I hate airports. To me airports are sad, depressing and too big (I always end up walking too far with my carryon, wishing that I had brought less, but I usually don't have a choice because my laptop and camera needs to go in there and Vogue and Wired are heavy magazines but essential readings for plane rides). I hate airports because I always have to say goodbye to people that I like, places that I like and lifestyles that I got used to. But today, it wasn't bad at all due to me almost missing my flight, which distracted me and left me more stressed than sad. When I got to Seattle, my Copenhagen flight was about two hours delayed so I went to the bar and had a Bloody Mary and some nachos. And I didn't even get sad as I SMSed with an American friend of mine whom I will miss a lot. But as I was increasingly surrounded by male travelers, I got to think of a point that I had made to a travel friend about a month earlier in Washington Dulles airport: Why is it that mainly men travel? Look around in the security line, there are about 90 percent men and the only women are the ones traveling with babies (well, true, some men travel with babies too) or together with other people. Business travel is basically male dominated, so much that the security officers always look oddly at me when I pick out a laptop from my bag; they didn't expect me to be a professional traveler. My friend at the time responded sarcastically (he is great like that, one of the reasons I like him): well, women are supposed to be home taking care of the kids, didn't you know that Louise?. Well, I guess I didn't get that memo, I replied. I think I will never get that memo.
Posted by Louise at March 27, 2004 06:34 PM