Walking nervously towards the plane I was leaving a place known, a land filled with dense memories, I was able to create a home out of an unknown location. Leaving this was harder than I assumed, but the thought of going back home was igniting my strength to pick up my stride.

Greeted at the door I saw the many faces of the delighted flight attendants always smiling, giving you a thought of happiness along the way, I felt as if there was a switch that goes on and off, sometimes inhumane but felt real. As she guided me through the empty rows, she explained how joyous it is for me to go back home, while deep within I felt I already was home. But I agreed with her as to continue on the conversation.

My seat was tucked in facing a tame glass window overlooking the havoc, and on the right the Rolls Royce engine turns each blade while rotating peacefully.

I held my seat corners tight while on the other hand I squeezed the magazine as we were speeding up on the runway, the engines roared, as if I was in between a stampede of bulls. Stillness arose within the confusion in my head I felt it being not right, just a minute ago I was thrown in a bullfight of noise but now i felt empty as if my ears decided to nor hear. What I didn’t know is that I was asleep and this was a new experience as I never slept while flying, I just cant sleep, it could be because of the noise, anticipation, the movies, catering. Many things used to keep my eyes open, it refused to rest, but in this case it did.

Waking up, the cabin was illuminated by false stars lighting up the dark atmosphere. I looked at the map and we were over Erbil, Iraq and I was closer to home. I glanced down, imagined how it would be to live in Iraq amongst all the pandemonium, the cabin was pure silence, cold and free, how was it in the case of Erbil?

Peaking once again outside into another city, the darkness is too exciting, it is as if I hear whispers of people under, some of it happiness and some of despair, I imagined the conditions they were in and how they faced them. I thought to myself what’s next?

Darker skies arose, no sign of the moon, life is embracing me as I closed my eyes. What was I thinking? I guess when you’re gliding at 400km per second at 30,000 feet your thoughts tend to be limitless.

My thoughts may have consumed me for a while making me mindless of chaos.  Fiction decided to devour my senses yet reality slowly kicks in as I suddenly wake up sweeping me to the opaque skies I thought once again of where I was.

Home is near, and the empty space lights up as the sun shimmered on our arrival. My thoughts were muted for once I feel I am in serenity.

Welcome home, She said.

#travel #airline #thoughts