by Jessica Lynn

The other day, as I was gearing up for yet another flight, someone at my office asked me why I fly, when flying is such a hassle. GOOD question. EASY answer...

I fly to travel the world. I fly to see Buckingham Palace from the top of a double-decker bus in London, ride a bike in Amsterdam, take the slanted elevator ride up the Eiffel Tower, roam the imperial forum in of Rome, and enjoy a river cruise along the Great Mississippi River.

I fly to taste the world. I fly so I can devour an all-American hotdog in New York, discover a traditional English breakfast in Great Britain, eat authentic menudo in Mexico, taste the decadent crepes and cheese in France, and sip sangria in Spain.

I fly to meet people. I fly for the joy of visiting with old friends who have moved away, to strike up a conversation with the person sitting in the seat next to me, and the prospect of meeting someone new and hearing their story.

I fly to shop. I fly to spend my foreign currency at duty-free shops in airports; to collect souvenirs for family and friends; to cash in on that Italian leather purse, an “I Love NY” T-shirt, a necklace made of shells in San Diego, and for the joy of overcoming a language barrier just to get more batteries for my camera.

I fly to go where I have not gone. I still need to see a sunset in Hawaii, the Northern Lights in Alaska, and have a cup o’ joe in Seattle. I want to see koalas and kangaroos in their native land, camels and pyramids in Egypt, the running of the bulls in Spain, and rainforests in South America. I need to see the home of the Olympics in Greece, glide through the canals in Venice, and ride a Vespa in Italy.

I fly to see the world.

Jessica Lynn is an Albuquerque native with a passion for traveling and writing. She’s currently engaged to a man in uniform—an airman in the Air Force—and enjoys constantly flying from New Mexico to Georgia to see him as often as possible. Her addictions include green chile, cupcakes, and spending too much time on wedding web sites—and she promises to enter recovery programs for all three in the coming months.