I Still Believe In The Magic Of Travel

Mark Clarke

I was 6 years old when my family and I immigrated to New York City from Jamaica, I have always been intrigued by airplanes and air travel. Being raised “hill and gully” in the rural Jamaican town of Carrisbrook St. Elizabeth, I was treated to the many wonders of this big city and America. In Jamaica, I grew up with a very rural lifestyle. We ate fresh fruits that we picked directly from the trees. The air was warm and clear filled with the sound of insect chirps and songbird calls. It was a very small town, where everyone knew each other and would meet at church on Sunday. In 1989, my mother moved our family to Brooklyn. I remember getting on the plane and getting in my seat. I didn’t understand what the whole point of this was but remembered, I would finally see my mother after 2 years of her being in Brooklyn to set up a home for my brother, grandmother, and myself. We were on the plane, and I remember how smooth it was. I wondered, were we moving at all?

When we arrived at the apartment in Brooklyn, I remembered getting in the elevator. In my 6-year-old mind, I remember thinking, “This house is small”. Before I could open my mouth to say it, my mother opened the elevator door and we walked into a brightly lit hallway. My mother reached into her pocket and pulled out keys in front of a door with a metal decal that said “4A”. The door opened, and my mother walked in and summoned us to follow. I walked through the door to our new home. New York was very different from Jamaica in my 6-year-old mind. Where were the fresh fruits, chickens, and goats I grew up with around me? New York was loud, cold, and made of stone compared to the trees, soil, and grass I was used to in Jamaica. Everyone was always walking fast and seemed busy. As an adult, I now love city life. At the age of 8, my mother took our family on a trip to Disney World. My brother and I were so excited, we didn’t sleep much the night before the flight. We got to JFK and boarded our flight. As the flight was boarding, I asked my mother if I could talk to the flight attendant to meet the pilot. My mother called over to the flight attendant and looked down and me and nodded her head approvingly. I looked up at the flight attendant in her crisp uniform and asked politely, “May I please meet the Pilot, Ma’am? The flight attendant smiled at me and took my brother, my mother, and I, to meet the Pilot.

The flight attendant walked us up the aisle with my mother following behind, to the cockpit. I was anxious. The Flight attendant introduced us to the pilot, and he asked us our names. My brother and I excitedly blurted out our names in unison. The pilot laughed and let us know this is where he controls the airplane. He pointed to gauges, instruments, and switches. He then smiled at the flight attendant who at that point was holding a plastic American Airlines Wings pin in each hand. She said, “This is for you both”. The pilot thanked us for coming to see him and the flight attendant ushered us back to our seats. Once seated I asked my mother to help me put the pin on my sweater. From that day the magic of travel was seared in my mind. Fast forward to today and the child-like curiosity in me still thinks it is amazing that we have created machines that fly faster than a bird flies. You can book a flight to most corners of the world. You can travel on a beach vacation to the Caribbean, South Pacific, Africa, South Asia, and The Mediterranean Sea. You can, in less than a day’s travel be immersed in different cultures, languages, and cuisine. You can travel from the snowy Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the majestic desert city of Dubai. If you save up and plan you can do it.

In 2008, when I was accepted to Charles Sturt University for an International Business Management course, I felt that I was embarking on a great adventure. This flight to Sydney Australia was the first time I flew such a long distance. I remember the anxiety I felt when I took my seat on that Qantas 747, and my thoughts were filled with what this journey would mean for me. I thought to myself how accomplished I felt at this point as now I would see if all my plans and hopes would materialize. As the plane took off, I would leave my life in New York City and start a new life in Sydney. I would meet new people, eat new foods, learn new things, and go to places I have never traveled to. That flight felt exhilarating as here I was aboard my chariot on my way to my new life.

Eighteen hours later, we touched down in Sydney. When we walked out of the airport, we were greeted by the hustle and bustle of the arrival hall curbside. The air was crisp and filled with sounds of birds I had never heard of before. We got in the taxi and drove through the city to get to the suburb of Kirribilli. We drove on the highway passing The Sydney Central Business District which had tall buildings that reminded me a bit of New York City. Looking down on the street, crowds of people were busily walking to their destinations.

The moment that stuck in my mind was driving over the iconic Sydney Harbor Bridge. The bridge was full of cars, some whizzing by and some driving leisurely. I looked out the taxi window to the stunning views of the blue waters in the Harbor and the white glimmering structure of the Sydney Opera House. The smell of the salty sea air permeated the taxi. I looked out the back window of the taxi and looked up at the intricate latticework of the steel beams of the Harbor Bridge as they framed the tall buildings of The Sydney Central Business District off in the distance. I was in complete awe as this dream was now a reality.

We dropped our bags off at my best friend’s mother’s apartment and walked up the streets to get some fish and chips that she spoke about on the flight over. On the way up the hill to the stores, I was greeted by stunning views of the Harbor Bridge, Sydney Opera House, and Circular Quay. I was elated and felt childlike again. The air smelled of the fragrant native plants such as the Lemon Myrtle, Bottle Brush, Coastal Rosemary, and various plants in the Wattle family which were different from the gritty smells of Brooklyn.

I heard the call of a Kookaburra, which is a bird that has a call that sounds like it is laughing. This brought back memories of watching Looney Tunes Cartoons, in which the Kookaburra call was heard in every jungle scene. We got to the top of the hill and the Fish and Chips shop was in full view. The smells of the chips or French fries lured us into the shop. We received our fish and chips in a basket with wax paper and squeezed fresh lemon over the fish filet. It was warm, moist, and very flavorful. The taste of the fish was fresh as if it was caught that morning, and probably was. They were the best fish and chips I have had to this day. Despite all the airline meltdowns and social media viral posts of angry and inappropriate people, I still believe in the magic of travel. The ability to be transported to another location with different peoples, cultures, ways of thinking, and foods if one so chooses. How one can turn an aspiration of anything from exploration, education, or relocation for employment, to have a different or better life made into a reality. The freedoms afforded in travel are the magic of travel.

Travel is formatively important in my life and has intrinsically connected my youth to the person I am today. How a country boy of humble rural beginnings from the island of Jamaica, known for its natural beauty and the global reach of its culture, would end up in New York? This boy grew up to be a man forged in the cauldron of the gritty city that never sleeps, where all the cultures of the world meet. The crucible that is New York City so full of opportunities and people help formed my ambition. As Mr. Frank Sinatra said in the famous song, “New York, New York,” “If I can make it here, I can make it anywhere." Those lines have given me the impetus and courage to travel to Australia for a great adventure. In Sydney, I was able to have new experiences and get a different perspective on life. All these different locations have helped me understand more who I am as a person and what I want out of life. Time for you to travel and make your magic!!

Mark Clarke is currently working on his BA in Public Administration at Medgar Evers College. He current works as a Project Director at a not for profit Peer operated organization called Baltic Street AEH, Inc. He has a passion music, art and travel. He aspires to continue work in human services or politics to continue giving back to the community and advocating for disenfranchised communities.