My friend Dan contacted me last spring and asked if I wanted to go to Cambodia, with him and our common travel friends, plus his son and grandson. I didn’t ask for an itinerary or even the price. I just said yes. Dan and I have known each other for over 20 years. I met him while working for a small company that was delivering software to his big company. He had a picture of Mount Everest in his office, he told me he had taken it himself. We started talking about adventures and mountains and discovery and exploring. Twenty years later, we’ve traveled to Nepal, Chile (mainland AND Easter Island!), met up in Seattle a few times, and now we’re all connecting in Cambodia (I sadly missed out on a trip to Bhutan because of work one year - never, ever say no to an adventure “because of work” - it’s never worth it).
Dan has always been an inspiration. He embodies joie de vivre, curiosity, a desire to learn about the world, history, and most importantly, people. Dan makes friends, for life, wherever he goes. He can tell great stories from anywhere around the world. He writes fun songs, leads the way with ease, and smiles. Traveling with Dan never goes wrong. His favorite question? “What chu got there?”, always a fantastic conversation starter. Add to the mix Maggie, our energetic friend who is a world traveler by profession, and who’s always in a good mood, I’m thinking this trip is going to be a hoot! Can’t wait to get reacquainted with Chris and Jack as well. We’re missing Janel and Michael, who couldn’t join us after all, and sending them good thoughts and much strength to face some challenging times back home…
I’m writing this first entry sitting on a park swing (impeccably designed I might add), in the Incheon suburb of Seoul, Korea. I wasn’t supposed to wake up here this morning, but thanks to a volcanic eruption somewhere in Russia, my flight from Toronto yesterday took an unprecedented (well, for me at least) 17:30 hours to get to Seoul. I’m grateful for the airline points that allowed me to upgrade to Business Class. Even then, 17:30 hours is a long flight. Very long… I missed my reunion with Dan and Maggie, and my connection to Phnom Penh. Sadness. But, silver lining - instead of getting right back on a plane for another 6 hours, I got to take a shower and sleep in a proper bed. Hurray for exceptional Korean organizational skills, a warm and efficient greeting by the ground agents at the airport and at the hotel that welcomed us stranded passengers.
So this morning, I’m doing what I always do when I travel. I stepped out for a walk. It’s not an area that tourists would ever plan to visit. But it’s a lovely, yet very ordinary residential neighborhood, with big parks, in close proximity to a highway and a commercial area servicing the vicinity of massive Incheon airport (which, by the way, is laid out exactly like Pearson airport in Toronto. Exactly.)
The air is warm, the breeze stiff, and the clouds heavy. But fresh air, after a total of 19 hours on a plane (YUL -YYZ - ICN), and a night in a rather warm hotel room, feels heavenly. The walk through parks, watching doggies play, joggers jog, and older folks chatting in the morning, reminds me of my old neighborhood in Japan, near Osaka, 30 years ago. Only three differences really convince me I’m not in Japan: the Hangol writing on buildings, Korean being spoken, and cars driving on the right. That’s it. Change those three things to Hiragana/Katakana/Kanji writing, Japanese spoken, and cars driving à la British, and voilà, it would be Japan. Right down to the series of apartment buildings that look exactly like the Danchi I used to live in. I’m sorry, Korean and Japanese friends, if my comparison offends either of you, I understand your sentiments, really I do. But I mean it with affection. Being here has flooded me with happy memories.
And onward… more flight time this evening, onto Phnom Penh and the happy reunion I’ve been awaiting!
Everyone back home (Mom, Sunny, family and friends) is doing well, so my heart is light and I am relaxed. A happy camper indeed.
