How to survive airport travel

Air travel is mostly hurry, hurry and then wait. Hurry to get to the airport because of traffic, queues, and other unknowns. Then complete the formalities and just wait. Wait till your plane lands. Wait till your flight number is displayed. Wait till the business class passengers board. Then people with assistance and children. Then gazzilions boarding groups before you can finally step on it.

However, the problem minimizes if you arrive much early. And by much early, I mean much, much early. Arrive much early and move through the airport like the likes of Buddha and Dalai Lama.

But why?! How?! Let me explain:

When there’s a no queue behind, you can expect generosity from the staff behind the check-in counter in the most un-expecting ways. Seats with exit rows and extra leg spaces? No problem. How about the bulkhead seats? No problemo.

Move through the security like the likes of Buddha and Dalai Lama would. Slowly, patiently. With smile. Always with a smile. But not too much. Not near the security.

Once you’re done un-packing and re-packing, taking off and taking on, taking in and taking out on the name of security, nothing stands between you and that plane. You float across the carpeted terminal, smiling like the likes of Buddha and Dalai Lama because you got hours before you can board a plane.

You see a washroom. You urinate with a hitherto calm. You have made it. All the work you could have done at home — the commits, the design or the writing — can be done here. At the airport. Just a bit farther.

Scout for a place without much footfalls and talking heads. Your flight is still a few hours away. Plug your laptop and do the work you would have done at home.

Once you get in the flight, enjoy that extra space – that exit row seat or the bulkhead – like the likes of Buddha and Dalai Lama. Be grateful at the stuff's graciousness and a little bit more forgiving when there's is a queue behind. This is water. You're floating.

You are seated now. Work a bit more of that you have done at home. The work that thrives on disconnection. Read. Or, write on how to survive air travel.