READING
AirAsia's Inflight Magazine, Travel 360, because I am one of those people who not only scan but read inflight magazines. I start with the airline's routes and the recommended sites to see. Next is admiring photos of models of jewelries, clothes or fragrances. I then proceed to reading features of places or traditions and the tell tales of the editorial team. There is usually two or three of this type of article. Finally, I spend most of my time reading articles of a featured personality. It can be in interview style or the person writes the article himself. Not only do I learn about the stories of their success in their respective fields but also the "book-worthy" events on the way to it. It is comforting to know that there are people who have somehow gone through and surpassed the same challenges as we have right now.
WRITING
Or will start writing the extended version of the article we have submitted for a journal as part of my dissertation. Praying for a positive outcome on that submission! :)
LISTENING
To the plane's loud engines but I am not at all complaining. I would rather hear the engines and know that they are still there than stop hearing them because that would only mean one thing, right? Ha!
I am also intently listening to indistinct chattering all around me. The sounds of these foreign languages are music to my ears. There is Chinese (do not ask me whether Mandarin or whatnots), Bahasa, etc. It makes me grateful to be surrounded by strangers (foreign at that) because it means for me that a dream has come true. That is the feeling everytime I travel.
THINKING
About how these airline food catering work. It seems like a big industry! On that note, who says airplane food are no good? I just had Uncle Chin's chicken rice, which does not look appetizing for lack of colors but it tastes pretty good. This was preordered and the price was not that bad. Php180 saves you from a hassle, specially during longer flights, plus it gives you something to do.
FEELING
Sleepy but enjoying this (slightly) quiet alone time before going back to reality. Not that I do not think of those wonderful 8 traveling days as reality. It was a worry-free snap out of my student life, which is nothing close to worry-free. Ha!
LOVING
The beautiful sight of a group of well-dressed old people traveling together. Seated beside me even looks like one of those aunties in the Crazy Rich Asians movie. She has this updo hairstyle carefully sprayed to make every strand in place, rings on almost all of her fingers, shimmering gold and silver bracelets, floral big blouse, giant dark sunglasses, face foundation a few shades lighter than her neck's and popping cheeks and lip colors. I wonder why she is flying with AirAsia and not in some other airline for the crazy rich. Ha! She is an Indonesian citizen but of Chinese heritage according to her and she speaks little English. She is a nice seatmate, not one of those annoying ones. She offers a share of her food even before she starts eating. Next to her is her husband who has just been quiet this whole time.
Some of the gentlemen of their group dressed in batik polos are seated in front of me and have not stopped chattering even during their meals. I cannot understand any word they say but by the expressions in their faces, tones of their voices, and energy on their hand gestures they seem to be enjoying their lives.
A family with two toddlers a few rows ahead are very busy! So much is happening in a span of one minute I cannot keep up. What I can only record now is that the older child keeps herself busy with videos downloaded from Youtube. The younger one keeps his parents busy by being a normal toddler of course.
WANTING
To finish the quick video of my Jakarta snapshots. I like making vidoes of my trips. I now enjoy moving images better than the still ones. By the way, I was in Indonesia for a math conference.
NEEDING
To take a nap after this. :)
WISHING
To see a wishing star (or falling star) because I want to make a wish. Ha! I remember tying a white handkerchief then closing my eyes to make a wish everytime I see a falling star years back. I think I want to feel that feeling again because I am all for feeling feelings! Although I now know it really is not a star but a meteor, that fact does not take away the magic everytime I see a falling star.
Also, I remember this fascination of falling stars because of the story of Captain Lim Khoy Hing, a pilot, who authored an article in this month's issue of Travel 360. Another article is about a Malaysian property developer turned author of a fiction novel at 78! I like what he says here:
"When I told them it's fiction, they were rather surprised! I suppose in their minds, an autobiography would have been a natural climax to one's public life."
It reminds us that it is never too late to do what we have always wanted to do, that we can always have as many feathers in our hats as we would like to have, and we do not have to take the straight path. Being different would be a good surprise, not just to other people but to our soul.
May you open those pages of the inflight magazine the next time you travel, friends!
***This is not a sponsored post. I am just being appreciative. :)
