Airport Wi-fi (written in Madison, posted in Sheraton Hotel, Crystal City, VA)

I thought a new era was upon me; I am at the Dane County airport and was ready to use their wi-fi to make my first ever blog post from the airport. Come to find out, it would cost me $7 for access. For real? Isn’t there a Starbucks somewhere around?

One of my favorite parts of travel has always been a whole day to slow down and do nothing all day but write in my journal, read a good book, scavenge for paper copies of the New York Times, or treat myself to a copy of the Economist. Sometimes, just sitting and people watching is entertainment enough. This morning, when I saw that Airport Wi-Fi sign, I was ready to put that era to rest. Ready to pull my laptop out and focus on the computer screen so that all cities today (Madison, Detroit, Washington DC, or Crystal City) all the people look the same, chiefly because I am not seeing them. The character of each city would be lost on me, as I lose myself in the digital world.

Today I am grateful that not every corner of the world is connected to the internet, and that I packed my copy of The Poisonwood Bible in my carry on luggage.