par avion

We love spending holidays together, however hectic - but once again it is time for wonder | wander | women to head back to our relative bases in different parts of the world. And that means incredibly long flights.

Over the years we've probably logged months' worth of flying hours. TSA woes and airport layovers aside, we genuinely love to travel.

With age we definitely prefer having an aisle seat for more leg room and easy exits, but getting the window seat is its own special privilege.

The Philippines to me is the most visually arresting place to see from the air, with its vivid tropical colours and varied topography. 

Erosion spills into the seas of Metro Manila 

Smog over Metro Manila

Once I was on a trip I had taken enough times that I noticed we were passing by a different route. As I took the shot below I thought incredulously, 'Are we going to fly over this active volcano?'

Mount Kanlaon, Negros Occidental, Philippines

We were.

From the air other places are also beautiful in different ways. North America especially conveys a sense of huge freezing space in the winter.

Europe, on the other hand, bears the obvious stamp of humanity when we fly over it. Cities and towns are laid out like tile patterns, cultivated land unrolls like rustic wallpaper.

The Venetian Lagoon, Italy

Seville, Spain

Olive orchards in Granada, Spain

Passing among the clouds and seeing our homes from above feels magical, but also makes us feel extra grateful when we touch down on earth again.