Today I'm heading back to Tucson and even though the weather here has been a lot better than I expected for Colorado, I physically and mentally feel the need to lie in the sun and be surrounded by friends, beads and the possibility of going to sleep at any time I feel like it.

Although I find travelling tiring I always try to think of it as an adventure: an enforced break from work and life where I am under no obligation to do anything if I don't want to. Plane and bus windows are ideal for staring out of and gazing in amazement at the different scenery I encounter on my way.

I used to always pack so many books, magazines and puzzles for flights but have finally accepted it's not me. I am too distracted as I move to another place, it's all I can do to stay focused and get to my destination.

But then each stop on my journey always offers a new view, a new exciting object or moment or just a new excuse to glimpse into another world.

Yesterday I calculated that by the time March is over I will have taken 20 flights already in 2012. I suspect that's nearly as many as I have taken in the rest of my life combined. Well, maybe not, but at least as many as I have taken in the past 10 or 20 years.

This travelling, especially by myself, has shown me a whole other group of people whose existence I don't think I had ever even spotted before. I mean, I knew they existed, like tigers in the wild, but having never come close enough to see one, they were like a far-off thing I never expected to come into contact with: the travelling man. I'm sure there are travelling women too but they seem to be better at hiding themselves, camouflaging their way through life so they don't stand out at the airport so much as the male of the species.

On my travels this year I have been observing these males from afar and they seem to migrate to the bars of airports, desperate for food, drink and companionship. Some are at the end of their journeys, whilst others are only part way through. Often they recognise each other, as their paths have crossed before, and a hearty greeting goes up and you see them desperately attempt to remember each other's name before settling on 'Buddy' to hide that for the moment.

Either way they seem to be able to quickly spot a newcomer in their midst and I see them spot me and eye me up deciding I'm new to this game. My excessive luggage, bafflement at where gates are and generally aura of excitment at taking a flight immediately give me away. Some turn to ignore me, whilst others take pity on me, offer me a seat at the bar to rest my weary legs (and ridiculous amount of hand-luggage) all the whilst asking where I'm coming from and where I'm going to.

I suspect once our conversation ends they continue sitting there, jaded by eating at airport bars for 50% of their lives, and shake their head at my pathetic enthusiam for all I see. They guess I'm not cut out for this crazy life and will either give up or one day be just as jaded by it as they are. Either way I resolve to plough on and squeeze every bit of excitement and wonderment from my life and travels as I can. Wish me luck on my travels and we'll see where I end up.