Traveler

I am, by theory, a traveler of the world, via the eyes of books. I read a lot since I was a kid, and I perceived it as I've been there myself. It hardly occurs to me that I am a mere second hand reader through the eyes of other people in practical until I really have the chance to travel for business.

Looking back myself, despite a "frequent traveler" back and forth between Singapore and Ipoh after my university days, the only time now I considered myself traveling was when I went to Hong Kong / China when I was 15. And the other time when I flied on Air Asia to Sabah for graduation trip.

That was effectively a sum of of my traveling history by age of 27. Sure I've been in places like Redang and Cameron and what not, but none of them have me feeling the sense of exposure owe to traveling itself. Like, it is just another beach, or another highland.

Maybe I am too young then.

I was checking my account, the record standing at about 250,000 km, considering this represent returning distance, I have traveled 120,000km to date. I am doing this because I am calculating my left over mileage available for free ticket claim Singapore Airline has owe me. And the reason i am calculating is because I am soon stop flying, to take a rest on (frequent) traveling, perhaps for the next 4-5 years.

120,000km is a milestone, that I've travel so much. And it is always eventful, from the snow, cyclone, local food, local strange practice, "special" hospitality, missing train, exotic experience, airport security grill, all kind of air-stewardess and all kind of unexpected incidents.

Maybe it is time for me to go back on the books, before I travel again.

And travel more than 120,000km.

天真

什么是长大？时时理智地处理好一切事物，处处冷静地协调好一切关系，游刃有余地生活着，不想，不敢再去做梦。看得我都想哭了。

那是我快二十（一）岁的堂妹说的。

我想也许她遇见的任何一个（所谓）“长大“了的人，都是那个样子的吧。不是什么特别奇遇，大概和我们遇见的人（种）差不多。

大家也许不会觉得 “理智，冷静，游刃有余“ 是一件让人想哭的事情，只是当这些一定会和不敢不想做梦（象连体婴般）出现时，不要说她，连我都想哭。

好像人长越大，越不会觉得无聊。无聊会让人觉得你很幼稚，很天真，很长不大。可是如果你不无聊的话，你是没有时间发白日梦的。

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我常常觉得，天下的宝宝都好奇，且是天生的；天下的宝宝会懒惰去好奇，却是后天的。

宝宝长大，以前让她兴奋雀跃的，现在不能了；以前看见这个时，有灯泡一亮的感觉，现在没有了。有一点曾经沧海难为水，除却巫山不是云的味道。

巫山是很高没错，可是每个人心里的巫山，却只能和你所期望的那样高。

你身边有一堆巫山，可是最高的只有三十几寸，凭你那天生的素质，随便一跨就三百几米，你不怎么努力，还能够 “理智，冷静，游刃有余“，偏偏也同时不怎么 “无聊“ 了。因为没有动力，所以日子过得庸庸碌碌。

结果。你变成大人，哈哈。

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我们要坚持相信，世上有那样的巫山存在，光看它的高度，就让人感动得哭，只是我还没遇见那个人罢了。

这个坚持，坐井观天的是没办法做到的，因为让人感动的巫山，放不进那口井。

More drama

This is the last episode of the trilogy.

When I was in Karachi, there was a cyclone formed nearby the shore like just 1000km away, intensifying while moving towards Karachi. It hit Oman hard on my 2nd day (Thursday, 3 June 2010), and anticipated to hit Karachi in the next 24 hours.

Suddenly I was extremely prihatin about the cyclone. But you can hardly blame me because I have not been so close to any natural disaster to date, thanks to my tanahair who has everything but this.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Cyclone Phet. (This is the actual image)



Frankly, i felt a little anxious but not too paranoid because nothing abnormal happened and nobody around me talked about it (at all). I decided to demonstrate some national pride kind-of thing. So I also pretend like "oh, come on, I've been this for so many times~peanuts.."

Fortunately the intensity were losing when it reached the shore of Karachi. It was fine, but not fine enough to make my flight departed on time. The flight leaving Karachi was delayed for close to 2 hours.

Well done, so I will replay the episode in Bangkok. When I walked out from the cabin, Emirates staff already expecting my arrival and gathered all passengers connecting to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

I thought I have a chance to take a look at this. But the total minutes I stay in Dubai was 30 minutes at best, including the time I am in the cabin before it took off.



Anyway, finally I was back in Singapore safe and sound on Saturday (5 June 2010) evening. I feel like I am in another world. Appreciate the drains and the lights that switched on at night, and disaster free.

To my curiosity, I checked on the news after I came back.

This is Karachi on Monday. 2 days after I came home. Karachi got no drain, I've told you.

Drama

Right after I sat down, I was told the flight to Bangkok will be delay.

More than a while later it was cancelled because "it returned to Bangkok", so I was being put to Cathay Pacific an hour later.

The problem is, my connecting flight to Pakistan is 335pm from Bangkok.

And my flight touched down at 3pm.

And the departure gate is 20 minutes away from the arrival gate.

And the security check is full of people going to Middle East with excessive luggage.

I never felt a bigger airport than Bangkok International Suvarnabhumi Airport.