TRAVEL. INSPIRATION.

My Soul is in the Sky

Flying again — because it’s what I love doing

I’m high above a layer of fluffy clouds. Ice crystals have formed on the window. The sun is shining but I can see big cloud formations reaching high in the distance. The plane is making a big detour around those towers of white fluff.

“It’s only when you’re flying above it that you realize how incredible the Earth really is.” — Philippe Perrin

We’re on our way to Portugal. It’s a trip for work but we’re excited regardless of it. I’ve been only once to Portugal and that was years ago on a beach holiday. My husband has never been to the country.

We love to travel and take any opportunity we get to explore a new place. It’s been a few turbulent weeks since we got back from our short trip to Sweden. My parents have visited in between and we had our first busy weekend at work. I’ve fallen behind with my articles and haven’t sent out a newsletter in weeks.

As seasonal workers in the tourism sector, our last two years have rather been unpredictable. We’re jumping out of planes for a living and I only write as a side hustle. This side hustle has carried us surprisingly through the tough months of the pandemic but now the income from writing has slowed and I am happy my full-time job is earning me a living again.

We left this morning at 3:30 am and drove across the empty highway toward the new Berlin airport. Not that I have been to the old one before but really it was a disappointment. As seasoned travelers, we’ve seen and experienced a lot.

The whole airport was nothing to show. The ventilation system must have been off because despite the early hour of the day it was beating hot inside the building. The security checkpoints were a disaster. It wasn’t even anything like the holiday season and we stood forever in the line.

People were running around left right and center not knowing where to go. Travelers were late for their flights and not once did I hear an announcement over the intercom.

We boarded the small plane with a maximum of 100 passengers of the Portuguese airline called TAP Air and did not understand the flight attendants' English. Luckily we know the safety briefings by heart by now.

The seat belt sign has been on now for at least an hour and it doesn’t look like I will be able to go to the bathroom anytime soon. We had hit some bad turbulence as we were flying around those massive clouds. This is surely not a smooth flight even for people like us who sit every day in small airplanes.

Looking out of the window I’d say we’ve reached Spain. The country looks dry and very flat. Last year was the first time I visited Spain and that was early in the year sometime in April. This time we’ll only fly above the country on our way to Lisbon.

I’ve seen two planes through the window already. One below us flying in the opposite direction and one above us. I guess air traffic is increasing again. It’s a good sign. A good sign for all those working in tourism.

Just as I am writing this another plane comes into my view.

A cloud layer is moving in taking my view of the country.

I love clouds. Since becoming a skydiver I’ve learned a lot about different types of clouds and meteorology in general. I love watching clouds from below and above. I’ve fallen through clouds and know they can hurt when moist. Rain or ice doesn’t feel nice at 200 kph.

The pilot just announced more upcoming turbulences while I am taking one more picture of the stunning view from up here. The cloud layer is broken up again and the orange-brown-red soil of the Spanish countryside is visible again. I can see tiny villages and winding roads through the hillsides. Soft cotton ball clouds are characterizing now the view out of my window.

I used the time sorting through my pictures and we’ve started our descent now. We must have arrived above Portuguese soil but clouds are blocking my view so far. We’re expecting a rather turbulent and bumpy descent looking at those cloud layers we have to fly through.

The first villages appear surrounded by clouds. The country looks greener compared to the dry Spanish fields. I see lots of forests. And clouds are blocking my view again.

This is Lisbon. The capital of Portugal and our destination. We’re descending.

We have arrived.

And again another adventure is opening up.

“If you want to fly, give up everything that weighs you down.” — Buddha

Check out as well Nella DiCarlo's submission to the June monthly challenge: “Water Views, Wandering, and Wellbeing”

Read more about my travels around the world:

Join my email list here if you would like to read more photo essays or sign up for the Medium membership to receive unlimited access to my and other writers’ stories out here (I will receive a commission fee in return).