MeliGoesRogue

Shall we begin….there have been times I have wanted to start these posts like a stewardess on an aircraft. Advising of the dangers ahead as well as the exit locations and life jackets. There are moments…small moments where sadness can creep. Sometimes its on a mountaintop others its in the back pew of a synagogue. I find the need to honor those moments not because I want to be sad but because to avoid it will only cause further rot. See this is an exit…this is where you kindly thank me for going on this trip but excuse yourself from the continuous monologues I find are necessary to get the fingers against the letters.

We begin where we alway do in an airport, anxious and waiting. This time someone is by my side. I’ve had this countdown going for the last 6 weeks “Europe with Tuti”. Now for the first time this journey won’t be alone. The solemn moments will be few and far between and the wheels that roll will only be those of the train and yet I am filled with excitement.

Normally my travel posts begin once I have arrived to the city and yet the journey to this country requires re-examination. It has been an indicator of the overall vibe of this trip…mind you we are only on day 3. The bulkhead seats that we selected and purchased months ago someone how disappeared behind a new row of seats with a very comfortable and annoyed Russian (I technically don’t know if he was Russian or not and yet my spidey sense aka Shanka, recognized her compatriots and the pure douchebag of it all) His feet perched high upon the wall in front of him and his chair reclined as far back as it would go. As my eyes found the toots the annoyance became palpable. But what were we to do, would we argue and become one of those viral sensation videos that seem to be the norm these days. “Crazy ladies fighting for a seat…an economy seat at that” Nope!

I gently asked if he would move his seat up so we could at least be in our seats before he made us as uncomfortable as he could. He begrudgingly obliged, we took our seats and the case of the giggles began. I’m fairly convinced it was the complaining and the laughing that made the unbearable flight bearable. MIA-LIS began as we ascended and night began to fall. The next time we would see this sun we would be across the Atlantic and everything would be different, we would be different. The Bermuda Triangle ain’t got shit on a woman who crosses an ocean with nothing more than sheer force of will. We would not remained satiated with the small corner of the world that we had been designated. I sat in the most uncomfortable seat with the lingering smell of some pretty terrible food and the unheard of heat of the plane yet I would not have traded that seat for one of great comfort but her not by my side. Other than the sweetest woman who birthed me there is no one I would rather travel with. She is a wall that is always closing in on me and yet never crushes me, every inch that she pushes me I become better, more aware more in desire of change of growth of becoming better. See what I mean about the exits…..this is just the plane ride….!EXIT!

“EIGHT HOURS! LATER!”

So we land and the mad dash begins to get our luggage down and off this plane as quickly as possible. A nice walk would soon reveal the relatively short customs line. Ok let’s stop here for a moment. You know what they say about first impressions. Portugal gave me their best, let’s be clear the men in Miami and in the US that I have seen really don’t hold any kind of candle to the men on this side of the world. The words in the English language give not reverence to the beauty of God’s hand. Instead all I can seem to find is “Arequipe”. Let’s not linger here anymore, I hate thinking that I left the love of my life back in Customs. We continued on the catch our next flight LIS-VIE. Having been highly annoyed at the confusion of the seats we quickly logged onto the airline and changed to the magical first row that just seemed to appear when it damn well pleased. A bus took us to our plane where I lovingly lifted my way too heavy for a carry on suitcase. We found ourselves sandwiched between another pair of men…my kind of sandwich.

You know that feeling when your tired of being tired….I got to that point at about minute 22 of the flight. Which is not very helpful when there is about 2hrs and 38 min left. I sunk down in the chair and lifted my feet the same way the man I despised had ( I’m cuter so it’s ok) and soon enough we landed. But of course we were closer but not enough – we made our way to the train station and boarded our next and I thought final leg. As the train filled up and began to chug along the crazies began to come out, not in the they are funny and crazy but more the Are you freaking kidding me. I digress…almost literally. Finally the train stops and we disembark.

Another moving vessel awaits us yet as soon as we board soon our exit is announced and there we stand before our home for the next few days.

I’ll be back tomorrow and we can catch up on the last two days. I’m going to need a lot of coffee!

Day 1…Done