Departure from Boston

I flew out of Boston's Logan International Airport at 5:25PM on Wednesday, Nov 19th, 2009. It was the start of an excellent adventure and a journey I'd never taken before. Sure, I'd been to Europe before, a few times actually, but this was very different. No travel buddies, no fancy hotel rooms, a semi-strict budget...all factors I'd never dealt with before. The worries of protecting my money and identification, the hassle of packing clothes to get me through 3 weeks without laundry, figuring out my way through the European rail system, not speaking any of the 3 languages I was about to encounter...yet, I knew this experience would be an opportunity not to be missed. However self-conscious I was about being alone, I was going to push that aside and really enjoy myself for the next 3 weeks.


Thanks to my Cohasset Softball jacket, I meet a couple going to Paris for their anniversary who happen to live right near me and know one of the families on my lane. When the wife asks her husband where they are sitting and he says "2A and B" I can only turn my head and smile...of course they're flying first class, they're from Cohasset. Me, I'm satisfied with my frequent flyer ticket: seat 43K. Coach class for the win!

43K is a window seat, which normally I wouldn't be thrilled about but since the seat is part of a pair, it's not bad. That makes only one person I will have to ask to get up. I have a beautiful view of the back of the wing and of the sun setting behind Logan Airport.


We aren't delayed and take off on time. We're served dinner which isn't bad and the options for movies on our personal television screens is enormous. So many summer movies and old classics to choose from. I watch "Night at the Museum 2," which I'm not afraid to admit I like, and then lean back and try and catch some shut-eye. Sleep comes and goes in intervals. During a moment of consciousness, I open the window shade and look out...all I see are stars, thousands of beautiful, gorgeous stars as we fly over an ocean of clouds. As I stare in amazement I see one shoot across the sky. I don't recall seeing a shooting star before, but this one I will not forget. I gaze out for a few moments longer then reluctantly close the shade. If I'm going to enjoy my first day I will need rest. I slip on my headphones, start my "Glee" playlist and lay back as we soar over the Atlantic Ocean. Destination: Paris.