This time tomorrow night she would finally be there,
lugging her suitcase from the taxi to the hotel lobby
You can always tell a tourist from a local, because of the expression of wonder on their face
instead of a face that says ‘I must get from A to B and complete tasks C, D and E’
Oh how she loved to fly!
Booking a ticket, packing and then repacking,
anticipating and planning, receiving her crisp new boarding pass
and floating like a bird, between layers of puffy soft clouds
But especially that magical first view of the coastline or cityscape
as the wheels unfolded beneath the aircraft, above an unexplored destination
And then, of course a fresh new stamp in her passport
Documented proof that the adventure had actually happened