One of the many perks of this airline career is the ability visit friends I might not get to see very often. The trip I was working had me landing in Los Angeles and then enjoying 24 hours before my next departure. Luckily, my friend Stephen and his lovely wife Antonia who lived in the area were around that day, and plans were made to meet up.
Stephen was also based in San Juan, Puerto Rico with me back in 2011. We were flying a classic island aircraft, the ATR-72. The old girl had two huge propellers and didn’t go very fast, but she could stop on short runways, and was a blast to fly. In usual airline fashion, this type of flying was just a stepping stone in a career, and Stephen later got a job flying the formidable Boeing 747. We have been lucky enough to keep in touch despite the years and the distance that an airline life can create.
It was really great to visit friends I rarely get to see, and who are just epic people. At some point, we decided to go on a hike in the evening as the sun set on the Pacific Ocean. This seemed like the perfect time to try out some light painting. Stephen and Antonia were willing participants in the long exposures that ensued.
At the time, they were expecting a baby of unknown gender, and as such, had affectionately named the little one “Baby N.” After a few tries, Stephen was able to spell out the name within his 30 second window. Quite a feat when you consider he had to visualize the text AND write it backwards.
I was sad to go, but happy to have met up with them again. That’s the thing about travel, it can be a bummer to leave, but often times, it makes the reunion even better.
