Arrivals

I love the arrivals lounge at the airport. I say lounge but really in our local teeny airport it's more of an arrivals hallway, which looks very much look a school hall and even smells kinda like one too. It's not glamorous at all, but it's still cool, because arrivals have this really excited vibe about them. You're waiting for someone to arrive! Usually you're really looking forward to that person arriving so there's excitement and that kind of happy bubbly feeling inside when you've got good anticipation going on. There's also the jaded people, who are probably at the airport all the time and are just like yeah, whatever. And there's the drivers with their little cardboard signs with names. So much good people watching!

I don't often get to pick Dave up from the arrivals hallway as he often flies from a different airport but this past week, I was one of the excited people waiting for my arrival. Each time the doors slid open, I was ready with my big cheesy welcome home smile. Those doors are mad, it's like something out of Stars in Your Eyes - tonight Matthew, I will be...Mr Jaded Businessman, with a scowl on my face because no-one is here to meet me. Or maybe I'll be Mrs I've Only Got My Handbag with me as I have a huge apartment in Amsterdam where I keep all my expensive clothes (I had to stop using capitals there...too much!). I love waiting and trying to decide what everyone's back story is and why they are flying into our dinky little airport.

It took quite a while for my arrival to arrive as there was some sort of problem with the luggage. So all the I only fly with hand luggage people came through the magic Stars in Your Eyes doors pretty quickly. Then there was a really long wait before all of a sudden a flurry of people started coming through. There were hugs and kisses, grumpy faces, one little girl was excitedly waiting for her dad and when he emerged through the door and saw her, they simultaneously broke out into a massive shit eating grin (him) and shouted "Daddy!" and started running at top speed to reach him (her) - oh I love it all, such a heart warming place to be.

I'm getting ready to do it all over again next week. I already can't wait, and not only because Dave will be home after yet another week away for work. More people watching, more tall tales to make up to pass the time away, more heart warming greetings and general delight - arrivals are the best!