My mom bought these pills on Amazon: the start to every great story.

Don’t worry they’re “homeopathic and all-natural” whatever that means. And I’m not jet lagged!!

A few days ago, during my travel day that felt like 6 days, I was held captive on my plane and thought about how many stories were sitting on the plane.

Planes hold us frozen in time, flying through the air with each individual living an adventure entirely different from the next. Planes hold stories and depth; each person has a different story of how they were brought to that moment, and where they are going next.

My first new friend: Bob.

Mom, don’t get too excited, he’s 50 years old. But, I boarded the plane in Arkansas headed to DFW about to actually have a panic attack because I thought I was going to miss my flight, have to book all new flights, and arrive in Spain alone without any clothes if I didn’t sprint to my gate upon landing and make it in 10 mins.

So I sat on the plane (on the last row) sweating bullets because I’m wearing half of the clothes that I’m supposed to bring to Sevilla because my bag already weighed 71 pounds …. and this man next to me said hello in an Australian accent. which took me by surprise because an Australian in Arkansas!?

Bob was the best. He told me about life in Australia (seeing koalas, going to the beach) and I taught him all about cheese dip. ALSO he said that Arkansas is hands down the best place in the United States – no lie, tell everyone you know – but he is confused why we have such a big football field for such a bad team…..that was hard to explain.

Anyway, Bob talked to me the whole plane ride and encouraged me that I was going to make my flight and I was going to be okay. An Australian accent just makes everything better. I said mate and he said y’all and it was truly a moment.

Then, I sprinted.

I sat down on the next plane and met a woman headed to spain for her grandmother’s 104th birthday.

She said even though she’s 104, she looks like she’s 80.

Maybe Spain is the fountain of youth?

Or maybe it’s the homeopathic jet lag pills: photo featured above. They definitely look sketchy but they’re magical.

Fast forward lots of hours : I’m in Sevilla.

Before a few days ago, Sevilla was a dot on a map, just a figment of my imagination that I filled with wonderful adventures, beautiful people, and tapas galore. Now it is real.

This is the starting line of the adventure.

Although I think the adventure really started the moment I realized that everyone has a story.

Inma, Jose Maria and Jaime are about to be catapulted into my story, and myself into theirs.

Here we go!!!!!!