The process of coming home is a complex one, made complicated by the messed up nature of the human condition when confronted with the prospect of a new reality.
It’s been over eight months since I left my former reality behind, left home shores and pursued a long held dream. As time grew closer to return, my attitude changed. I thought more about what lies ahead, worried about things generally out of my control, and lost sight of the daily opportunities. Some things didn’t escape my enjoyment and it wasn’t completely wasted time. Compared with the early days of the trip, they could have been better utilized, but I’m not going to dwell. No time like the present.
Another part of the process of coming home involves boarding a plane that actually leaves. Mechanical problems once we were in the air on our scheduled departure forced a return to Santiago after we dumped around 130 tons of fuel over the Pacific Ocean. Not something you generally expect to see streaming out of the wings of a 747-400 jumbo jet. The ensuing situation meant a night in Santiago at a plush hotel, meals provided and another tilt the next day.
A bubble bath, nice sleep in a big bed, buffet breakfast, transfer to the airport…and almost 11.5 hour wait-plus-delay, we are now in the air towards Melbourne. Yes, Sydney was the original destination, but the curfew has forced a diversion. So perhaps Saturday is my new home arrival day. Perhaps. At least I’ll be in the right country.
This process, situation, outcome – and the reactions of people – has opened my eyes. Mob mentality ensued as the delay stretched on amid an almost complete lack of communication from ground crew. Chanting for the manager, human sculpture into an impressive unhappy face and general public displays of abhorrent human nature by a sizable contingent of passengers were amusing for a while. It did get ridiculous and I saw how people can get very infuriated by the smallest of details, to the extent they can’t see the big picture. Blow that up to a regular event and you can observe people using tunnel vision everyday instead of thinking of the whole idea. A timely reminder any day of the week.