Air travel can be stressful
Air travel can be stressful
So adventures are glamorous, travel seems so cool, many people get envious of people that go on adventures, but sometimes it’s not all beautiful.
The first plane trip that I took was to Las Vegas when I was 18. I got stopped in the Modesto airport, and got strip searched. No joke. Now the Modesto airport is a Po-dunk airport. Nothing fancy and super small. They took me behind a curtain and asked me to take off one piece of clothing at a time. Each time they would scan me with their metal detector. Jacket, Long sleeve, Tank top, Pants…. There I stood in nothing but my bra and panties while the lady laughed and said ‘oh it must be your underwire in your bra’. They ultimately decided that my underwire bra was causing the metal detector to go off… Yes I was mortified.
The second time I was on a plane I was in the Fresno airport. A gentleman looked at me, smiled, and said ‘this way Miss’. He then asked me to hold my hands out while he proceeded to wipe my hands with cotton swabs. I asked him what he was doing and if everything was ok. ‘Oh yes Miss, we are just looking for explosives’… REALLY? Come one? Do I really fit the type? I guess I look scary or something.
These are just a couple of my numerous travel stories….
The list goes on about traveling. You see, I am a super shy person. I hate confrontation, I have the hardest time talking to people I don’t know, I am always worried that I am holding someone up or putting someone out. I just get plain nervous around alot of people especially when I am not completely 100% certain with what I am doing.
The baggage check is one of the worst for me. Laptop in a separate bin, cell phone out, nothing in pockets, boots off, belts off…. And the list goes on and on. I always seem to have everything under the sun that needs its own bin. So there I am holding up the line with like 10 bins for all my stuff, freaking out inside, starting to sweat for absolutely no reason because I am freaked out inside, just trying to go as fast as I can to not frustrate the other people behind me. The funny thing is, they probably don’t care at all. It is just me being self conscious and letting my worrying get the better of me.
So what the heck is my point? My point is, air travel can be stressful, but it is only for one day. Maybe even just a half a day. It is good to test yourself, challenge yourself, and put yourself in situations that can make you quite uncomfortable because in the end, the adventure and the whole experience is worth it. It makes for some fantastic stories, some beautiful pictures, and ultimately the best memories.
Don’t not do something just because it can suck for a moment. Don’t not do something just because you are nervous, scared, or stressed. In fact, do it more for those reasons. Help yourself grow as a person. Like I said, it might not be fun at that exact moment, but it will ultimately be worth it the end. It will build your confidence in yourself and ultimately you will have a beautiful adventure and be happy that you did it.
Wishing you nothing but beautiful adventures and easy airport days.
Adventuring of a Small Town Girl (ASTG)