I Should be Sleepig

Once again I’m about 35,000 feet (thanks dad, I’m pretty sure it’s not that many miles) in the air. This time I’m on my way back to Los Angeles and sadly leaving Hawaii. I just don’t want to leave that beautiful weather behind, especially the beach lifestyle and the big surf. Before flying out this evening Craig and Gaudencia treated me to some great Korean food where we stuffed ourselves and then walked around Honolulu to see the beautiful Christmas decorations. And I have to say, it’s going to be really sad to miss most of winter this year. A Christmas without snow is hard to imagine.

So… I should be sleeping. But I’m not. To be honest, I probably don’t get nearly enough sleep on this trip. I’ll be arriving in Los Angeles at 6:30 AM on only a few hours of sleep. The problem is, when I’m in work mode I don’t let myself stop. Flying is such a good way to get work done. I have no distractions, I can’t go anywhere, I can be on my computer and not get distracted by going online, and there is nobody to bug me. Maybe I’ll just fly all over. Maybe I’ll start the airport documentaries, go airport to airport without leaving, talking to travelers all over the world. I might be able to last a couple months doing that without leaving an airport, how cool would that be. See, the ideas get crazier, well, but this is Travis’ idea.

This morning I was reading the newspaper and they asked a few people on the street what they want for Christmas. One younger woman replied that she wants to travel all over the world and is working hard and saving money so she can. It hit me right away. I’m only a kid, just 23, and I’m one of the most fortunate people in the world to be able to do what I’m doing and have acquired the support I have. I’m becoming more driven to make this project great for everyone else. Just about everywhere I go I hear people say, “I don’t want to go into work today,” and make the usual groans and moans about the work thing. To be honest and put my feelings out there, I feel a little guilty. My best buddy Devon is working 60-80 hours a week on Wall Street. My friends back at MSU are busting their butts on finals. The people I stay with have to get up early and go to work every day. By no means have I taken one day of this for granted and I am driven to make a final product that I can return to everyone. I’m driven to somehow give something big back to everyone.

So yeah, it’s just a few closing thoughts on Hawaii. I have a lot of respect for my Hawai’I hosts Craig and Gaudencia. They are very hardworking. It was unfortunate with the timing that they didn’t have time to show me around personally and hang out with me. But at the end of a stay when someone tells me, “You’re welcome back anytime and we would love to have you again,” it just wraps up the entire experience. It doesn’t matter if it’s just an hour, I’m thankful for anything a person can offer. They were very generous to have me so long, which I didn’t intend to be at one host for so long. And yes, Gaundencia, I will try to remember to have a Navaho Taco in New Mexico and take pictures of the Rockies.