thoughts up in the air
HK Journal 7/5/04 12:03
It took the plane take off for me to realize-or accept that I've just left everybody I know for this venture, this 'test', journey.
The clouds are beautiful
wow
52 weeks? Damn.
It'll be nothing and everything.
Cannot-must not forget that the love of my family and friends is to be appreciated instead of missed.
----
I've made it to the Airport in Japan.
I think Air Canada is playing up the whole "Canada is really polite" bit too much. So the plane took off 10 minutes late, both the crew and pilot apologized, before taking off and when we landed, in both languages. Ridiculous.
Waited in Chicago - had a beer. Chicago looks like it sucks. The part I saw from the plane totally sucks: Flat suburban area - looked like a losing simulation of SimCity. I started complaining about Chicago at the airport bar - the bartender was a bit sensitive. Tip: do not buy or drink the local beer and complain about the city at an airport bar. Nor should you buy "Goose Ale" from Chicago or any beer named after a bird.
Got on to my 12-hour flight to Japan, on a HUGE Boeing 747, a plane the size of my College combined with an outdoor school.
The women on the plane ALWAYS smiled. My first exposure to Japanese culture. Japanese women always smile.
The plane was awesome - movie and games from a flight screen on the back of the seat in front of me.
PLUS I've always had the window seat.
TIP: To get window seat: get boarding pass EARLY.
Waiting for my final flight to Hong Kong.
Japan airport SUCKS. I see no buildings, with huge electronic billboards on them. No flying shuttle cars or running androids. No clammoring streets where you can get ticketed for standing still/loitering. Where are the hotels that rent rooms that are literally a hole in the wall? I am really disappointed.
The Japanese are like Americans with Asian faces, complete with their own language and fringe culture. Oops, did I offend anyone? Funky hair, neat clothing. I bet I can tell a Japanese from Chinese from looking at them. But it has to be in person. I think I can tell by appearance combined with mannerisms. I think they look similar enough - facially, but the way they cut their hair or comport themselves give it away. Perhaps Chinese are more conservative in appearance and 'comportement', but I can tell them apart.
The experience of being immersed with so many other cultures at the airport: I reflect back 4 years when I had a course in Anthropology; "every laughs in the same language". There kid behind me, a baby, on the 12-hour flight here - kept kicking my chair - but hearing the laughter made it worth it. Ah, a kid's laugh; the feeling is addictive.
Where is the cutting edge technology of Japan? The walking robots, the android shoe-shiners/hair cutters? Neon everything? I thought I would see a real-life preview of I,Robot (Will Smith), or something resembling what we see in Manga. I accept it, fine, the plane didn't transform into a Macross fighter and run down the runway, but at least it could have shot some clouds with its laser missiles.
Just had a hearty conversation with a man named Al, also waiting at the airport - from Edmonton, who does businesss in Beijing. Told me a lot about how the communists do business. Getting pretty privatised - I'm very curious. He told me after completing his academics in business he travelled to - but to the US. Very conservative/republican, but a hoot to talk to.
It took the plane take off for me to realize-or accept that I've just left everybody I know for this venture, this 'test', journey.
The clouds are beautiful
wow
52 weeks? Damn.
It'll be nothing and everything.
Cannot-must not forget that the love of my family and friends is to be appreciated instead of missed.
----
I've made it to the Airport in Japan.
I think Air Canada is playing up the whole "Canada is really polite" bit too much. So the plane took off 10 minutes late, both the crew and pilot apologized, before taking off and when we landed, in both languages. Ridiculous.
Waited in Chicago - had a beer. Chicago looks like it sucks. The part I saw from the plane totally sucks: Flat suburban area - looked like a losing simulation of SimCity. I started complaining about Chicago at the airport bar - the bartender was a bit sensitive. Tip: do not buy or drink the local beer and complain about the city at an airport bar. Nor should you buy "Goose Ale" from Chicago or any beer named after a bird.
Got on to my 12-hour flight to Japan, on a HUGE Boeing 747, a plane the size of my College combined with an outdoor school.
The women on the plane ALWAYS smiled. My first exposure to Japanese culture. Japanese women always smile.
The plane was awesome - movie and games from a flight screen on the back of the seat in front of me.
PLUS I've always had the window seat.
TIP: To get window seat: get boarding pass EARLY.
Waiting for my final flight to Hong Kong.
Japan airport SUCKS. I see no buildings, with huge electronic billboards on them. No flying shuttle cars or running androids. No clammoring streets where you can get ticketed for standing still/loitering. Where are the hotels that rent rooms that are literally a hole in the wall? I am really disappointed.
The Japanese are like Americans with Asian faces, complete with their own language and fringe culture. Oops, did I offend anyone? Funky hair, neat clothing. I bet I can tell a Japanese from Chinese from looking at them. But it has to be in person. I think I can tell by appearance combined with mannerisms. I think they look similar enough - facially, but the way they cut their hair or comport themselves give it away. Perhaps Chinese are more conservative in appearance and 'comportement', but I can tell them apart.
The experience of being immersed with so many other cultures at the airport: I reflect back 4 years when I had a course in Anthropology; "every laughs in the same language". There kid behind me, a baby, on the 12-hour flight here - kept kicking my chair - but hearing the laughter made it worth it. Ah, a kid's laugh; the feeling is addictive.
Where is the cutting edge technology of Japan? The walking robots, the android shoe-shiners/hair cutters? Neon everything? I thought I would see a real-life preview of I,Robot (Will Smith), or something resembling what we see in Manga. I accept it, fine, the plane didn't transform into a Macross fighter and run down the runway, but at least it could have shot some clouds with its laser missiles.
Just had a hearty conversation with a man named Al, also waiting at the airport - from Edmonton, who does businesss in Beijing. Told me a lot about how the communists do business. Getting pretty privatised - I'm very curious. He told me after completing his academics in business he travelled to - but to the US. Very conservative/republican, but a hoot to talk to.
posted by CCS at 12:03
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