Here's to the much-maligned layover

I don't know who taught us to be in such a hurry these days. I don't know why, or when, it became so important, when we are going from here to there, to do it as fast as humanly possible. It is a sorry state of affairs. You can't blame the airlines. The airlines do their bit. They always offer a long way around. You can always go via Saskatoon, and usually, if you do, they charge you less for the privilege.

It should be no surprise that I am in favour of the side roads. And the forgotten art of dawdling. So...here's to the much-maligned layover. From now on I am going to do my best to incorporate a few into each and every day. So if you call to ask me over, you'll know what I mean when I say it might take a while, that I am coming, but I am coming via Saskatoon.

("Maxine Montgomery", Stuart McLean)

I often feel as if Stuart McLean and I are kindred spirits. Reading this today brought a smile to my face and a longing to take the long route next time I have the chance. I love airports. I enjoy layovers. I have stories about sleeping in airports, and I even look on those with fondness (although the lost luggage stories are much less fun). I firmly believe that half the fun of travelling is travelling. It's people-watching in airports. It's excitement and anticipation. It's the 5 a.m. coffee so you can catch your 7 a.m. flight. It's the red-eye that smashes two days together into one. It's looking out the plane window to see the tops of clouds or the neatly divided prairies or the lights of a new city. It's the layovers spent trying to sleep on uncomfortable airport benches. It's the trashy magazines read to occupy the time. It's the joy of riding a moving sidewalk. It's the smell and feel of airports and airplanes. It's the sense of camaraderie amongst passengers, the smile offered from one weary traveller to another.

I really want a reason to go hang out in an airport now.

I took this picture on my jaunt to Calgary in April. I was waiting for my flight back to Edmonton and liked the layering that was going on with the planes outside and the reflection of the people at the gate inside.