A far away place is only far when you are not there. (Think about that one.) But SKIPPER. Yes, I ran into those SMOKING rooms in NRT and in MNL. I had a few hours to kill in NRT, so I did pop into one of those rooms with the sliding glass doors, and killed some time. I conversed with a couple of GI's from Korea in transit, and I spoke to a guy that was Japanese living in Virginia, going to school there. I told him I first transitted through NRT back in 88 or so, and he said that was the year he was born.
I have flown in the cockpit several times due to work and jumpseating. Nothing like taking off on a 757 up front in the cockpit, feels like a rocket. Once you get airborne, you look down in a few seconds and you're way up there. I guess above all that in the travels, what I like best is the solitude of traveling alone sometimes in the airport. My mind wonders off and I embrace the world I am in to myself. I like to get a cup of coffee in a MSP airport sandwich shop while listening to Rob Thomas and the Streetcorner Symphony play over the audio speakers. My feet tapping away as I look out the window at all the airplanes lined up ready to go somewhere. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaoyodNJFyk) One time I watched TROY POLAMALO rob the SAINTS of a touchdown pass while eating Chicago style pizza in a New York airport. (Lets see if anyone gets this one...)
I discovered something pretty neat the other day I flew to HNL, they had a NONREV list posted on a monitor instead of on a sheet of paper. Yes, when there is no stress, flights are looking good, time is not a factor, alot of vacation days to spend, life is very good as a nonrever.