Memories I am afraid I'll forget

Travel day (24 August, a.k.a. the longest Wednesday of my life)

If you ever had to wake up at 1:45 at night (or do we actually say in the morning?), you know the struggle. You wake up because you have to. You get into the car that takes you to the airport to catch your early flight and you pray to be able to sleep at least for a little while on your planes. Except that nowadays I skip the praying part because I know it does not work for me. When I get up, I get up. I cannot sleep again until it is bedtime, and the day has passed. So, I got up at 1:45, was taken to the airport and got my luggage checked in.

Remember the packing thing? I packed a big suitcase to be checked-in. Then I packed a carry-on and a backpack for the journey, too. I was about to fly from Budapest to Amsterdam, from Amsterdam to Los Angeles and from Los Angeles to San Jose. Three flights, two connecting flights and 30 hours of travel ahead of me in sum. I had a masterplan – or at least I thought so. If my luggage got lost, I packed emergency equipment to my carry-on, so that I would be relatively calm during my time on the planes. Turns out, there were a lot of people travelling that day (what a shocker), so I had to check in my carry-on, too. I almost started begging the young girl, who was at the counter, to let me keep my carry-on, but she seemed so young and helpless that I gave in. I removed my braces (my most important earthly possessions) from the carry-on and said goodbye to all my belongings, imagining the worst that I would never see them again.

I grabbed what was left of my stuff, got my boarding passes, and went on, only hoping I'll have clean underwear once I arrive to the US.

The flight from Budapest to Amsterdam was smooth. This was my fifth time in Amsterdam airport this year and I feel like Amsterdam is playing tricks on me, trying to seduce me so that one day I gave in and would finally embark on a proper visit. I have never been there before. Only to the airport. This year. Five times.

KLM is a great airline. I never had any issues when traveling with them so far, so consider this extremely positive word-of-mouth (actually e-WOM) advertisement. The food is okay but having the same sandwich all the time is a bit too much, at least for me. Other than that, I cannot complain. My flight to LA was delayed, I spent my layover time working and emailing. I am a sober workaholic, but sometimes I relapse.

And I also have a thing for airports. I love airport space, as you can do and wear whatever you want, eat whatever you want at crazy times, sing or hum to yourself, read a good book, be on your laptop or phone with no regrets, as you are killing precious time the way you see most fit. I love this vacuum space and I consider time spent at an airport 'me time'. You can smell your potentially next new perfume, try cosmetics, eat, and work, if you'd like. Even though I have been tempted to leave the airports at long layover times, I am not easy to seduce. Especially if it is me you would like to seduce me from.

Boarding my flight to LA was a relief. I knew I had a long flight ahead, but at least I had this time to myself, right? You might rightfully think I am a bit selfish. Well, I am, if this is what selfish really means. I like spending time with me.

If I can pick my seat on a plane, I always go for window seats. I do not care how uncomfortable they are especially when you have to pee. I just make everyone in my row stand up, no shame. But this time, we had an empty middle seat, so we got lucky with this other passenger on the isle.

The journey never wanted to end, though. I managed to get two hours of sleep in the books, but then I still had 9 to go. I watched a movie, which was good, but watching a movie while flying is an absolutely insane thing for me. I never hear the voices well, probably because of the shitty headphones, and my eardrums playing jokes on me up in the air. Not because of the volume, don't worry, I make sure they are turned up just fine. So, I spent 1 additional hour playing Candy Crush, while worrying about my luggage and occasionally peeking out the windows, 2 more hours reading, 2 more eating and 1 playing Solitaire (how ironic) on the computer in front of me.

When we landed, the Boarder and Custom's Officer asked me why I came, so I had to clarify what Fulbright was. I am sure he knew, just asked to make sure I knew it, too. He asked me if I had any food with me and then I was good to go. It is funny how suspiciously they look at you until they make up their minds about you. Then they become extremely friendly.

Remember the suitcases? In LA, I had to find them and check them in again. My heart was literally pumping in my ears when I got to baggage reclaim. I found my bigger luggage first and I could cry when I caught glimpse of my small, tiny-tiny carry-on, unharmed and in one piece. That joy!

When checking them in once again, I told the gentleman helping out with the luggage that I would never let go of this small one once again, so he let me take it on my last flight. Have I mentioned it already that people in the US are sooo nice? If not, then here it goes. People in the US are extremely nice.

The last layover was terrible. By this time, I had already spent around 24 hours traveling, so I could basically go to sleep at any time and in any position. My last flight was extremely pleasant, though. The crew was amazing, very firm, helpful, and professional ladies. Just like the ones you imagine when you read the book 'Falling'. I felt safe and well fed, except that the AC was so mad, I was shaking with cold. Welcome to the USA! The land of heavy air conditioning. May we freeze to death.

Once I arrived, I already had internet on my phone. Thank you, Ryan Reynolds and Mint Mobile, you are awesome! I purchased the plan from home, so that by the time I landed, I already had my e-sim working perfectly. I collected my luggage and called the family I am staying with to pick me up from the airport. They were kind enough to give me a lift home and basically tuck me into bed almost immediately. They made sure I was comfortable and safe. I can never be thankful enough for them.

But as you imagine, I arrived, went to bed, and fell asleep pretty much right away. Fun fact: it was still Wednesday, but I was in my new home now, in the attic of Susie and John.