Just sharing three loosly related stories, not by any means the most skillfully written blog entry but I'm sure you'll enjoy these stories. Especially those of you who are familiar with my highly peculiar eating habits including my ability to forget to eat. In Sri Lanka almost every conversation begins with an inquiry as to whether or not you have eaten and to someone such as myself who easily has some of the worst eating habits known to man this is quite a frustrating question.
My frustration also extends to their inability to comprehend the concept of no - most of the Sinhala I have learnt thus far is just different ways of refusing food because as you are telling them no they will pour tea or take out food for you. No just doesn't mean no in South Asia.
And now without further ado - Gastronomic Adventures 1-3.
Adventure #1
On the first day to work, the driver cautions me that I should be careful not to eat everywhere and points out a good pastry shop that I should eat from. On day one, I visit the aforementioned location and get pastries to go from the display case - I take them back to work and enjoy them in the comfort of my office.
The next day however, I decided I felt like sitting and eating in the store. So after selecting my lunch at the window I was directed inside to the seating area. There were two tables and off to another side, there was living room suite and a coffee table. I was seated at the coffee table.
Instead of bringing my order, the waitress had placed an assortment of the restaurant's fare on two plates and set before me. I reached for the items I had originally ordered and stared in horror as a horde of flies began to rest on what was left on the platters. Those who know me are well aware of how scornful I can be and thus this sight immediately put an end to my appetite. I chugged the juice I had ordered and requested the bill, claiming that what I had ordered was a lot spicier than I had expected (which was also true - who puts whole chillies in an omelette?).
As I exited the restaurant I observed the waitress placing the food upon which the flies had just partied back into the display case - needless to say I won't be eating there anymore.
Adventure #2
Now, I enjoy curry as much as the next person. No, I stand corrected - given my Guyanese heritage and status as an honorary brown person I enjoy curry more than the average person but I draw the line at rice and curry three times a day.
Now, I've had occasion to warm left over curry for breakfast but never have I set out to prepare rice and curry for breakfast. I've never run down the options as cereal, toast or..oh yeah fish curry. Yet, this is common practice in Sri Lanka and daily I am asked "No rice and curry for breakfast?".
And while I am given at times to hyperbole, this is not one such example. I am genuinely asked daily about whether or not I am eating. And several people find it necessary to come into my office and ask me when I am eating, and if I am having rice and curry.
I did however have a most entertaining conversation with a colleague who noted my extremely thin size and noted that should I eat like a Sri Lankan i.e rice and curry for breakfast lunch and dinner I could easily gain a significant amount of weight over the next twelve months.
Adventure #3
At the beginning of the third year ahead of co-op we are cautioned about expectations - the high expectations that people will have of us and also to be wary of having expectations of the field.
Apparently, the caution re: expectations extends to food. Yesterday, I had occasion to visit a Chinese restaurant and ordered a vegetable fried rice. Badulla is a small town and it was the first time I had seen a food place offering something other than Sri Lankan fare.
I was terribly excited to take my fried rice home for dinner. It was the first time since move-in where I wouldn't be forced to make dinner on my one burner gas stove, and more importantly it would be a different taste.
I opened up the take out box, and the food was wrapped in the traditional way in cut-rite on the inside of the box. Unfolding the cut-rite, the disappointment that overcame me as I noticed that the rice was not so much fried as steamed and that the only vegetables in it were corn and carrots.
I broke out my frying pan to set about rectifying the situation. I diced some onions, fretted over the fact that I have yet to see bell peppers in Sri Lanka, and threw the rice into a pan with some soy sauce. Not nearly the convenient meal I had envisioned when I purchased my "fried rice" half hour earlier.
Best
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
And now.. A word from our sponsors
Have you ever taken a shower to be scolded afterwards by your mother for wetting up the whole bathroom? Have you ever wondered why it was such a big deal...after all it is called the BATHroom?
Well I've got the answer to your bath related worries...with a bathroom designed as it should be.
The toilet is located in the back left corner of this reduce-sized bathroom. In front of that there is a lower tap and on the right wall is your shower head located inches away from the face basin.
But how does that solve my problem? Simple! The shower, toilet everything share a common floor space. Cleverly built on a slant for easy drainage your mom will never quarrel that you've soaked the whole bathroom again because well with this design that's what you're supposed to do.
Taking a shower has never been simpler and think of the convenience when you're ill. Bath tubs and showers are the way of the past...this innovative minimalist design is the way of the future and it's standard here in Sri Lanka.
What are you waiting for, don't be there be here.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming
Well I've got the answer to your bath related worries...with a bathroom designed as it should be.
The toilet is located in the back left corner of this reduce-sized bathroom. In front of that there is a lower tap and on the right wall is your shower head located inches away from the face basin.
But how does that solve my problem? Simple! The shower, toilet everything share a common floor space. Cleverly built on a slant for easy drainage your mom will never quarrel that you've soaked the whole bathroom again because well with this design that's what you're supposed to do.
Taking a shower has never been simpler and think of the convenience when you're ill. Bath tubs and showers are the way of the past...this innovative minimalist design is the way of the future and it's standard here in Sri Lanka.
What are you waiting for, don't be there be here.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming
Monday, August 2, 2010
Who Needs Wonderland?
Who needs Wonderland when the trip to Sri Lanka was such a wild ride and we'll talk about the streets of Colombo later.
When last I posted I was sitting in Hong Kong International hoping that weather permitted a timely departure from that airport to the next port of call in Singapore before arrival in Colombo. Alas, it was not to be. We never boarded the plane until two hours after the scheduled dedparture - of course there was no announcement from the airline apologising for the delay rather the exchange between myself and the personnel at the gate went something like this:
R: Excuse me, is the flight delayed?
Airline: Yes, because of the bad weather.
R: Of course, but what does that mean for those of us continuing on to Colombo
A: Oh, that flight was already delayed. It won't be arriving in Colombo until around 5 tomorrow morning.
R: (highly dejected) Oh...thank you
Accepting now my fate I waited patiently until we did finally board the plane to leave Hong Kong only to be told once we were on board they had discovered something wrong with the plane, the part was in the hangar and it would take approximately one hour to fix the issue...of course it took closer to two hours but at least the issue was discovered on the ground rather than in the air and we could leave.
But no...that would be far too simple a resolution to this story. At this point the flight manager informs the already cranky cabin of passengers that the crew had an early start to the day (No, kidding) and that they were out of duty hours but that the standby crew was en route and as soon as they arrived to relieve the present crew we would be able to leave.
Some forty five minutes later a new pilot announces that he is speaking with the company to see if they can get clearance to leave the airport tonight because the flight has lost it's place in the departure queue. Ultimately, some five and one half hours later than scheduled we were headed to Singapore.
We landed in Singapore and were instructed to deplane as there were two hours before the scheduled flight to Colombo...the plus we were to resume our original seats once we re-boarded. The downside...the gentleman seated next to me smelt of the strangest combination of dust and spices.
Well, being the busy bee that I am, I tried to think of how I could be productive with the two hours and noting all the free wireless signs I pulled out my laptop to send mother a quick note - she must be terribly worried by now (regardless of which time zone you were in this was long past scheduled arrival time). After connecting to the wireless I was greeted with a notice that said = "Blah Blah Blah Credit Card Information. Blah Blah Blah Internet cost $6/half an hour". Now I'm not the brightest cookie in the jar but last time I checked free meant without charge.
Anywhoosie, eventually I arrive in Colombo. At 4.40 am local time - 2 hours behind Hong Kong and 10.5 ahead of Barbados and Canada. After an eternity in the line I successfully cleared immigration but you would not believe what I saw as I rounded the corner and headed towards the baggage claim.
Yes, it was duty free but rather than trinkets and alcohol there were instead washers and dryers for sale, in fact an entire laundry list of large household appliances. I quickly did a 360 and surveyed my surroundings to see if it was at all possible for me to have made a completely wrong turn in the the 6 ft between where I presently stood and the immigration desk...Uhm, nope this was the right place because 100m ahead I saw the sign pointing to baggage claim. Well, to each his own I guess.
I descended the escalator and collected my belongings the two days of travel weighing very heavily on me. I headed out of the airport and rather that the quiet that one expects of an airport arrival hall at 5.30am I was greeted by a sea of people. The airport was alive and there was not a single inch of free space as people thronged the waiting area to greet loved ones. I focused on the sign bearing my name and headed toward my driver. We embarked upon a one hour journey to Colombo that regardless of my exhaustion prevented sleep from coming in the back seat of this taxi.
Did you know that one can seat a family of four on the back of a motor cycle? I didn't. I also did not know exactly how many vehicles can sit side by side across a TWO lane road before that fateful drive into Colombo. The pedestrians tempting fate were the absolute topping on this journey as they crossed the road with nary a thought to the peril that they were in as drivers executed this ballet which involved rather than slowing down nimbly darting around them. I am convinced I saw people within inches of losing their lives several times on that short journey and somehow was more perturbed by the occurrence than they were.
A power nap at the hotel where I would stay until I made the journey to Badulla and I boarded a tuk tuk with Wagma (Program Supervisor for Students Without Borders) to the WUSC office. Did I mention I had now been travelling for almost 48hrs straight (minor details right?).
The tuk tuk ride was another experience which urges one to set things straight with the Creator. The buses drive as though they are motorcycles expecting to fit any size gap; the motorcycles drive as though they are buses in the centre of the road and expecting to be given wide berth and the right of way at all times and tuk tuk drivers alternate between embracing both views of their small three wheeled vehicles and at times manage to simultaneously entertain them.
So yeah, who needs wonderland when you never know what gap your driver is going to attempt to fit next? When you regularly share a coat of paint with a variety of vehicles as you watch the road whizz by from the open sides of this nimble tuk tuk? Behemoth is the same everyday but boarding a vehicle in Sri Lanka is everyday a brand new set of possibilities.
Best
When last I posted I was sitting in Hong Kong International hoping that weather permitted a timely departure from that airport to the next port of call in Singapore before arrival in Colombo. Alas, it was not to be. We never boarded the plane until two hours after the scheduled dedparture - of course there was no announcement from the airline apologising for the delay rather the exchange between myself and the personnel at the gate went something like this:
R: Excuse me, is the flight delayed?
Airline: Yes, because of the bad weather.
R: Of course, but what does that mean for those of us continuing on to Colombo
A: Oh, that flight was already delayed. It won't be arriving in Colombo until around 5 tomorrow morning.
R: (highly dejected) Oh...thank you
Accepting now my fate I waited patiently until we did finally board the plane to leave Hong Kong only to be told once we were on board they had discovered something wrong with the plane, the part was in the hangar and it would take approximately one hour to fix the issue...of course it took closer to two hours but at least the issue was discovered on the ground rather than in the air and we could leave.
But no...that would be far too simple a resolution to this story. At this point the flight manager informs the already cranky cabin of passengers that the crew had an early start to the day (No, kidding) and that they were out of duty hours but that the standby crew was en route and as soon as they arrived to relieve the present crew we would be able to leave.
Some forty five minutes later a new pilot announces that he is speaking with the company to see if they can get clearance to leave the airport tonight because the flight has lost it's place in the departure queue. Ultimately, some five and one half hours later than scheduled we were headed to Singapore.
We landed in Singapore and were instructed to deplane as there were two hours before the scheduled flight to Colombo...the plus we were to resume our original seats once we re-boarded. The downside...the gentleman seated next to me smelt of the strangest combination of dust and spices.
Well, being the busy bee that I am, I tried to think of how I could be productive with the two hours and noting all the free wireless signs I pulled out my laptop to send mother a quick note - she must be terribly worried by now (regardless of which time zone you were in this was long past scheduled arrival time). After connecting to the wireless I was greeted with a notice that said = "Blah Blah Blah Credit Card Information. Blah Blah Blah Internet cost $6/half an hour". Now I'm not the brightest cookie in the jar but last time I checked free meant without charge.
Anywhoosie, eventually I arrive in Colombo. At 4.40 am local time - 2 hours behind Hong Kong and 10.5 ahead of Barbados and Canada. After an eternity in the line I successfully cleared immigration but you would not believe what I saw as I rounded the corner and headed towards the baggage claim.
Yes, it was duty free but rather than trinkets and alcohol there were instead washers and dryers for sale, in fact an entire laundry list of large household appliances. I quickly did a 360 and surveyed my surroundings to see if it was at all possible for me to have made a completely wrong turn in the the 6 ft between where I presently stood and the immigration desk...Uhm, nope this was the right place because 100m ahead I saw the sign pointing to baggage claim. Well, to each his own I guess.
I descended the escalator and collected my belongings the two days of travel weighing very heavily on me. I headed out of the airport and rather that the quiet that one expects of an airport arrival hall at 5.30am I was greeted by a sea of people. The airport was alive and there was not a single inch of free space as people thronged the waiting area to greet loved ones. I focused on the sign bearing my name and headed toward my driver. We embarked upon a one hour journey to Colombo that regardless of my exhaustion prevented sleep from coming in the back seat of this taxi.
Did you know that one can seat a family of four on the back of a motor cycle? I didn't. I also did not know exactly how many vehicles can sit side by side across a TWO lane road before that fateful drive into Colombo. The pedestrians tempting fate were the absolute topping on this journey as they crossed the road with nary a thought to the peril that they were in as drivers executed this ballet which involved rather than slowing down nimbly darting around them. I am convinced I saw people within inches of losing their lives several times on that short journey and somehow was more perturbed by the occurrence than they were.
A power nap at the hotel where I would stay until I made the journey to Badulla and I boarded a tuk tuk with Wagma (Program Supervisor for Students Without Borders) to the WUSC office. Did I mention I had now been travelling for almost 48hrs straight (minor details right?).
The tuk tuk ride was another experience which urges one to set things straight with the Creator. The buses drive as though they are motorcycles expecting to fit any size gap; the motorcycles drive as though they are buses in the centre of the road and expecting to be given wide berth and the right of way at all times and tuk tuk drivers alternate between embracing both views of their small three wheeled vehicles and at times manage to simultaneously entertain them.
So yeah, who needs wonderland when you never know what gap your driver is going to attempt to fit next? When you regularly share a coat of paint with a variety of vehicles as you watch the road whizz by from the open sides of this nimble tuk tuk? Behemoth is the same everyday but boarding a vehicle in Sri Lanka is everyday a brand new set of possibilities.
Best
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Rome Wasn't Built In A Day
Neither did I get to Sri Lanka in a day lol...
Discounting the epic tales of set backs and rescheduling turmoil that I have experienced (and thanks to everyone who supported me and stayed positive with me through that) the trip to Sri Lanka is pretty long.
I embarked upon my journey at 1.30 am on Tuesday July 27th (thankfully discovering only hours earlier that my flight was a.m and not p.m). The first leg of this journey was a 16 hr non-stop flight to Hong Kong.
OMG...16 hours is a ridiculous amount of time to be confined inside of a plane. The flight itself was not bad though and I really enjoyed the service on Air Cathay (if anyone of influence is reading this you should totally examine adding Barbados to your destinations). I arrived in Hong Kong some 16 hrs later but thanks to having traversed a gajillion (yes, that is the technical term) time zones it was 5.00 am here -the view as we flew over mainland China was breathtaking.
I had an 11-hr layover in Hong Kong to look forward to at this point. Thus after confirming that I could leave the airport I set about planning how I would take the city by storm - some four hours later, at least, because nothing is open at 5 in the morning (and my eyes shouldn't be either but that's a different story).
Fortunately, unlike Pearson, Hong Kong International (HKIA) has free wireless internet -which is actually where I'm blogging from right now - and I settled in for some updates to back home and a little time wastage until I was ready to take on Hong Kong. As I prepared to head for Hong Kong city centre and packed away my laptop etc I was approached by two gentlemen sporting identification badges.
They identified themselves as customs officers and showed me their badges (only their names were in English so the badges may as well have said "Smile, you're on candid camera"). They asked to see my passport and what my business was. To which I responded in my most pleasant voice that I was in transit en route to Colombo. After being completely dumbfounded by the blue book that I presented as my passport (pretty sure, they'd never heard of Barbados far less seen a Bajan passprt) and the exchange of a few more pleasantries they wished me a good day and handed back over my documents. Though these were the most chill customs officers I had ever met (one of them was dressed in camo shorts with a back pack on his back) the experience was still unnerving - but to be fair, as the only black person in the airport right then, I've only seen two others in all the time I've been here, I must've really stood out.
I packed my belongings and headed for immigration, I had been sitting in the area for transferring passengers up to this point. The immigrations officer too was confused by the blue book and was unsure of what to do - I knew that I was entitled to 90 days in the country without a visa but I let her look it up on her system. She stamped my passport and welcomed me to Hong Kong.
Now to get rid of the super heavy hand luggage - I asked for directions to storage lockers and either I'm really slow or people in Hong Kong are just as bad as Bajans at giving directions in addition to HKIA to being a maze. After wandering for a while I stored one of my carry-on pieces, the other was my hand-bag and I purchased for $100 HKD a round-trip ticket to Hong Kong city centre.
I boarded the express train which promised to deliver its passengers in Hong Kong within 24 mins. The train moved quickly and yet surprisingly quietly through the countryside offering views of mountains and beautiful architecture which gave way to and industrial area before reaching its ultimate destination.
The Hong Kong station is located in the lower levels of the International Financial Centre (IFC) Mall. The sights and smells of Hong Kong are everywhere upon entering the mall. The smell of ginger in particular struck me and within this mall there were a multiplicity of food stores and they all had somewhere to sit and eat even Godiva (Read Golden Arches East).
This was a bustling city, droves of people bustling in and out of the mall, the trains and the ferries which adjoined this mall and yet it was somehow different to the daily jostle of Toronto. Determined to find an authentic restaurant in which to have breakfast I made my way out of the mall and towards Exchange Square where a Jollibee caught my eye but the restaurant was crowded and I moved on. The smell of food and various spices hung thickly in the humid air in Hong Kong such that one believed that gastronomic delight awaited on every corner but alas each hope was met with a clothing or electronic store rather than the sight of food.
Eventually I found a small restaurant and after reviewing the menu decided upon the soy sauce chicken and rice. It was an interesting experience. The meal was served with a glass of warm water and some type of garlic preserve on the side. This garlic preserve it should be noted came to very good use as the seasonings in the food are far less than accustomed to and the garlic preserve aided significantly in the palatibility of the ordered dish.
As would be my luck, once I had finished the meal I was greeted by a torrential downpour - did I mention my umbrella was in the bag at the storage locker back at the airport? - I scurried through the rain back to the IFC. I figured that no sight seeing could get done in this weather so I might as well explore the mall. After some aimless wandering and window shopping, I realized I should be shopping in Asia - all the clothes are my size. I headed back to the airport as it seemed large enough to keep me occupied. So around 12.30 I boarded the airport express and headed back to the mall collected by bag from the locker and began to look around.
Remembering that this airport made no boarding calls I decided that the closer I made myself to the departure area the better off I would be and after clearing immigration I began to look around inside the departure lounge. HKIA is not an airport - it is an epic mall with planes. It is an endless expanse of high end stores and even more food options and it is ridiculous the ease with which one can walk in circles and not even realize what has happened until you are back at your point of origin.
I`ve given up by this time on exploring I have been travelling for eons and missed a whole day I want to head to my gate and wait out the rest of my time in Hong Kong. After staring at the information board and waiting for the English to appear I discover I am boarding at gate 43 and start to make my way there.
So I walk in circles for a bit...before making it to the escalators that lead to gates 33-80. At the end of these two long flights of escalators must be the gates right? Wrong. These escalators lead to the train that takes you to the escalators that take you to the gates. And that is where am now sitting on the floor writing my blog. The bright flashes of lightning and the roll of thunder mingled with the bustle of people conversing in a variety of languages form the soundtrack to this scene.
I left Toronto 26hrs ago (38 if you count the twelve lost to changing time zones) and I still have another 9 hrs before I arrive in Colombo (weather permitting). Jet lag is starting to kick in and I would kill for a shower.
Rome wasn't built in a day but I kind of wish this journey had been made in one.
Best.
Discounting the epic tales of set backs and rescheduling turmoil that I have experienced (and thanks to everyone who supported me and stayed positive with me through that) the trip to Sri Lanka is pretty long.
I embarked upon my journey at 1.30 am on Tuesday July 27th (thankfully discovering only hours earlier that my flight was a.m and not p.m). The first leg of this journey was a 16 hr non-stop flight to Hong Kong.
OMG...16 hours is a ridiculous amount of time to be confined inside of a plane. The flight itself was not bad though and I really enjoyed the service on Air Cathay (if anyone of influence is reading this you should totally examine adding Barbados to your destinations). I arrived in Hong Kong some 16 hrs later but thanks to having traversed a gajillion (yes, that is the technical term) time zones it was 5.00 am here -the view as we flew over mainland China was breathtaking.
I had an 11-hr layover in Hong Kong to look forward to at this point. Thus after confirming that I could leave the airport I set about planning how I would take the city by storm - some four hours later, at least, because nothing is open at 5 in the morning (and my eyes shouldn't be either but that's a different story).
Fortunately, unlike Pearson, Hong Kong International (HKIA) has free wireless internet -which is actually where I'm blogging from right now - and I settled in for some updates to back home and a little time wastage until I was ready to take on Hong Kong. As I prepared to head for Hong Kong city centre and packed away my laptop etc I was approached by two gentlemen sporting identification badges.
They identified themselves as customs officers and showed me their badges (only their names were in English so the badges may as well have said "Smile, you're on candid camera"). They asked to see my passport and what my business was. To which I responded in my most pleasant voice that I was in transit en route to Colombo. After being completely dumbfounded by the blue book that I presented as my passport (pretty sure, they'd never heard of Barbados far less seen a Bajan passprt) and the exchange of a few more pleasantries they wished me a good day and handed back over my documents. Though these were the most chill customs officers I had ever met (one of them was dressed in camo shorts with a back pack on his back) the experience was still unnerving - but to be fair, as the only black person in the airport right then, I've only seen two others in all the time I've been here, I must've really stood out.
I packed my belongings and headed for immigration, I had been sitting in the area for transferring passengers up to this point. The immigrations officer too was confused by the blue book and was unsure of what to do - I knew that I was entitled to 90 days in the country without a visa but I let her look it up on her system. She stamped my passport and welcomed me to Hong Kong.
Now to get rid of the super heavy hand luggage - I asked for directions to storage lockers and either I'm really slow or people in Hong Kong are just as bad as Bajans at giving directions in addition to HKIA to being a maze. After wandering for a while I stored one of my carry-on pieces, the other was my hand-bag and I purchased for $100 HKD a round-trip ticket to Hong Kong city centre.
I boarded the express train which promised to deliver its passengers in Hong Kong within 24 mins. The train moved quickly and yet surprisingly quietly through the countryside offering views of mountains and beautiful architecture which gave way to and industrial area before reaching its ultimate destination.
The Hong Kong station is located in the lower levels of the International Financial Centre (IFC) Mall. The sights and smells of Hong Kong are everywhere upon entering the mall. The smell of ginger in particular struck me and within this mall there were a multiplicity of food stores and they all had somewhere to sit and eat even Godiva (Read Golden Arches East).
This was a bustling city, droves of people bustling in and out of the mall, the trains and the ferries which adjoined this mall and yet it was somehow different to the daily jostle of Toronto. Determined to find an authentic restaurant in which to have breakfast I made my way out of the mall and towards Exchange Square where a Jollibee caught my eye but the restaurant was crowded and I moved on. The smell of food and various spices hung thickly in the humid air in Hong Kong such that one believed that gastronomic delight awaited on every corner but alas each hope was met with a clothing or electronic store rather than the sight of food.
Eventually I found a small restaurant and after reviewing the menu decided upon the soy sauce chicken and rice. It was an interesting experience. The meal was served with a glass of warm water and some type of garlic preserve on the side. This garlic preserve it should be noted came to very good use as the seasonings in the food are far less than accustomed to and the garlic preserve aided significantly in the palatibility of the ordered dish.
As would be my luck, once I had finished the meal I was greeted by a torrential downpour - did I mention my umbrella was in the bag at the storage locker back at the airport? - I scurried through the rain back to the IFC. I figured that no sight seeing could get done in this weather so I might as well explore the mall. After some aimless wandering and window shopping, I realized I should be shopping in Asia - all the clothes are my size. I headed back to the airport as it seemed large enough to keep me occupied. So around 12.30 I boarded the airport express and headed back to the mall collected by bag from the locker and began to look around.
Remembering that this airport made no boarding calls I decided that the closer I made myself to the departure area the better off I would be and after clearing immigration I began to look around inside the departure lounge. HKIA is not an airport - it is an epic mall with planes. It is an endless expanse of high end stores and even more food options and it is ridiculous the ease with which one can walk in circles and not even realize what has happened until you are back at your point of origin.
I`ve given up by this time on exploring I have been travelling for eons and missed a whole day I want to head to my gate and wait out the rest of my time in Hong Kong. After staring at the information board and waiting for the English to appear I discover I am boarding at gate 43 and start to make my way there.
So I walk in circles for a bit...before making it to the escalators that lead to gates 33-80. At the end of these two long flights of escalators must be the gates right? Wrong. These escalators lead to the train that takes you to the escalators that take you to the gates. And that is where am now sitting on the floor writing my blog. The bright flashes of lightning and the roll of thunder mingled with the bustle of people conversing in a variety of languages form the soundtrack to this scene.
I left Toronto 26hrs ago (38 if you count the twelve lost to changing time zones) and I still have another 9 hrs before I arrive in Colombo (weather permitting). Jet lag is starting to kick in and I would kill for a shower.
Rome wasn't built in a day but I kind of wish this journey had been made in one.
Best.
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