Got Wanderlust?

The clammy palms of my hands clutched the edge of the armrest a little too tightly as I watched the last of the passengers settle into their seats. In an attempt to distract my nervous self, I looked out the window instead. The scorching heat outside was just your average hot and humid Malaysian weather. Before I knew it, we were taxiing down the runway. This is it.

A dozen thoughts raced through my mind and the steady rhythm of my heartbeat increased in frequency. In the back of my mind, I just hoped that part of my lunch would not end up in the lap of the poor soul sitting beside me. The base of my stomach was a concoction of exhilaration and a dash of dread; coupled with the fluttering wings of a thousand butterflies. It is akin to a runner who is about to take off in a 100 meter sprint. In a split second, we had lifted clear off the ground. I had never felt anything quite like it. As thrilling as this was, I really just felt like I had left a portion of my stomach on the ground as the aircraft continued its ascent to the required altitude.

Nothing beats marveling in the sheer beauty of the fluffy, cotton candy-like clouds in person even though I have seen my fair share of photos taken from the window of an aircraft countless times. I let my mind wander and I could not help but dwell on a particular thought that has been in the corner of my mind the entire day…that this journey was tinged with sadness. The empty seat to my left was supposed to be filled by my father, and how I wished he could have been there to experience it. He had never been on a plane and it was supposed to be a first for both of us. Sadly, he had passed away five months earlier. It would be a lie to say that he does not cross my mind every single day, and words cannot describe how much I miss him.

Two hours later, we begin our descent. I begin to see civilization scattered out as far as the eye can see and the Chao Phraya River snaking through the city. It was like Google Earth, but way cooler. You always remember your firsts. This…this was just a sip; barely enough to quench my thirst for wanderlust. It is not something one can simply shake off. I want to wander aimlessly on cobblestoned streets and bask in the raw beauty Mother Nature has to offer. I want to know what snow feels like in my bare hands and soak up local cultures. If anything these recent events have taught me, it is that life is anything but predictable, and by gosh, I want to travel.