Short story - at the Japanese airport

In a Japanese airport on my way back to Hong Kong...

I am waiting at the Tokyo airport, waiting to to take my last plane, to Hong Kong.



So there are signs at the airport, at the gate.

Kept saying : "Tokyo - Hong Kong - 1740 - On time"

1740 came and went, and Japanese engineers went rushing into the bottom of the plane working frantically. Actually, it looked like a Japanese movie but instead of battling with a giant bird, it was a plane - and they kept disappearing underneath it as they went up into the underbelly fixing stuff. Odd thing is you don't see them come out. Those Japanese are small and hard-working. Maybe the Engineers had to work on the plane during the flight. Who knows.

So my Tokyo-Hong Kong flight was delayed by 2 hours - as they kept announcing in their terrible Anglo-Japanese and Canto-Japanese and Mandarin-Cantonese and perfect Japanese. They brought out a whiteboard that had their announcement in 20 lines Japanese of Japanese writing and 5 lines of English writing. I look up at the big digital board. "Tokyo - Hong Kong - 1740 - On time."

"Why do you have a big board up there, all beautiful and big, at the top of the stairs and right here above your head, if it isn't true?" I asked the Japanese Gatemaster, as other onlookers were looking to pipe in.

"Solly sir, we cannot change it." He leplied. Honestly, he leally said that.

"Then why do you have it?" I piped back.

"We are making announcements."

"You wouldn't have to if you just update the board. It is now not 1740 and the plane is not 'On time', you should update the board. I now want to go drinking for 2 hours, and I can't be here to risten to your announcements. Am I okay to leave for 2 hours?" I piped some more.

"Sure, goodbye sir." he assured me.

So with 2 hours of free-time now liberated of my delaying schedule, I decided to exercise a favorite hobby of mine - well developed from my assertions of Canadian rights - complain.

First to the Airport information counter. I talked slowly so the Japanese lady could understand me. She understood - and almost cried. "It's okay - I don't mind that much that the flight is delayed - but it really should be indicated on the boards - it's okay - really." She indicated it's the airline, so, with time on my side, I descended to find my airline representative - of Japan Air Lines.

There was a long line for people getting boarding passes - so I found a woman holding a sign advertising travellers to board a different plane for a particular flight. I told her of my own plight and asked who I could complain to. "Please don't cry, it's okay, I just think it's important." She didn't know what to do - she went to go find her boss, but couldn't leave the sign. I offered to hold it up "Really?" she asked followed by a high-pitch giggle. "Yeah. I got nothing else better to do."

So I held it, until another representative came by and broke the sign that said "JL 740 Vancouver - Gate 38" out of my hands.

The other woman came back, and told me the signs have all been updated and juice and rice would be offered to all passengers. She thanked me. I think she was waiting for a hug or something, I didn't know what to do. I really don't know anything about the Japanese culture or manner, and I probably won't learn much now by giving her a hug. The awkwardness of it all was one-sided. I waved my arm goodbye, really fast, in a fast gyration like most asians do, but decided that my two-finger salute would be short. Those who know the asians know what I'm talking about (it's like a peace-symbol, but it combines with a smile and squint and sometimes a kick to the side. High boots and big hat accessories are optional).

I did some walking and looked for any other trouble or complaining I could muster, but decided I didn't want to make anybody else cry.

Finarry I boarded the plane - the Gatemaster got my ticket and took the opportunity to apologize to me for the delay and thought I would be delighted that they are providing rice and juice. "That's because I did your work and did something about it!" I don't think he understood me. I got my lice and dlink and went off into the plane. I was the only one on the plane
with an empty seat beside me - and got prenty of rest.

Back and still reflective

My vacation in Canada was a fun ride and a long ride.

I spent a month in Canada. I visited Montreal for 2 weeks (where I grew up), and then Ottawa / Buckingham (where I was born and where my father (the french canadian one)'s family resides) and then Toronto (where I have family from my mother (the chinese one)'s side) for a week.

My regrets go out to many of you I didn't have a chance to see - circumstances and timing doesn't make it all possible...particular regrets with Summer G, Lizz D, Mary H, Krystjana, Lia G, Trevor A, Antonia X and others.

My trip was plenty full of great surprises and fun. I don't want to bore anyone with the details - I read them from others about their trips - freakin' boring people. At least we don't get them all the time - you know, updates about a person's trip and they write about the great view of the sun on the beach and blah blah blah blah blah. Who cares. I'm sure there is a commonly shared notion that they are gloating about their trip - though I'm sure they're not.

Instead I offer a photo-collage about my trip.


The photos are in no particular order. I tried to include photos featuring a variety of people. I include former roommates, former girlfriends, former workmates, best friends, childhood friends, kindred spirits, fellow travellers, fellow students-of-life, fellow drinkers, a brother, a cousin and a lawyer.

TIP:
When making a collage of your drinking exploits, be sure to include a lawyer. It adds an interesting and much-needed touch to modern photo collages (I know you're reading this, Paul).
Source: Martha Stewart On-line, 2005

I only involved overall planning with my trip - a rough date on the locations, in the aims of spreading out weekends with friends and days in between to be with family, while ensuring my presence to a wedding, a party, a doctor's appointment, a movie showing and a fireworks night.

One month?
Yeah. It's long for a vacation, I know. but I needed to.
My reason is two-fold:

a) I love my family, friends and Canada
I had to hit Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto, the multi-ethnic Canadian I am with family and roots spread throughout. A few days here and there simply isn't enough, especially with the number of people I had to see.

b) I hate Hong Kong's freaking hot weather
It makes you loco - crazy crazy. Your hair starts to melt. You can't breathe, but you can't cry because your skin just can't breathe. Being gone for most of the month of July gives me salvation from a month of the crazy crazy loco heat.

Doug, your vacation summary is getting boring
Crap.

Ummm...time for relevance:

A few contrasts I've noticed about the west (Canada/North America) and east (HK/Asia).

-The west's music videos show women wearing the most scantily-clad women shaking every joint in gyrations.
-The east's music videos show women in sweaters and hip-hugging snow-wear. Yeah baby! Put it on!

-The people in the west talk too much and do little. Let's sit, drink beer, and complain about things we can't change.
-The people in the east play too much and discuss too little. Let's play video games or dice games and avoid discussions on politics.

-Canada has so much ethnic diversity - being sunk in it it can be forgotten easily and unappreciated - and fall into the background. Be proud and know your roots.
-Hong Kong has no ethnic diversity - people from multicultural roots may forget ethnicity is a key determinator of a person's character and motivations - multiculturalism is not an absolute, and until you are a minority power at home and abroad, you cannot understand the limiting effects.

-The west is really ignorant about the east.
-The east is very curious about the west.

Reflection: Deal with change.
I think the most important lesson one can learn in life is being able to deal with change. With this comes the capacity to adapt to a changing environment. I figure that this is the greatest cause of failure for anyone - not being able to prepare for change and weathering its effect. Among my motivations for going to Hong Kong is to deal with a different environment and completely different set of challenges I haven't before faced. And face them. And overcome them. And be a better person in the end.

And so, I boarded my plane from Hong Kong, got to Canada, travelled to three different cities - saw plenty of friends and family, and returned to Hong Kong without any particular stress. Not without any help or support mind you, but the things worth doing are the things most difficult to do. And done without stress demonstrates lessons learned and a greater threshold for stress.

That's all for now.

I will post when I have photos online.

Pictures online

I am waiting to get some photos from others to complete my collection.
Thanks to those who already sent some. Please email me more!

Doug in Montreal


Doug in Ottawa


Doug in Toronto

Imposed Hiatus over

Yes, it's been a while since I've posted.

It's because I've been on volunatarily-imposed hiatus that was requested by a governmental department that I cannot name. I'm sorry, for security reasons and the sake of diplomatic relations, I cannot go into details. That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it, and I have no regrets for following through with the wishes of state leaders.

Back from vacation - one month.

But I am back.

I have just returned from a month of vacation all over Canada. I won't go into much detail about my thoughts and feelings about it - it's just not the subject and aim of this blog. This blog, again, is to efficiently keep people updated about my experience in Hong Kong. Writing about my Canada-experience to be read - likely - from the people who read my blog is simply redundant. But I know you want me to write about it - so you can read about yourself. Ain't gonna happen. I write about the people in my life in Hong Kong.

At this point you should logically wonder if I have a blog for people I know in Hong Kong about my exploits in Canada. Keep wondering.

But what I will do is write about how my vacation and Canada revisitation affects my outlook and Hong-Kong-formed perceptions and such.

More later.

Bonus image
Guess the riddle and win (click on image for the answer).
More photos from this group.