There’s a certain kind of exhaustion that sets in when your travel plans fall apart-not because of weather, mechanical issues, or overbooking, but because of a volcano.

Today was supposed to be straightforward: a long flight home, a little jet lag, maybe a Netflix binge in bed. Instead, I found myself circling over Japan, staring at the flight tracker as our plane looped and looped, and realizing that something wasn’t right.

The culprit? A volcanic eruption. The ash cloud had turned the skies into an obstacle course, and the only safe move was to turn back. Suddenly, I was no longer a passenger heading home-I was a stranded traveler navigating immigration lines, baggage claims, and hotel shuttle instructions. Mind you, this has been going on for three days and some people have been stuck for five days already.

United Airlines and Delta (I flew both airlines) handed out hotel and meal vouchers, and while I’m grateful for the gesture, it’s hard not to feel defeated when your destination is still thousands of miles away. There’s something surreal about wheeling your suitcase into a hotel lobby in a city you never planned to visit, knowing your plans-and your life-are on pause until the sky clears.

It’s in moments like this that travel reminds you just how small we are compared to the forces of nature. A single eruption can ground hundreds of flights, disrupt thousands of lives, and remind us that no matter how advanced our technology is, we are still guests on this planet.

The point of this post is to remind myself and you all that, things will happen that are outside of your control. We just have to appreciate the little things like how we landed safely, and the plane didn’t catch on fire (although we made it to the VERY end of the runway AND the fire department was on standby).

#adventureswithnursejamla