Before crossing the water
I Nearly Missed Boarding After Falling Asleep at the Ferry Terminal
A short rest in the waiting area nearly lasted until the final boarding call.
The ferry to the island sailed only a few times each day. I arrived early, but the long journey to the terminal caught up with me as soon as I sat down. Missing this boat would change the entire day's plans.
There were forty five minutes before boarding. The wind outside was strong and the waiting area warm. Fifteen minutes of sleep seemed more useful than another coffee.
I wrapped a bag strap around my arm and kept my suitcase by my feet. I set an alarm for ten minutes before boarding began. Once I had checked the number, I thought the preparation was complete.
Announcements came and went through the terminal. Departure information and shop messages made the place feel noisy enough for a phone alarm. I left my earbuds in the bag.
After leaning toward the window, my memory stopped. Warm sunlight fell across the seat, and the distant announcements turned into background sound.
Then I heard my familiar melody in an unfamiliar place. It took a moment to understand. Only when I saw people forming a line did I realize how deeply I had slept.
Time moves quickly in an unfamiliar place,
and an alarm reaches more people than expected.
Seven minutes before boarding closed
Preparing to wake before a journey begins
I silenced the phone and checked the display. Seven minutes remained before boarding closed. I threw on my bag and ran toward the gate with the suitcase.
Only after showing my ticket could I breathe again. On board, the alarm in the waiting room stayed clearer in my mind than the relief of making it. For everyone already awake, it had been unnecessary noise.
A terminal holds people beginning holidays, travelling to work, or going to see family. My alarm had suddenly entered all those different kinds of waiting.
Now I check my earbuds and alarm together before a ferry or train. I leave plenty of margin, wake to a signal meant for my ears, and look at the actual departure display again.
A headphone alarm does not replace boarding announcements. It simply lets me rest without sending a speaker alarm across the room, then return my attention to the journey.
As the ferry left the harbour that day, I understood that a short rest before a long trip can be necessary. Preparing how to wake protects both the next destination and the people sharing the wait.
This story is a reconstruction based on an everyday situation that could realistically happen.
Nenne
Rest before the journey.
Make the boarding time.
Use an alarm that plays through your headphones when you need a quiet break in an unfamiliar terminal.
Download Nenne