Submitted by Joe Cortez
Earlier this week, my friend Linda in Customer Service and I had a debate on Facebook?about the great airports of the world. I defended my love of Chicago O'Hare, despite the fact that it can be notorious for trip delays. She held the position that there are better airports to be stuck at with more power outlets - like Port Columbus and?Las Vegas McCarran, among others.
I appreciated our back-and-forth, because it made me really wonder why I had such a love of Chicago's busiest airport - and the fourth busiest airport in the world. Despite all of my travel delays here, the baggage loss, and even trip cancellations...what made me hold on to this airport so dearly?
I credit my appreciation of the windy city to my second flight ever - when I was visiting colleges in Ohio for the first time. I was filled with a sense of wonder and amazement as I first laid eyes on this modern monolith. Coming from meager roots from a little farm town in California, this was the closest to a midwest major city that I had ever been (save for Los Angeles...which was a different experience in my mind entirely). The architecture was unlike anything I had ever seen in my life, and a far cry from the single gate that served my hometown airport in Santa Maria. There were people of all cultures there - all either waiting to get to where they were going, or waiting to get home.
The airport was a modern labrynth, with the occasional minotaur of a tired or cranky traveler. It would be the place that I would spend a lot of time either waiting to get home for the holidays or summer, or dread going back to school. It would be the place where I would spend hours reading, waiting for a flight - or playing a game while trying to kill a trip delay. It was the place that I would have a coffee while pondering the mysteries of the earth - like where my bags ended up when I had a baggage loss. And especially around Christmas, when the entire airport would be decorated to the season, it held a particularly magical feeling to it. At least until the plane would be de-iced.
Now as an adult, I can appreciate the fact that Chicago inspired into me the love of travel that I have today. Having that experience there, flying back and forth from coast-to-coast for the better part of four years, really made me appreciate seeing the world - and gave me a wanderlust for places to see. Take a walk in any terminal, and you'll see flights departing to all continents of the world. Seeing the names of the places and the people boarding each flight made me wonder what went on at each of those places. What people lived there? What did they do? What made them want to go to their final destinations? What brought them home each time?
Linda may be right - I do run?the higher risk of a trip delay or baggage loss every time I go through Chicago's airports (the only place in the world with both airports named after World War II people or events). But?the memories that I have there of my youth will always make it a special place to be, that I will always look forward?to?traveling through.
What makes a place or airport special for you? Where do you enjoy traveling through most? Let me know by?leaving a comment?below!?
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About the Author: Joe Cortez is the marketing specialist for Travel Insurance Services. In his spare time, he has a deep affinity for travel, points collecting & multiplying,?and finding his way back home.?He can be reached via e-mail at joe.cortez@usiaffinity.com. |
Source: http://blog.travelinsure.com/2012/12/an-homage-to-travel.html
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