I still vividly remember my first real trip.
It was early March 2011. My friends and I booked a super cheap flight to London for a one-night trip (we’d be back the following afternoon). At the time, Ryanair was offering incredibly cheap flights from Italy, making it possible for broke students like us to jump at the chance. If I’m not mistaken, I paid just 19€ for a round trip to London. Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to take many trips and collect some stories along the way.
The sole purpose of these stories is to keep them alive in my memory over time. They are the best souvenirs I’ve ever brought home, and I’m so fond of them that I wanted to write them down, to make sure I never forget.
Sleeping at the Airport Link to heading
I think every traveler experiences this at some point. For me, it happened during a unique moment in my life, when a single night spent in an airport served as a bridge between two important events. But let me start from the beginning.
In February 2023, I began a new job at an Israeli cybersecurity company. I was incredibly excited (I’d never worked for an international company before). I met great people from all over the world and had the opportunity to visit a country as magnificent as it is controversial, as Israel. That trip was planned for May, just a few months after I started.
Meanwhile, my brother was preparing for his wedding in August. I had the honor of being one of his witnesses. Now, I’m not sure what the tradition is in other countries, but in Italy, the witness is usually responsible for organizing the groom’s bachelor party. Trust me: planning a bachelor party abroad for 15 people is no joke.
After a few months at the company, came the big announcement: “We’re going to host a team-building retreat in Tel-Aviv.” I was thrilled, finally, I’d get to meet my colleagues in person and visit a country I’d only known through video calls. But then came the problem: the retreat dates overlapped with the bachelor party. I was torn. On one side, a professional experience I had always dreamed of. On the other hand, one of the most important moments in my brother’s life. I couldn’t miss either, so I made it work. From Saturday to Thursday, I’d be in Israel for the retreat. From Friday to Sunday, I’d be in Barcelona for the bachelor party. In between, I’d spend one night sleeping at Rome Fiumicino airport.
On the day of departure from Tel-Aviv, I arrived at Ben-Gurion Airport three hours early, as my colleagues had strongly advised. You’d be surprised how long it takes to leave Israel. I went through several security checks, had to empty my suitcase, and even watched my (very visibly transparent) glasses go through a metal detector (🤔).
After surviving all of that, I flew back to Rome and landed at 22:15. My next flight, to Barcelona, was at 9:50 the next morning. So I spent over 11 hours at the airport. Needless to say, it wasn’t the most comfortable experience, but it was worth it!