having spent a lot of time in airports in my life, i have come to believe that there are two types of people in this world: those that walk on moving sidewalks, and those that stand still.
take a wild guess: which category do i fall into?
moving sidewalks are distantly related to escalators, and they are also called ‘people movers’, ‘travelators’, or ‘moving walkways’. the first one was developed for the 1893 world’s fair in chicago. i have a deep long-standing affection for moving sidewalks. i find them endlessly satisfying. i love how efficient it feels, and how you can really get into the rhythm when there are a few in a row. i love it when i get my timing right and i don’t even miss a step getting on or off. in toronto, there was even a turbo speed moving sidewalk that was noisy and clunky but allowed people to walk at 12 km/hour! (unfortunately, the last two times i have been there it has been closed: too dangerous? or just out of order? SUCH a loss!)
this week, i was flying from ottawa to genoa, italy. i had been home in canada for a very quick visit with friends and family, a secret wedding (not my own), a dozen appointments to reconnect with my team of practitioners as well as an immunotherapy infusion. we are 10 days into summer vacation, and i have been busy reclaiming my life. but… that is for another post.
in order to get from ottawa to genoa, i had to make two stops: in montreal, and in munich. from the get-go, the flight from ottawa was delayed. first by 30 minutes, and then 10 more waiting for a weight and balance issue to be sorted out (which, is never overly comforting on those smaller planes!). i had a short connection in montreal, so i knew this could be problematic. i’ve never been one to stress about travel mishaps, and now, with my newfound cancer perspective, i was unusually calm. was it life or death? no? okay, then it was not worth making a fuss. when we landed in montreal, i had 12 minutes to make my connection. i’m not overly familiar with the montreal airport, but i had a surge of energy. i thought, maybe i can make it?! i was first to deplane, and i started sprinting. i slowed down when i saw a pilot and i called out: “how far is gate A59?” his answer? “pretty far”. my stomach sank, but i sped up and kept going. now: to give some context. as you know, i’m currently on cancer treatment. i have been regular with yoga and done lots of walking/light jogging. but running? sprinting? especially lugging a carry on backpack that would definitely be over the weight limit? i raced down the stairs, and through a tunnel with a moving sidewalk that was blissfully free of people. as i ran full-tilt, a movie soundtrack was playing in my mind. i sped back up the escalators following signs to the A gates. i can’t remember much after this point, because i entered a cloud of exercise-induced exhaustion. it was no longer cinematic. it was a disaster. my calves started tightening, i couldn’t breath, but i refused to stop. as i approached the next set of moving sidewalks i yelled, “excuse me, coming through”, and i passed an inordinate number of people STANDING on the moving sidewalk, blocking me, slowing me down, causing me to lose my speed (which, to be honest, had slowed considerably… but still).
STANDING? on a moving sidewalk? okay. let’s break this down. i totally get it in very particular cases: do you have a disability, or are you injured? then yes, of course you can stand. are you slightly fatigued? it’s a stretch, but i’ll allow it. people all over asia stand on moving sidewalks. i’ve NEVER understood this. WHY? as seinfeld said, “it’s not a ride!” and if you are going to stand, then stand on the right so that people can walk by on the left. how has this not become a part of the international rules of travel etiquette? what am i missing? there are so many more comfortable places to take a rest! like a bench, or a restaurant, for example.
i passed duty free, passed gate 40 something, and then eventually got to the 50s. i was using every single ounce of energy i could muster. at one point i stopped to walk, and catch my breath, and then i heard my own voice talking OUT LOUD, encouraging myself to continue. i saw gate 58, and there was construction blocking the next signs. i got to gate 60. WHAT? where was gate 59? how could i have missed it?! i backtracked, searching behind the construction, and there it was. i sprawled across the counter, huffing and puffing, barely able to say my name. “the gate is closed,” they said. “NO!” i replied, ” i ran SO far. ALL THIS WAY!” i also wanted to say, “and i am on cancer treatment, and it is quite possible that i will collapse the moment you let me on that plane”, but i conveniently left that part out. they weren’t pleased about it, but they did let me on the plane. my luggage likely wouldn’t make it to europe, but i would.
my assumption is that people who walk on moving sidewalks are people like me. people who will sprint for a plane that they have almost no chance of catching. people who like to feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. perhaps people who tend towards productivity, who prefer to rest in more comfortable settings, and who generally like to get where they are going.
and people that stand on moving sidewalks? i have no idea. i don’t talk to them. i’m too busy walking past.
*after a year of mostly standing still and not spending much time on airplanes, i’m back on the road. i spent 7 months in ottawa, and then 5 months solely based in bangkok. perhaps i have planned a bit too much, but it is nice to be saying YES to life after a year of having to say ‘not right now’. this photo was taken in china, on an early flight from chengdu and jiuzhaigou in april 2014. nothing makes me happier than taking on life again: planes, trains & moving sidewalks.
