Departure Day

The big day has arrived — a crossing to an entirely different continent. The continent of Little House on the Prairie.

As a child, I listened closely to those stories, slowly building a visual world in my head. Wide hills and mountain landscapes, tales of Native Americans, bears, mountain lions, and endless open plains.

Leaving

The send-off committee brings me to Schiphol.

At Gate 19, three long loops of people are already waiting. After an hour and a half, it’s finally my turn to hand over my backpack. Queueing at airport gates is a sport in itself — how long can you stand still and keep your patience intact?

Suddenly, time speeds up. Saying goodbye takes a moment to swallow; five months is not nothing. I’ll miss everyone, and you can feel it — stepping out of one bubble in order to create a new one. The journey toward that new bubble is about to begin.

The security process is routine: belongings into a tray, legs apart in the scanner, waiting for the backpack to reappear on the belt. Passport control is fully automated — passport on the scanner, a quick smile at the screen, and through.

Still, I can’t help myself. I ask for a stamp. You have to keep a bit of that Camino feeling alive, always hunting for stamps. Unfortunately, stamps are only given at customs — and my passport is the only stamp book I’ve brought along.

Waiting Again

Waiting once more — this time for a delayed flight. Hopefully it moves along or makes up some time, because the layover in Dublin is tight.

The plane is completely full, with rows of two by three seats. I’m in the aisle seat again, right by the emergency exit, which means no bags at my feet. The seats are too upright and slightly worn down. This won’t be the most comfortable flight, and I keep shifting my position to avoid back pain.

Next to me sits a couple with a rather strong aftershave scent. I’m not sure which one of them is responsible, but I try to shut my senses down as much as possible.

I’m grateful for my noise-cancelling earbuds and listen to the playlist Aimee put together for me on Spotify.

For now, it’s just more waiting — waiting for the first flight to prepare for landing in Dublin.