If there is one great lesson travel teaches me, it’s the ability to adjust.

Adjust to what?

Well, to simply adjust — to anyone, anything, anytime.

The past two weeks, I’ve traveled many thousands of miles across time zones and oceans, four destinations, and have commuted via 8 airplanes in a short span of time.  I had enough time to reflect on this

In an airport, you never know what to expect.  Your wardrobe might be all wrong for the temperature inside the airport.  This trip, the aircon in the Manila airport conked out, and for some reason, even the Narita airport was warm and toasty.

There will be changes at the last minute, and then the collective groan when the pilot’s voice comes through the PA system to apologize that there is only one runway and your plane is #17 for take-off (after which he proceeds to advice you to sit back and relax).

Argh.

Your documents may be questioned for no reason, or you can be beeping through the x-ray machines even if all your buckles and accessories have been removed.

Click the switch and let it go.

Shortly before landing in San Francisco.

In an airplane, you release all control, entrust your life and safety in other people’s hands. It’s not like a subway or car where you can get off the next stop if you aren’t pleased with the way things are going.   You are riding a machine you most likely do not understand and which is maintained by other people you do not know.   Aside from that, you will be sharing a small space with around 200 strangers.  You could be seated beside people who speak too loud, served by a grumpy FA, or patience can be tested by families with frisky kids and crying babies.  It could be a transatlantic flight with company you’re not too keen about for, say, 16-20 hours.

Luckily, I’ve been blessed with happy and pleasant passengers so far and I am very, very, VERY grateful.

And there could be the highlight of the flight: turbulence! I don’t mean little shakes and bumps.  I’m talking about as if someone pressed the pulse button of your blender.

There’s absolutely NOTHING you can do, right?

Click the switch and let it go.

(And pray that it ends instantly and that it’s the last of the rocky patch!)