is this heaven?

i think that adults can be too stuck up. they don’t let go enough.

i’ve been excited like a child since yesterday. it was not certain that i would make it to toronto yesterday. what with the snow storm that was expected. but i did.

my bag didn’t. so i spent my first 24 hours in an average of -12C with my summery trousers. but that didn’t stop me from shovelling 30cm deep snow this morning. or walking through parts of downtown sightseeing. from going up the cn tower for a fantastic high view over snow-covered toronto.

the airline finally brought my bag this evening, so now i can wear more warmer things

my parents also didn’t make it. the airline hasn’t brought them yet. but they have been re-booked to arrive tomorrow. the univers has also re-booked the next snow-storm for tomorrow. it’s already slowly started arriving.

i’m excited for more snow. i’m less excited about the fact that my parents may not make it again. but it’s all part of the adventure.

i’m just loving all  the snow, the christmas lights in the early evening and all of that…

aah, heaven is a mighty cold place right now.

should i smile or should i cry now?

i sit in a quandary.

apart from how much i love that word, i sit not knowing whether to smile or cry. my holiday may come to an abrupt temporary-stop tomorrow morning.

i have just discovered, that toronto is expecting a major snow storm tomorrow, which happens to coincide with my arrival date into that canadian city. air canada has issued a travel advisory suggesting that you travel earlier if you can.

my quandary is such:

my holiday may get off to a stacatto start after i reach frankfurt. which is not what i planned (cry?).

as someone who thrives on new experiences, i am however intrigued at exeriencing a weather delay (smile?).

i have handled aircraft delays for others, but never been in it myself. so it would be kind of interesting.

that’s the thing about travelling – it gets me excited like a child – something we don’t allow ourselves to do often enough. we are so worked up on things going according to plan (i know i am guilty of this!!!!!!!) that we seldom allow ourselves to flow with the situation if it is out of our control.

i’d like to think i will take it all in my stride if there is a delay, because there is nothing i would be able to do. i don’t want to be one of those a*hole clients that i have had to deal with in the past

anyway – i will be on holiday, so no rush to get there for anything big like a wedding or such. just as long as i make it by christmas, and see the family and friends.

the time has come…

… the bags are packed, the alarm clock set, the lift arranged. the dishes washed, the curtains closed, the bags weighed, the car locked, the stove switched off.

holiday!!!!!

ok, so i have to put in several hours at the office tomorrow, handing over files, that i don’t yet fully understand (in my new position) to colleagues that are not yet back from leave, or about to depart. files that have deadlines for 2 days after i return. saying goodbye to a dear friend at work who won’t be there when i return. and finishing off as much as possible, to avoid handing over anything.

but in 24 hours from now, i will be in the plane, watching a movie, deciding whether i should sleep, or take in another movie…. read or snooze… and can i get over my neighbour to get to the loo without waking them…?

but before all of that, i need to finish backing up the pc, get some sleep, do some work, get some meds from the pharmacy and have lunch with a friend who will be in town only tomorrow.

i received a photo today of the cabin in canada that i will be spending a few days at… -30C, about 30cm of snow, forests in white… exactly what i have been dreaming of. a winter wonderland. i did a little jig of joy in the office while no-one was watching. excited like a kid

and apart from seeing my cousins and uncle & aunt for the first time in 6 years, i will also see a friend i haven’t seen in 11 years. that’s a hell of a long time. neither of us can believe it is happening…

in german they have a saying “die vorfreude ist die beste freude” – translated literally, it would be “the pre-joy is the best joy”, i.e. anticipation of something is the best type of joy. even more than what you are anticipating. i can certainly feel that now.

and not only for the snow. the family and the friends.

i’m mad about airports and flying. so if i can look forward to 11 flights on 6 airlines, through 9 airports and 7 countries, i am going to be very excited. i love spending time at airports, seeing the happy faces, balancing out the sad ones. seeing the different nationalities of people walking around. seeing the different magazines in the bookshops.

and i really miss the old “tick-tick-tick-tick-tick” flight indicator boards… that unique sound moving the destination up the board, and adding a new one at the bottom. it gave the airport an added sense of moving destinations – a place of movement to and from destinations. a joining of the corners of the globe. i can stare at the screens for ages, looking at where the craft are coming from, and wondering where they are all connecting to.

i can spend even more time watching the planes come and go, load and unload, carry tales of far off exotic places.

aahhh… i can feel my soul will be replenished on this trip. i will have an oportunity to live in the moment.

that is one of the most important parts of travel for me – being able to, even forced to, live in the moment. my everyday doesn’t really allow that. so i am looking forward to that