I am unsure. This is new. It’s getting late. I’ve been assured that what I’m doing is right, but my fears are more numerous than my questions. I click a button on my laptop. Numbers, prices cover the page. Most of them are beyond my budget. I scroll to find the right number. Hours, weeks actually, I have been searching for the best way to make this work, the best way to get what I have been waiting for, that is, my first ever airline tickets. I am doing it. I am going to Colombia.
I am really grateful that my mom is taking me to the airport. I have no idea what goes on in an airport. All I know is that people magically appear somewhere near the baggage claim when they get off the airplanes. I assume there is something to do with metal detectors and tickets, but seriously other than that I am clueless. My all-knowing mother is teaches me about boarding passes, gates, and baggage checks, then she sends me into the security line to figure the rest out on my own. The wait for my first ever airplane ride takes forever! I have butterflies worse than I've had since, well, probably since I started donating plasma...that was a bad day. I take some pictures, then feel stupid for taking pictures. Everyone around me seems so sure of themselves, so experienced. I definitely don't feel that way. As I wait, I text my sisters. Sisters are wonderful. They help calm me down.
My plane pulls up to the gate. I watch as the gate extends to meet it. My plane is small compared to the ones around it. I check my boarding pass a dozen times at least to make sure I am in the right place. I also watch the people around me. There are a lot of missionaries. Two sister missionaries are on the payphones saying their last goodbyes to their families before they fly. I remember Nathan’s last call from Florida before he left for Chile. I realize that, soon, I will be closer to him than any of us have been since he left on his mission. I miss him.
When they finally call my group to board, I walk for the first time down that weird retractable hallway thing onto the airplane.
I try to notice every detail of this new experience. I notice that I have to step over a small gap between the gate and the airplane. Looking down for a split second I see how high off the ground I really am. I’m glad that I am not really afraid of heights. I am surprised by how small it is inside the cabin. I can certainly imagine anyone with any sort of claustrophobia would not survive the hours of flight ahead.
Lucky for me, I get to sit by the window. I watch people on the ground driving baggage carts and walking around waving orange glow-sticks. I wait, and wait, but I am not impatient. I am watching the people in the plain find their seats. Some of them are alone like me. It’s not that unusual, I guess, to travel solo. Some of them are very anxious. They push forward to stow their luggage and find their seats. The captain asks us to put on our seatbelts and turn off our electronics so we can take off. A lot of people don’t listen. What are they thinking? The flight attendants walk down the aisles making sure the captain’s directions are followed. I wouldn’t blame them for being irritated that so many people ignored a direct instruction, but they are still polite and smiling. I think I should not ever be a flight attendant.
Take off is more thrilling than any rollercoaster I’ve ever been on. We start by taxing around slowly. I can tell, though, when we’re taking off because there is a sound. It’s a loud roaring, but it’s not deafening. I am aware of the giant tires beneath us wobbling under the weight and speed. I am not afraid, though. I trust the pilot that I cannot see. I trust that he knows better than I what a take-off should feel like. The roaring grows louder, and finally, I feel the wheels leave the ground. What a marvelous miracle this is for a machine so large to simply lift into the sky so gracefully. We gain altitude. My ears pop. We turn and I can see the buildings and roads and mountains below. I can see the temple. I can also see our shadow. How is our shadow so small? I cannot believe how high up we are. Then, it disappears.
Even though I brought things for entertainment like movies, books, and homework, I don’t touch them. My eyes are locked on the tiny window, and I'm fairly certain my mouth is open, but I am unable to close it. First, the Great Salt Lake passes beneath us. I take some pictures, deciding that I don’t care if people think I’m funny. I take a lot of pictures, but I am disappointed that they don’t really compare to the live view. Every second, the landscape changes beneath me. Ground that would take me half a day to cover passes by like clouds do. They look as though they are moving so slowly, but my brain tells me that we are moving at speeds I have never experienced in my life.
We land in Phoenix, Arizona. I am not surprised by the heat. I am one of the only people I can see wearing a jacket; still, I do not take it off because I don’t want to risk losing my $200 leather jacket. I considered leaving it at home, but I obviously want to look my best and feel the most comfortable on my trip, so it comes. My next flight is a lot longer.
Flying is wonderful. The world seems so big from the ground, but from the unique aerial perspective, it doesn't seem so vast. Everything seems within reach when you're in an airplane. The world is full of so many things I never knew I didn't know. I think about this as we fly over Texas. The state is so flat, even if I were on the ground, I’m certain I could see for hundreds of miles in all directions. I have to take more pictures. Texas looks like tile to me with all its grid-plots of land. Some of these plots have big green circles instead of squares. I wonder why they are circles, and such perfect circles, too. I learn later that the circles are caused by circular sprinkler systems on farms.
When we land in Florida, we are early. I know that no one will be there to pick me up, but I look around at the all the people anyway. There is a British family nearby. I think the only British people I’ve ever seen have been on T.V., not that they look any different from anyone else, but their accents are interesting to listen to. I guess I have heard so many fake British accents in my life that the real thing sounds faked, too.
I follow the signs through the airport to the rental car desks. I am anxious because I didn’t find out until I was in the airport in Salt Lake that they might not accept my debit card. Most companies require a credit card. My mom had loaned me her credit card, but without her ID it is possible they won’t let me use it anyway. My concern turns out to be unnecessary. I pay with my debit card. They direct me to a parking garage. I pull my heavy luggage along. They tell me to just pick a car. One boy working there says that if I tip him $20 he will let me take a Mustang. I should do it, it would be so awesome, but I’m pretty anxious already. I pick a shiny black 2014 Ford Fiesta. What do I do next? Apparently, I’m supposed to just put my stuff in and drive away. It feels strange, like stealing, even though I know I paid for it.
Getting to my hotel from the airport is complicated. I didn’t even think about getting lost, but I get in my car and miraculously navigate out of the airport. Now, I have no idea where to go next. I know that I am supposed to go south, but...um...how do I tell which way is south when there are no mountains? I’ve never been anywhere without mountains before. It’s unnatural. Still, Heavenly Father takes care of me. I call my mom for help looking up directions. Before her computer loads I find a McDonalds with free wifi. I look up directions to my hotel myself.
I spend most of my time in Florida with my best friend from High School, Kassi. We had planned to go to Disney World because she works there, but she isn’t allowed to let me in for free this week because it is spring break and the park is super crowded. We go, instead, to the Orlando, Florida temple. I learn something new about temples outside of Utah. Apparently, they’re not busy enough so they don’t have workers just hanging out in the baptistery to help you when you show up. You have to make an appointment so they know when to send people down there. Weird…I’m used to Provo temple where you have to wait two or three hours. Lucky for us, there is a group scheduled about an hour after our arrival, so we just have to entertain ourselves by taking pictures and driving around for a little while before we can go in.
Inside the temple, we meet a grandfather and his two granddaughters who are visiting from Idaho. They are very kind. We talk quietly about how crowded temples are in Utah and Idaho. More than flying, temples are a wonderful thing. I notice as I sit with my best friend and some complete strangers, that even though I am farther from home than I have been in my entire life, I still feel like I’m where I belong. I am in my father’s house. The rooms and the people are familiar and welcoming. The temple is always a place to belong, rather than just a place to be.
After the temple, we go to the Disney Cast Retreat. It’s really just a small park with all sorts of cool stuff to do only for people who work at Disney World. It gives them somewhere to go to get away from the crowds on their days off. Kassi says she’s never been there. She spends all her days off in Disney World. I don’t blame her. Really, how many people get to go to Disney World whenever they want for free? Anyway, it is kind of cold, so we didn’t swim or go canoeing, though that would have been fun. We walk around for a while, enjoying the beautiful trees and sun. We stop to play a game of tetherball, remembering elementary school tournaments fondly. I accidentally hit Kassi in the face with the ball. The game ends. We hang out on the beach instead, playing with the sand and catching up. The sand in Florida is awesome and soft and beautiful and white and awesome.
When we get bored of the beach we go to dinner at a restaurant in Downtown Disney. It takes forever just to find a parking spot. All the lots are full, so we have to wait for someone to leave. I would be happy to just go eat somewhere else, but Kassi really wants to show me this place, so I get over it. It really is cool. There are many shops, most of them selling food and souvenirs. There is one huge shop selling Disney merchandise. It is impressive, but crowded. Kassi shows me some giant lego sculptures. My favorite one is of Prince Philip fighting Maleficent, the dragon.
Inside the restaurant, the line snakes back and forth, filling the building. We wait, and wait, and wait. I am grateful for my cell phone that has Facebook. I chat with my sisters while we wait. I order a sandwich. It was good, but only barely worth the wait.
When we get bored of the beach we take a bus to a Polynesian resort just outside of Disney World. We wander around the resort for a while looking at overpriced merchandise. I am seriously tempted to buy something, especially a really neat, Pirates of the Caribbean pin that Stacie would love. I remind myself that I soon I will be buying gift from Colombia, and that will be way cooler than a Pirates pin. I buy a postcard instead.
We find a beach with a great view of the Disney castle…well, the castle is on the other side of a huge lake, but we could see it well enough to watch the firework show. It is marvelous, sitting in a hammock on a white beach watching fireworks with my best friend. During the show, they play a song called “Wishes”. The song begins and ends with a little girl signing. Kassi told me that the girl that sang the part was a girl who died of cancer. Before her death, the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted her wish to stay in Disney World forever by having her sing the song that is played every night in the park. It makes me cry a little.
The next day is a lot less eventful. Kassi has to work, so I set out to Orlando solo. I find a flea market and buy some gifts since I’ve never been to one before. I also spend a long time trying to find a post office. Along the way I find another beautiful lake and a pretty little row of colorful shops. I take some pictures. I succeed at finding the post office about fifteen minutes after it closed.
Kassi calls me to tell me she is home from work. I drive toward her house, but I get lost again. In the darkness of the evening, I miss a turn and end up on a toll road. I have learned that Florida loves toll roads for some reason. They are everywhere. I stop at the toll booth. I have no cash for a payment. I explain my situation. They are lenient and give me directions to get back to where I came from. I find Kassi’s apartment eventually, but both of us are exhausted. We eat and talk. Then, we stop talking and just rest. I fall asleep. When I wake up, I decide that as much as I love my friend, I need to go to my hotel to prepare for my flight tomorrow and sleep. We say our goodbyes. She will be coming home to Utah in a few weeks, so our farewell is not too sorrowful.
My head hurts a lot. I realize I forgot to ask Kassi for some pain killers. I don’t have any in my luggage. It gets worse as I drive toward my hotel. My stomach starts to feel nauseated. I decide it’s probably a good idea to stop somewhere to buy medicine. The first two stores I see are closed. It’s pretty late, nearly midnight. I am having a hard time focusing as I drive because my eyes hurt so badly. Finally, I find an open Walgreens. I have never particularly cared to shop at Walgreens, but tonight, it is my favorite store in the world. I buy pain killers and Icy Hot just for good measure. I will find out later that I already have Icy Hot packed in my suitcase. Ah well, one can never have too much Icy Hot.
I find the post office again the next morning and send my postcard. I still have a few hours until my flight. I can’t think of anything else I want to see. I drive in what I think is the direction of the airport. I stop for pizza. I stop for gas. My rental car must be filled up less than ten miles away from the airport. I have no idea how far away I am. If I need to, I will stop again. I keep driving, hoping that I am not driving the wrong way. Finally, I see airport direction signs. The road turns out to be the most direct route to it. What luck!
I drop off my rental car. It is too early for me to get my boarding pass. I know because I tried and the machine says I must wait another hour. I find somewhere to sit and watch a movie. The people around me are more interesting to watch than the movie. There is another British family nearby. I watch them and listen to their accents. I love it when the children speak. I am hungry, but I have only a few snacks. I feel silly eating string cheese and fruit roll-ups. I guess these foods make me feel childish. I remind myself that it is more than likely that I will never in my life see any of these people around me again. I eat my snacks. I wait. I get my boarding pass and I wait some more. I am grateful for Facebook. My Colombian friends are online. They ask me where I am. They tell me they are excited to see me. They will be waiting at the airport for me. I will be arriving at 11 pm tonight.
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