Where Are You at 3am?

Usually I’m far gone into the land of dreams at 3am, but tonight I’m spending my night at a place that feels somewhat familiar to me, although I’ve never spent the night here or anywhere like it before.

I’m spending my night at Oslo Airport Gardermoen.

It sounds all kinds of dramatic, but it isn’t. I have a super early flight, so early so that there weren’t any morning buses or trains that would get me here in time, and I didn’t want to spend a ridiculously amount of money to book myself into an airport hotel for a just a few hours.

That left me with the choice of taking the last train to the airport that would arrive at around 1am, and that would give me a good five hours at the airport before my plane will take me up, up, up and away!

I was curious to see how spending a night at a place like this would actually be like, and I found it to be way more comfortable and interesting than I expected.

I definitely wasn’t the only one who didn’t want to waste money on a hotel. There are quite a lot of people here. You can see them sleeping or reading, talking with friends, or doing some late night working. Maybe they are writing too!

While being surrounded by all of these travelers, I found myself lost in one of my favorite activities; people watching.

My eyes drifted from traveler to traveler, and I started thinking about where they were from, where they were going, and what kind of stories they would be able to tell.

The travelers come in all different shapes, ages, and colors, and I find myself very calm and relaxed even though I’m surrounded by bright lights and sounds of maintenance workers. It’s so different to be here in a place that I’m used to seeing crammed with people and loud with voice, suddenly being a place of rest and stillness.

I even managed to sleep for an hour on one of the benches.

Now I’m not saying that I would prefer to sleep at airports. I love the softness of a good bed way too much, but this was a way more pleasant experience than I expected it to be. I still have about 2,5 hours left before I’m starting a 16 hour long journey, but even though I’m tired, it’s off to a good start!

I’m guessing most of you are sleeping, or you are in time zones that takes you far away from 3am at this writing moment, but wherever you are, I hope you’re smiling!

And if you find yourself other places than home at 3am, I hope you make the most of it❤️

That Airport Feeling

There’s something so magical about airports to me, and I marvel at the wonderful feeling of it whenever I experience it. It fascinates me that this feeling never goes away!

Maybe it’s the strong feeling of Wanderlust that I always carry that keeps this magic alive. Knowing that being at an airport is the first checkpoint for a new adventure to a destination far from home. It’s especially exciting whenever I’m headed to a place where I haven’t ventured before.

This time around, I’m not traveling to a completely new destination, but in many ways, it will be a totally new experience. I’ve traveled quite a few times to Amsterdam as a kid, together with my dad. The last time I was there was about 18 years ago. I remember it as a place where I felt very much at home, and the vibe was fantastic. Maybe it’s an unconsciously feeling of going back to my roots? I do have a Dutch last name, but it goes so far back in the family history that we have no other connection to the Netherlands, other than feeling at home there and carrying the name. But even so, I have come to love the language while learning it, and I always seem to easily connect with the people and now I get to experience it as an adult for the first time. Maybe my Dutch heritage is what made my dad and I live on a boat when I was a kid and has me dreaming of living on a houseboat on the Amsterdam canals (which I totally plan on doing sometime in the future) while being a free soul and live off of my creativity? Who knows?!

But here I am now, ready to finally explore and experience Amsterdam in a new way and I’m all giddy with excitement! I’ve been wanting to go back for such a long time!

So I’m sitting here at the airport, filled with Wanderlust and excitement while I’m taking in all of the impulses of the airport around me. The people, the sounds, the music, the coffee and the smells. But most of all, I’m very mindful of the feeling of gratitude for being able to travel on a trip like this. I feel incredibly lucky and for every time that I go on a new adventure like this, it becomes more and more clear that I’m meant to wander and to explore. This is one of the many ways that I grow, and like I’ve mentioned, 2018 is all about growth! So let’s go on a new adventure!

Zie jullie in Amsterdam💛

Let’s make new memories!

I’m currently at Oslo Airport Gardermoen, having breakfast and doing a bit of writing while I’m waiting for boarding to open. Last time I wrote a post from the same place as now, I was headed to London. This plane is bringing me to London too, but this time around I have a transfer flight for a much longer trip. This time I’m headed to somewhere I haven’t been before to see someone I haven’t seen in a long time!

I’m headed to Austin, Texas!

It feels like forever since the last time I was onboard a plane, even though it’s only been a little over three months. That urge to travel is just growing and growing, and I’m very excited to finally be back at an airport, knowing that I’m about to head somewhere new. There’s something so utterly special about the airport atmosphere. It’s like you can feel the excitement in the air, radiating from all the other travellers. And that very feeling feeds me with energy and creativity. I write a lot when I’m at home, but the urge to put words onto paper/screen grows so much stronger the minute I’m on the go and surrounded by other adventurers who are headed to all kinds of places!

Traveling with British Airways will be a new experience for me as well (I don’t think I’ve ever traveled with them) and one thing I’m really curious about, is the food they’ll serve. I’ve requested vegan/vegetarian on my flights and from what I’ve heard it’s usually either a hit or miss. Crossing my fingers for a hit!

My camera is along for the ride, and there will be a Texas video up on my YouTube channel when I get home.

Wish you all a wonderful Thursday and hope you get to go on your own adventure, even if it’s just a minor one! Go out there and make some new memories to treasure!

Bon Voyage!