Tuesday, April 16, 2013

The Airport Effect

So, I enter through rotating glass doors to look unto a sweeping stretch of dotted spot lights in a high false ceiling,  white-marbled huge columns, steel barricades and the tiled flooring of the airport. I never understand what runs in my mind when I go to the airport. Technically speaking, it should be like going to the bus depot or the railway station. Why does it feel more enhanced here? All of them are sentimental at various levels of distances between dear ones and one thing always reigns everywhere : separation and reunion.
But those two words are the global synonyms for 'airport' all around the world, in particular. The first thing that strikes anyone.
   
             As I did mention before, I never understand what runs inside me when I go there. I love staring at the activity around me. I feel like I have been trapped beyond reason and have my eyes following the pilots in their smart uniforms. When I was young, I wanted to be a pilot...and now, for some un-understandable reason I am in the course of studying to be an architect, which I love too. I guess that patch of yearning remains in my heart forever. I stare at wide-eyed babies and old people pushed about in wheelchairs, newly wed couples excited, elated and nervous at the start of a literally and figuratively new journey, working professionals, and tourists trying to fit in with the locals with our style of dressing. It floods my brain which suddenly seems to becomes a blank canvas. For no reason at all, I visit the over-priced snacks bar and the probably-clean washrooms. I climb on the bars of the barricade and look around at nothing in particular. (well, there are the pilots...But other than that, nothing-I swear) I make faces at the kids when their parents are not looking and smile looking at sleeping passengers-to-be. I feel completely blank- a combination of nothing and everything.

     The emotions I feel cancel each other or fuse to create a sense of patience and un-bored nature in my mind.I feel yearning and loss, joy at the reunion, excitement and the heavy feeling that I have not yet begun to travel as I had always wanted to. Mere counters, paper money and cold steel bars in an air-conditioned volume of space has stopped me from reaching the corners of the world, you know.

   I wish there is a word for the tingling feeling in your stomach that feels full of nostalgia and curiosity, the heaviness of the heart at the brief separation with tears in the eyes, the hope that we'll meet soon again and the excitement of a start of something new.
  Do you have such a word or phrase?
   I call it the 'Airport Effect'.

P.S : I'm still under the airport effect and that has made me write this post. You'll have to excuse me if you don't understand the point of the whole thing. I don't too. It's some sort of a drug.


From google images 

Hemu

8 comments:

  1. Nice! Have noticed that folks check into FB saying they are in the airport, not seen that many for folks in the CMBT. So i guess you are not alone

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  2. Hems , i do understand the point and have also felt the airport effect !! good post !!

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    1. Sounds like I have company here! Jolly good! Thank you!

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  3. // white-marbled huge columns, steel barricades and the tiled flooring of the airport.
    Speaking like a true architect eh Hems...!! :P

    // probably-clean washrooms.
    Yeah its the trend symbol these days!! Clean washrooms in Malls, Multiplex, Theatres (Satyam??) and all those IT buildings!!

    //I make faces at the kids when their parents are not looking
    Lol I too do it...sometimes I pinch their cheeks very lightly feeling the tenderness!! :D hehe

    //I call it the 'Airport Effect'.
    Aah u named it too!!

    Nice post...I can feel what you feel from the post!!

    Semma!!!

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    1. Hey Kally,
      Great to see you here. It does induce something in us doesn't it? And I don't have to be an architect to realize that white is the first thing to strike our mind! I was wondering if I was the only one feeling this way.. Seems like I have company.
      Thanks!

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  4. Even I feel the same and also I experience another feeling or thoughts on how to stop my wife from shopping there while we await our flight!!

    Lovely post.

    Cheers!
    Himanshu Nagpal | Being Traveler

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    1. Welcome aboard Himanshu!
      Shopping is like meditation to most ladies. Don't deprive your wife of that pleasure. You could get a chocolate or two in the process.
      And thank you for stopping by! Glad to have connected with you.
      Cheers!
      Hemu

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