Monday I picked up my daughter at the airport and I thought to myself, “Self,” I thought, “I miss traveling.” Well, really who doesn’t like exploring new places and different cultures, food from around the world, or a chance to wade out into an ocean? Travelling is right up there with food and drink on the list of necessities. And I miss those things too. But I also miss the actual work of getting from place to place. Travelling.

I know, everybody else is like, “Oh, I love to travel and if I just didn’t have to deal with the rigamarole of flying I’d love it even more.” True, most people wouldn’t say rigamarole. Or “It is so great to be able to see the country but can’t somebody else do the driving?” Cars, trains, and busses can’t escape the ardent traveler’s “what can we do to improve the experience” list. Even cruise ships can be bettered with more dinner seating or inclusive alcohol or faster port transfers. Every good time story has a “but..”

But I never minded getting from Point A to Point B even while complaining I would prefer not having to stop at Point A1 to do it. Although when I flew somewhere that required a stopover I was usually selective in choosing a way point not known for being the world’s largest airport knowing it probably did not double as the world’s greatest airport.

While other people were napping at the gates after getting there two hours before boarding, or seeing how many airport bars they can get to before said boarding, I would sit and enjoy the local accents in the bars. I would sit at the edge of the gate area and marvel at the anticipation in the faces of the youngest travelers making their way to what might be their first flight and compare that the disgust on the faces of the “professional” traveler because all the charging stations were full. While others rushed from gate to gate I watched the show from my front row seat. And when I got onto the plane if I ended up being in a last row seat, that was okay too.

I recall one of the regional directors for the company I worked for saying how much he liked his job and getting to see the different cities and experiencing the local foods and sights. He really enjoyed travelling, if only he didn’t have to spend so much time travelling to get there. Duh. It wouldn’t be that exciting going from Point A to Point A. Until Samsung or Apple perfects the Star Trek transporter going places, aka travelling, is going to involve getting from place to place – aka travelling.

Even with the long security lines, unreasonable baggage fees, and really bad in flight magazines, I miss travelling. It’s really more of an adventure like that anyway. I mean, what’s more fun, trying to pack a week’s worth of clothes in a carry on and fighting for the last overhead compartment space or standing perfectly still and saying “Beam me up, Scotty?” At least now when I stop at Point A1 all of my molecules get there at the same time.

Usually.