“Traveling Not So Light”
After being told to go from Door 4, to Door 1, to Door 3, then to Door 2 and exploding when the guy attempted to direct me to yet another door…I finally checked in for my flight at Miami International Airport.
Traveling during pandemic times is not an easy feat. It doesn’t help that for some obscure reason, I am not traveling light this time. Instead, I’m dragging an enormous 32 inch luggage that turned out to be over 50 pounds…therefore it cost me $100 extra. I almost laughed when the airline worker suggested I go and buy a duffel to divide the weight… sure… I can see myself dragging that heavy supersized luggage all over the airport looking for a duffel… seriously? It just didn’t make sense that I could have checked two 50 pound bags for free… but must pay $100 for one bag that went a little over 50 lbs. Crazy!
All is good and American Airlines flight 68 from Miami to Madrid landed safely around 8:30 am local time. It had taken off around 5:35 pm Miami time. Approximately 8 hours later I’m in Spain.
I love Spain. One third of my DNA is tied to this Ibero peninsula. The other third is Greek Italian; and the rest is a mix of European like Irish and French, but more interesting is that I have a bit of Native American Indian, and even a 2% from Mali in Africa! In any case, I feel very much at home here. It always surprises me how familiar the Spaniards feel to me. It does help that Spanish is my first language.
I will be spending only a few hours in Madrid since I’m catching a train to Galicia that is set to depart barely five hours after I land. Therefore, still regretting my humongous luggage, I find myself sitting in the first little cafe I see when I arrive at the Chamartin train station in Madrid. Everyone makes a comment about my luggage; like “Long trip? or “Are all your belongings in there? … and they laugh…it is meant as a joke and I laugh with them…It is kind of ridiculously big. Oh well… it’s a conversation starter! I order my first Spanish meal; Cafe Con Leche and a Tostada with Serrano jam, tomato, and olive oil. Delicious and simple.
The vibe is different in this country. The people live without the hurry. Europeans in general are like that. That is what feels good about spending time in this continent. It’s more that they know how to live. For the most part, they will work to live not live to work. Huge difference… and not to be confused.
I hardly slept during the flight and I am so tired! The local time is 10 am but Miami time is 4 am. The train schedule says 12:55 pm to Monforte De Lemos. I lay my head on my huge bag… now I’m kind of glad I have it.
The woman speaking through a loudspeaker announces the next train “Atocha Valladolid via 5”…then “Atocha Lugo vía 3”… then “Atocha…”. It’s feels like a lullaby…and I fall asleep.
