I spend quite some time at airports as I am often dropping Arnold off at them then collecting him when he has to go off and do some business abroad. Many people might see these places as living nightmares, and as a fellow tourist I agree, but if you stand back and do some people watching next time you are in an arrivals terminal you might get a whole new perspective.

Arrivals and Departures are two places in an airport that are really quite emotional places to be. You see people saying goodbye to friends, family members…loved ones. They might be saying goodbye for just a few weeks or months…or they might be saying goodbye for years, or even forever. So you will often see some very emotional scenes.

In Arrivals you see the opposite side of the coin…people, friends, family members and loved ones are arriving! they are meeting up with people they have not seen for weeks, months, or even years and the tears certainly do flow. And you will notice a difference in the human responses depending which country you are in. In Spain and Italy the people really do give full vent to their emotions…in France the people are more restrained and controlled; in the UK loved ones are met or left with a hug and a kiss. In Australia emotions go as far as a big pat on the back and a hug.

It’s all different, as people everywhere are different. But I have stood and watched heartbreaking departures and heartwarming reunions…airports definitely have an emotional side to them.