Getting away...

I have found a perfect spot. The wifi is free and I can write and watch people passing by. There was a young kid playing the cello and I am thankful he is gone. Good luck to him and whatever he was preparing for. His piece was melancholic and I was beginning to consider leaving this cozy spot. I am impressed with Helsinki airport. Everything is super modern and open and friendly. As usual, I had not planned properly for my trip. I have a one way ticket. I did my laundry yesterday night and just put my clothes straight from the dryer into my luggage. I can not tell you, what is in it. The only important thing for me was my swimming suit. Everything else, can be winged. I feel bad about not telling my friends that I was gonna leave but ....I don't know, I just wanted to get away.

I almost missed my flight. I was too optimistic as usual. I ended up having to get my lugguage in some special track and running with my boarding pass with everybody shaking their heads and saying "its late" and me saying "I know". I suppose my name had been announced enough times because as I ran to the gate, the women there called me by name. I was sweating and breathing hard...one of the women smiled at me and said,

"Take it easy, just walk down now, no need to run, you can take a newspaper too"

 " Oh, I have time for that?" I asked incredulously

With that new information, I can tell you that I took my time choosing a newspaper and walked at a snail's pace to the plane.

The problem with cheap tickets is that you have long assed layovers in airports that you would never pass through otherwise.

So here I am, in Helsinki. Across me, sits three generations of an Indian family. The grandmother is combing the granddaughter's hair. A man has pulled off his shoes and slumped in exhaustion on the chairs beside them. I am hungry and trying to decide if the restaurant opposite is worth my money. For soup and salad it seems like a rip off. However, I just loaded my bag with chocolates and booze for my hosts so I feel a bit hypocritical not wanting to spend money on food for myself.

I have two hours more. I have bought a book, taken a nap, gone to the toilet, had coffee, and now I am online.

I would like to eat just chips and mayonnaise.


Well, back to observing people.