Starting Off

January 29^th 2013 (1:06 P.M.)

                It’s finally happening. No longer is this trip something I was forced to look forward to. No longer would I have to tell someone what I’m going to do next month, next week or tomorrow. I’m doing it right now. The end of the month has finally arrived, meaning I am one step closer to achieving my goal. I am sitting here at the airport; at the terminal with my lap top plugged into the nearest outlet. Apparently I picked the worst possible choice for my electricity options because for the past half hour I have had to consistently plug and unplug my power chord from the wall to allow the Delta employees to remove wheelchairs from their storage location. What’s more important: my laptop receiving power for a flight in which there’s a 90% chance I fall asleep within minutes or a handicap person being able to safely board an aircraft? Yeah, it’s pretty obvious; stop unplugging my laptop chord.

                As I wait for this flight, I am starting to realize what I’m about to endure. This flight will unfortunately be one of three flights to come in a 35-hour trip. I am flying from Philadelphia International Airport to Atlanta International Airport. From there, I will enjoy a quick 15-hour flight to Johannesburg, Africa and then finally a little fly over to George, South Africa. Not bad I guess. Oh, did I mention the 15 hour layover in Johannesburg? No reason for me to stress about it though. The only way for me to get there is to start the process and the only way to start the process is to jump on the first flight.

                While I’m waiting here, I’m not sure if the whole process has even hit me yet. Even driving to the airport with my lovely girlfriend Shannon this afternoon was nothing special. It felt like every other drive together; except it wasn’t. This one was different. Two people would be arriving at the airport but only one would be leaving it; the other wouldn’t be back for two months. The other person – me – was excited, nervous, sad, apprehensive, happy, and petrified simultaneously. Even though a wave of feelings and emotions were starting to affect me, I kind of enjoyed it. It’s an exhilarating sensation to step out of one’s “box” and do something spontaneous and unexpected. What I was heading toward at the moment definitely satisfied both of those categories and I was ready.

                 Even with the trip-of-a-lifetime arriving in the near future, leaving her and stepping out of the car was a lot tougher than I anticipated. I expected her to be upset but I didn’t expect myself to be affected as well. Obviously as a member of the male species, I hid my emotions the way we’re programmed to at birth, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t crushed to walk toward the terminal and see the license plate reading “SHANIMAL” slowly drive away. Two months wasn’t that long of a time. I can only hope everything works out in the end. She was really cute about the whole thing. Since I won’t be returning to home for 61 days, she counted out 61 Skittles (S is for Shannon) and told me to eat one every day until I come back to her. That way she said I’ll know exactly how long it is until I get to see her again. She’s sweet.

                 I made my way toward my first check-in, but the big picture still hadn’t hit me. Here I was making the first step toward a life dream and I’m still treating this trip as though it’s another meaningless flight back to Florida. Usually that’s where I would be heading if I was in an airport. The constant traveling I did during my four years of college in Florida conditioned me to associate flying with the sauna that is Florida. I’m sure this feeling will start to change soon though. This time I’m not going to Florida. This is an entirely different experience. Maybe the whole idea will hit me after this flight. Maybe it will hit me once I land in Africa. Maybe it won’t hit me until I get on the boat for the first time. One thing’s for sure though, it’s going to hit me. I’m heading toward something I’ve always wanted to see and may never have an opportunity to see again. I’m not even sure how I will react when I see it swim by the boat for the first time. I’ve read too many books, seen too many television shows and watched the movie Jaws one too many times to not have a reaction when I see my first Great White shark approach the vessel.

                Time for my first flight.