Chronicles of a man seeking wings to fly

Where I sat, I had a good view of the different tarmacs, my curiosity grew stronger. It was a scrupulous moment as I watched the busyness of the airport. People were walking in mass, both the airport staff and travelers; an almost calculated sense of busyness was all I saw. The summer fever was evident.

So finally I get to fly on an airplane to another side of the world. This world had only existed in my imaginations based on what I had seen on the television. My childhood fantasy is now a reality. I vividly can remember running around in my small village in Nigeria with little form of civilization, dancing around and chanting with other local kids whilst we watched an airplane make a trail across the sky. So this is the day I gratify this endless yearning.

Adrenaline still pumping hard, I tried hard to remain calm, smiling sheepishly whilst I watched a demonstration on the central screen. The lady next to me, a Caucasian, noticed my state. “Don’t worry, once we gain an altitude, you will be fine”, she said. I gave her that sheepish smile again.

I couldn’t get my eyes off the window; I wanted to capture every detail. My sense was heightened to the limits as I watched the desert dunes for hours as they created contours.

Then as we approached Cairo international airport, what a welcoming view to finally see the river Nile. Oh, this river I have read so much about in history books. How magnificent to locate an airport just along it, to give every descending aircraft a view of a lifetime. I gave away a satisfying smile that came within, as if to say, mission accomplished.

Another airport stills a sense of busyness. The flu reached here too. But this time, the language was different, Arabic flew in the air, and sometimes, I could hear refined English with an Arabic accent. I waited patiently for my next flight to Istanbul. I wished I could explore this historical land.

The take off to Istanbul was hitch free. Nerves were so relaxed. Finally, I love this voyage. It was night already, in the mid-air but all I could see was water as I looked through the window. And my mind tingled, ‘sail across the seven seas’. That smile again.

Ataturk Airport gave away a greater possibility. As we descended, I watched a city that blossomed with lights. In the midst of the night’s eye, I could still see a city well planned and lit. This further lit my spirits. And I said to myself, “I am just getting started flying”.