I AM RIDING on the employee parking lot bus at the Tampa airport, my workday finally over. The bus is packed with other employees ending their shifts. It has been a very long day for me, a turnaround, four flights in and out of various airports, Tampa-Atlanta-Milwaukee-Tampa, with several long sits (waiting around between flights) making my day even longer.

I AM DRIVING across the border from Croatia into Montenegro with Djordie, my guide, and Josef, the driver of this small, slightly ramshackle car.

A PILOT IS TELLING me about his job interview at Flying Tigers. A huge freight airline, we also have a tiny passenger branch, a charter for the US military. We take troops to air force bases all over the world.

I AM WATCHING a performance of the National Bunraku Theatre in Osaka, Japan. Everyone in the theatre is Japanese but me. The English translation of the storyline is softly channeling through the headset on my ears. I am enthralled.

I AM STANDING at the aircraft door. We have landed, taxiied to the gate, my door disarmed and ready to open. I wait for the gate agent to give me a thumbs up through the window, indicating the jetway is in place, the door can be safely opened, passengers can deplane.

I AM WAITING for the captain to arrive. It is the day after Thanksgiving and we are in San Diego with a fully boarded airplane. The entire crew is here except for the captain. No one knows where he is. The copilot stayed with family the night before, not at the hotel, so he hasn’t seen Rex since they arrived in San Diego yesterday.

I AM EATING dinner with Beki, a driver for a tour company in Lalibela, Ethiopia. Beki is eager to introduce me to a local dish, tibs. “You will like it,” he assures me. “It is a favorite of Westerners.

I AM SHOPPING in Itaewon, the frantic marketplace in Seoul, Korea, where the locals NEVER shop. Korean girls prefer their designer clothing authentic, are willing to pay full price.

I AM WALKING around Budapest, Hungary, admiring old, beautiful buildings that are crumbling just enough to give the city great charm and character. It is a terrific city for sightseeing on foot. A Hungarian man riding a bicycle is heading in my direction.

I HAVE SIGNED up for spa treatments in a hot spring high in the Andes mountains of Ecuador. The high-pressure jet massage sounds rather interesting, something I have never experienced before.