It takes ages for me to decide on a destination. I do extensive research, scouring blogs and reviews for tips. For months I’m consumed, absorbing as much as possible. I make an itinerary for the must sees. I find accommodations and even mentally pack my bag. There’s a list for everything. While all these things are tedious, I do them for every trip.
However, nothing prepares me for what follows as the date nears. Anticipation. Anxiety. Nerves. Time ticks away, similar to the ascend of a climbing rollercoaster. As months turn into weeks, and weeks into days, I exhibit the same manifestation of waiting in line for a thrill ride. With one misplaced thought, I find myself a few clicks away from reaching the summit. Symptoms include: Sweating palms, accelerated heart beat, shallow and irregular breathing. My stomach does somersaults, because we all know what happens when the clicking stops. Once we have made the daunting journey to the top. When it’s eerily silent, as you take in the surroundings beneath your feet; Before you plummet into the unknown.
For me, preparing to travel gives the identical sensation of an amusement ride. Yes I have an idea. I’ve studied the bends, loops and sharp turns as I stood in line. But that doesn’t prepare me for the actual ride. All of my lists, research, blog discoveries and travel tips neglect to prepare me. As I sit on the floor of JFK International Airport, waiting to board my flight to China. My minds began to scream “Whoa whoa whoa, wth, we’re going too far out of our comfort zone! Are you sure we are ready?” But now it’s too late, for it is disturbingly quiet. And we all know what happens next.