Ten Days

Reading requires a certain state of mind. The environment — the proverbial a well-lighted place — is usually a great help. Physical and mental strengths are also critical. That is why I did not even bother to try on this last leg of flight, a short hop from SFO to home. I am hungry but don’t want to eat. I am tired but cannot sleep. I want to stay awake but hate the thought of drinking coffee. My body does not believe the time displayed on my watch. I just want to hug my wife, pet my dog, shower in my bathroom, and lie on my bed. My god. So, so much.

It started 10 days ago at the crack of dawn. A car awaited when I came downstairs. There wasn’t a conversation with the driver. Both of us wanted this journey to the airport over with quickly. He was to go on with his day. I to start a two-day journey to Malaysia: eight thousands miles away and 40°F warmer. Just when the plane was descending, I snapped this picture from the window.

It is pathetic that most business trips involve flying thousands of miles to an exotic place only to spend the entire trip in a windowless conference room eating over-priced catered foods. This one is like that for the first two and half days. I caught some of the beautiful South China Sea during my morning walks, because I woke up too early from the jet-lag. Fortunately, there was a half-day break and we chartered a boat out for some snorkeling and sun burns. South China Sea’s light breezes are so intoxicating to this pale geek.

There were eight legs of flights during this trip: three outbound and five inbound, since I add a short hop from Hong Kong to Taiwan for some business. That created a Sunday’s “personal day” and I got to catch up with friends and had some real foods. Taipei is a seriously fattening city, those on diet should avoid with all means. Monday came and it became all business again. It felt better and worse at the same time. My jet-lag was about over, but I am also about to get a new one at home.

Day 9, 4am, woke up, pack, check-out, on the taxi at 5am to the airport. Boarded the plane at 7am ready for a 13-hour flight across the pacific ocean. This is where the math gets a bit blurry. The plane actually arrives the US on the same day. Does that begin day #10? Hmm…

This entry was posted in Witness to my life. Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.