The Places In-Between
Finding serendipity off the beaten path
I hate flying.
There’s just something utterly unnatural about crowding into a pressurized cylinder with wings, blasting into the sky, hurtling over 500 mph at 36,000 feet, and pretending to relax in cramped quarters for hours on end.
It may be the safest way to travel, but then, when your car breaks down you can pull over. Engine trouble at 36,000 feet presents few options other than dropping.
Of course, air travel offers other charms before you even take off. Long lines, screaming kids, security and customs headaches, canceled flights, bad weather, lost luggage, and time zone exhaustion.
But there’s no sense whining.
My wife loves to travel, so despite my aerophobia and monastic, homebound predisposition, I pack a bag and follow her lead. She’s an experienced traveler who handles all the details, so I have no excuse but to get on the plane and deal with it.
Truth be told, once the plane lands, I thoroughly enjoy the places we visit. And interestingly, the greatest joys are often not found in the celebrated tourist locales.
The best experiences are the unexpected ones, off the beaten path.
