Flip Flops – My Favorite Shoes – Creative Writing Essay
As I was picking through my shoes, I came across a pair of slightly beat up flip flops. I had unwisely bought the cute white pair, but after wearing them for three days straight in Sydney and the beach, they had turned from a bright white to a dull grayish brown. This was a
disturbing thought because I had never realized how dirty my feet got in the city. They were great to walk around in beacasue they were bendy and flexible, and my feet and toes sunk into them, making me feel like I was in barefeet without walking on the scalding pavement. The bad thing about these shoes was that they gave me angry red blisters that throbbed. The plastic part of the shoe that anchored my foot to the bottom is what caused the blisters. Soon after the blisters formed, they would peel away and leave no remnant except a flake of skin that had partially come off. So, I would forget all about the pain they caused and wear them again. I repeated this cycle throughout my three week stay in Australia. By the end of my trip, my skin had toughened up and I felt nothing at all. Proudly and painlessly, I wore them on the plane trip home. .
Never beforehad I taken such a long trip. I now realize that the number one priority when travleing is comfort. I discovered this soon after arriving at the Detroit Airport. If you do not like crowds of people, then the airport is not the place for you. People with luggage twice their own weight, with crying children, bored of waiting in line, people exasperated with life and with the ticket people who were constantly clattering away on their keyboards, relaying information at top speed. I became hot and sweaty in my jacket while waiting in line. My bookbag, filled with 14 hours of entertainment (hopefully), dug torturously into my shoulders. I could not take off my jacket because already I was carrying the bookbag, my purse, my e-tickets, and a small bag around my neck that held money for emergencies. If I took off my jacket, it would just be one more thing to carry. I smiled suddenly as the wafting smell of gooey cinnamon came towards me. I looked around, hopeful for a Cinnabon place, my mouth already watering at the thought of the melted white icing, the warm, soft dough and sticky and sweet cinnamon. My smile quickly left and a frown took place as I saw the person behind me in line pull out the bun, and sinking his teeth joyfully in it.
Oh, progress! The line had moved forward a half an inch. I was starting to feel intensly claustorphobic. Not only were all my bags pressing into me, but I was surrounded with people on all sides, chattering in multiple langueages and different pitches ranging from the extremly high voiced woman on my left to the deep voiced man two suitcases behind me who looked, frankly, like a lion. My hair was in my eyes and face, making it hard for me to breath and see. My watch seemed to restrict the movement of my wrist. Noticing the discomfort my watch was causing me, I glanced down at it. Two more hours til we departed from the metropolis of Detroit!
Fast foward that scene an hour and a half. Amazingly, in a mere ninety minutes, I had progressed through the entire ticket line, the line in the airport restaurant for breakfast, and made it through the maze of escalators and moving sidewalks to securtiy. Airport security always has a specail talent for making you feel like a potential bomber, or someone who has stuck a knife down your sock, waiting for the opportune moment to attack the pilot. Pious-looking officials call you through the metal detector, and will pull you aside if you have so much as nailclippers, or, if you are like the little old lady in front of me, small scissors used for cutting thread. Or possibly, according to security, kill the flight attendents, pilot, and take control of the plane. Aside from feeling like I was going through an x-ray, I got through security with no trouble at all.
Finally….the waiting room! Through the large windows, I could see the plane I was going to be a passenger on. It was a smaller plane, taking me from Michigan to Dallas, and then from Dallas to California. I waited through the P.A. annoucements that first class should board. Then more people with better tickets than I. Then finally, I was called to board. I got my bags, and headed through the suspended hallway to the plane’s entrance. I was greeted with a courteous smile from the attendants and wished a safe and happy trip.
Two plane trips across America later, and I was on the Quantas flight, heading farther away from my home then ever before ! I was awed as I walked onto the plane. It was much larger than I had ever expected. I am sure my mouth was hanging open as I boarded. As soon as I stepped foot on the plane, I heard an important electonical buzzing sound, that continued throughout the rest of the trip. It sounded something like a very loud air conditioner. I think now it may have been the engine. The seats in economy were nice and plush, and I was given a thin, pancake like pillow and an equally thin blanket. A TV screen was on the seat ahead of me, with a selection of radio, music, movies, and Australian TV. I could also view the time, temparatue, distance from my locatation, and the remaing amount of time. After the chaotic moments of everyone trying to simaltaneously shove their too large bags into the overhead compartments, things settled down and various announcements about safety were made. Then, we began our trip!
We cautiously wheeled out onto the take off strip, following the little men clothed in violently orange vests. The plane gathered speed, and we lifted off ! I felt slightly queesy. My ears started to pop, which was very annoying because I felt cut off from the rest of the world, like I am deaf. I can ownly partially hear other people and as a resualt I start to talk very loudly, in addition to obnoxiously popping gum and dramitcally yawning to get my ears back to normal. When we approached our steady hieght, my ears went back to normal and I realized I was insanely exhausted. I put on my headphones and drifted off into sleep.