I was traveling for a couple of weeks last month. I spent a lot of time in airports. In each one I had time on my hands. As a result I wrote at least one post in each of the airports, which I will post over the next few days. After that, castles and Roman ruins and some things that will surprise you and (I hope) interest you.

I hate traveling.

Given that so much of this blog is travel-oriented you may find that hard to believe. But it is true.

Al airports are beginning to look alike to me, and at the beginning of the trip I wasn’t paying that close attention. I think this is Ottawa – and if not it is Montreal, where tomorrow’s post was written.

I enjoy discovering new places. I love learning history and culture I didn’t know before. I can even like meeting new people; as much as an introvert can enjoy meeting any people. What I dislike is not the destination but the process involved in getting there.

I am writing this from the Ottawa airport, where I am waiting for a flight. I have an hour to go until boarding. The flight will be 20 minutes. But I had to be here early because there is no way to tell how long it will take to check your bags and go through security. Just one of the joys of modern air travel.

This won’t be my only time waiting on this journey. I’ll have a ninety minute wait in Montreal, then board my flight to Switzerland. Not a direct flight though; I’ll be waiting again in Frankfurt for three hours before my last 45 minute flight (of this leg of the trip). The good news is that I have been told I will go through the passport check in Frankfurt. I’m not sure exactly what that means for my arrival in Basel – that’s where my luggage is supposed to wind up.

I could bemoan the inconvenient flight times, but with different time zones there will always be some inconvenience. My return trip, ten days hence will start at 3:45 a.m. Earlier than that actually; that’s the flight time. It’s longer than the outgoing trip (other flights in the interval) and to get back home will take 16 hours travel time. In the air. And who knows how long at airports, waiting.

It’s not just the inconvenience of air travel though, it is all the preparations before any trip that I find exhausting. What to bring? (No computer on this trip, I waffled back and forth about that for a month.) What will the weather be like? How much money should I be carrying, or do they take credit cards? (More on credit cards tomorrow.)

What about all the things that need to be done at home while I am gone? Who will water the plants and feed the cats? Does that even matter – I don’t do either when I am home. Did I remember to pay all the bills that will come due while I am gone? Did I remember to cancel the newspaper?

I am not a worrier, but I have realized that the anticipation of travel is stressful for me. I don’t know why, but that “why” is irrelevant – I just need to learn how to deal with it.

What works (for me anyway) is lots of thought, considering all the possibilities and coming up with the proverbial “Plan B.” What if the plane is late? What if the train is cancelled? What if the highway is closed? What do you do then?

I laughed when my wife went to Jordan the first time. The trip organizer was supremely prepared for any eventuality. I did read the document he prepared, but I don’t remember all the details. I do remember that he had identified eight different possible escape routes out of the country, “just in case.” That may have been a little bit much – but I had friends who literally walked across Liberia in 1990 when the rebels seized Monrovia. Better to be prepared and not have to use the plans.

So I’m well prepared for this trip. Everything that needed to be done beforehand got done (I think). Now I can go line up for my flight.

Written in Ottawa at Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, May 20, 2015.