I have never been a big fan of New York's JFK International Airport. It runs a close race with Los Angeles' LAX for my least favorite American airport and is on my short list of airports-to-avoid globally.
But it does have a special place in my traveling heart.
It was a hot and sticky day in late August 1996 when I landed at JFK from Columbus with a large suitcase and a large down coat embarking on my first international trip -- a semester in Russia. I still remember nearly passing out from the heat as I waited for the inter-terminal transfer bus (for some reason, I thought it was a good idea to WEAR the down coat while lugging my enormous suitcase). I must have looked utterly ridiculous.
I sat for several hours in the Delta Terminal waiting for the other members of my study group to join for an evening departure. It was the beginning of a life-transforming experience.
It was a year later when I again found myself at JFK boarding a direct flight to Moscow -- by myself. This was one of the scariest moments of my life, as no one was meeting me on the other end and this was long before the days of the new Sheremet'evo and the Aeroexpress Trains. Although I probably paid a bit more than I should have for a taxi upon arrival in Moscow, all was well and it was the beginning of another amazing experience.
I've passed through here many times since, coming and going from many points around the world. While I vastly prefer the experience of entering or departing the US in Detroit (with the soft roar of the air train and the jumping water fountain) or Minneapolis (with its classical music piped into the bathrooms) or even Chicago (where else has a full-scale dinosaur skeleton!), JFK will always be filled with memories.
Where to? Tomorrow morning will find me in Dakar, Senegal, where I will spend four days before traveling on to Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Looking forward to being back in West Africa. Not looking forward to another 10 days away from home.
But it does have a special place in my traveling heart.
It was a hot and sticky day in late August 1996 when I landed at JFK from Columbus with a large suitcase and a large down coat embarking on my first international trip -- a semester in Russia. I still remember nearly passing out from the heat as I waited for the inter-terminal transfer bus (for some reason, I thought it was a good idea to WEAR the down coat while lugging my enormous suitcase). I must have looked utterly ridiculous.
I sat for several hours in the Delta Terminal waiting for the other members of my study group to join for an evening departure. It was the beginning of a life-transforming experience.
It was a year later when I again found myself at JFK boarding a direct flight to Moscow -- by myself. This was one of the scariest moments of my life, as no one was meeting me on the other end and this was long before the days of the new Sheremet'evo and the Aeroexpress Trains. Although I probably paid a bit more than I should have for a taxi upon arrival in Moscow, all was well and it was the beginning of another amazing experience.
I've passed through here many times since, coming and going from many points around the world. While I vastly prefer the experience of entering or departing the US in Detroit (with the soft roar of the air train and the jumping water fountain) or Minneapolis (with its classical music piped into the bathrooms) or even Chicago (where else has a full-scale dinosaur skeleton!), JFK will always be filled with memories.
Where to? Tomorrow morning will find me in Dakar, Senegal, where I will spend four days before traveling on to Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Looking forward to being back in West Africa. Not looking forward to another 10 days away from home.
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