works. This time, because I knew I was going to be really busy right up until I left for the airport, I thought I’d try the thing that most people seem to like to do, which is pack a couple of days before. So Sunday night the suitcases came up from the basement but I couldn’t put them on my bed to fill, cause I had to sleep there for a few more days. I couldn’t leave them on the floor, they took up too much room and its kinda uncomfortable packing to the floor. So OK, let’s put them on the guest bed – which meant I wore a trench in the hallway between the bedrooms. Because my head kept thinking – you’ve got all kinds of time, I kept getting distracted. “All these clothes should go to the Sally Ann; well these really should be switched for winter clothes for when I come back in December; this stuff should go to the dry cleaners and did I remember to pack trousers?”

This NOT the method for me obviously – I’d like it to be as it seems so very organized and methodical even, things I usually embrace but alas it’s not to be. Of course I suffer from two equally opposing imperatives. Part of me wants to travel “a la boheme” with a small duffel, pull out ravishing gypsy outfits and have wildly wonderful hair I can casually toss over my shoulder – HA! The other and I suspect more realistic part of me – tho’ really just barely – wants to travel with steamer trunks and outfits for every occasion and undoubtably a butler to keep track of everything. TOO much Downton Abby anyone?

So somehow or other I have managed to find something – a middle ground perhaps, that works just right for me and isn’t that what it’s all about? I am very excited about this trip; it is my reward after a very trying summer. I have all the elements in place I hope for a truly memorable couple of months.

we’ll talk again soon……

love Kim