You're in the plane.
Your carry-on is stowed away.
You're trying to pay attention to the lady doing the safety demonstration.
Really, you just keep staring out the window willing the plane to move.
Out on the tarmac the little luggage carts are driving around, airport workers are doing whatever airport workers do, and other planes are driving towards the runway. It almost seems like some of them are cutting in front of you... but you know that's not the case. There's a plan that the people up in the tower know about, and your plane is just waiting for its time to take off.
But its taking forever.
The lady is now talking about your seat that can apparently turn into a flotation device if the plane crashes over the ocean.
Cool.
Not that a stationary plane can crash.
A different plane drives away, lights blinking, towards the runway.
You sigh.
And look out the window again.
Wait a second.
They're removing that makeshift aisle tunnel thing that attaches to the plane. The airport workers are driving away on empty luggage carts. The terminal begins to slide away which means.....
THE PLANE IS MOVING!
Finally.
It meanders its way out of its parking spot and glides past the other planes on its way to the runway - your dark side laughs as you pass planes holding passengers as impatient/excited as you are. They will have to wait their turn.
You watch the rest of the airport slide away, the plane turns, and you are presented with a glorious view.
The plane pauses at the end of a straight stretch of tarmac. Lights run along the edges, the tower is straight ahead, and the terminal seems so far away as you gaze at planes flying towards the horizon.
Towards adventure.
Time stops.
You hold your breath.
This is the moment you've been waiting for.
You hear it before you can feel it.
The engines hum, then buzz, then roar, and the plane starts moving again. Like an athlete picking up speed, the machine goes from a walk, to a jog, to a run, and then a full out sprint. You are pressed into your seat by a bunch of physics that you can't remember and don't really care about right now because you are too excited! The airport and runway flash past the window, the wheels are bouncing on and off the tarmac, the plane keeps speeding up. Your heart races and you can't keep this stupid grin off your face and then you finally feel the wheels lift off the runway you know
The adventure has begun.
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That basically describes where I am at right now - especially the stupid grin!
Everything is speeding up: My co-traveller and I just finished booking all our lodging, we got our Eurail passes and ordered our ParisPass, I transferred money to France to pay for Bibleschool, got an awesome travel journal, and now just have to keep working to pay for all of this!
So I am most definitely feeling that runway excitement. Metaphorically of course - but in 44 days it will be pretty literal!
This is just a quick update - I hope you enjoyed the story - but please keep me in your prayers as I get ready for take off!
I shall write again soon.
