Travel is not for the faint hearted.

My buddy, Miss Lisa left Dallas two hours earlier than I yesterday.

It was the end of our tour and as I watched her drive off in the bright orange Dodge we had hired for the past two weeks, I felt a little anxiety for her safety during the 10 hours of travel she was about to undertake.

I prepare well for travel but I prefer not to dwell on it too much prior to leaving. If you prepare correctly, the mind tells you that all will be well, but of course it rarely does.

I always visit with the Taxi driver on the way to the airport. It helps if he is kind to your luggage and to you. I don’t look like a feeble old lady, so I have the privilege of wrangling the bags myself  I never use a trolly, two big bags with 8 spinner wheels on each back to back in one hand and the other big bag and my hand luggage and camera bag on top in the other. But the complication this time was another bag. Now just do I do that?

Dallas was fine, my driver assisted.

LA was fine, I paid a porter…. but how was I going to manage in Brisbane this morning?

I picked up my bags from the belt, placed two on a trolley with the hand luggage on top and one either side of the trolley and hang on to the darn things and push.

Some smart young man questioned me why I had so much luggage, and the truth is that I’m carrying an entire exhibition and teaching supplies. “Would you like to see them” I asked him…. that’s when my husband gives me the eye… but my hackles rise when young people make assumptions. I told him ” I have 3 pairs each of funky undies for my 5 small boy grand children… then there are pairs of Harry Potter socks and Jocks” He turned away but I caught the eye rolls. Little does he know I’m a super sleuth of eye rolling juveniles… I’ve had a bit of experience.

Feeling very pleased at my dexterity I managed the bags to the domestic transfer without a problem and my heart soared. It’s amazing what makes you happy when you travel.

A bus trip to the next airport and I was able to relax. You just can’t worry about what the time is… this trip has taken me 28 hours and I am still in the air and a few hours from home still.

I enjoy the challenges. I love watching people. Walking through the LA airport at midnight is like a visit to a cultural expo. As you walk the sounds of different language conversation assails your senses. There are all forms of dress and somehow the sight of a huge athletic man cradling his pillow and blanket in the crook of his arm brings a smile to my face.

Children wander wide eyed at being awake at such an hour and there is a buzz of excitement and exuberance

As I write the man next to me has yawned and given tired groans intermittently for the past hour…. I’m not deaf honey even over the operatic singer playing loudly through my ear buds.

As I look out of the window over green fields… the mighty Murray River snaking through the countryside. It means that I’m only going to be in the air for 5 more minutes.