Hong Kong Garden

I've had this song stuck in my head since leaving Seoul

There are times when you are on the road, where the fatigue of travling grinds you into dust. And there are times when you look out the hotel window and think “Holy Krep! I’m in freaking China!” and the euphoria of adventure washes over you. This is one of those kind of mornings.

Kowloon Cacophony

Or maybe it’s having just had a pot of decent coffee for the first time in a week. My colleagues in Hong Kong have taken good care of us and put us into a very nice Western hotel. A full pot of European coffee at breakfast this morning has my heart palpitating, and my brain pinballing around inside my head.

As much as I loathe to admit it, I’m a lucky man. Sure, to be honest I could spend the rest of my days in a rocking chair on the front porch, but a part of me still savors the thrill of travel. I think its the fascination with discovering different cultures, and finding the differences and similarities between us all. Flying on the plane to Tokyo last week I was reflecting on the fact that all babies sound the same when crying. Black, Brown, White, Red, Yellow, it doesn’t matter. Make them tired and cranky and they all sound the same. (Hmm, maybe that’s why I couldn’t sleep on the plane.) On the other side of the coin, laughter is also a common language. Oh, maybe some linguist would correct me on this one, but get people laughing and it doesn’t matter where they come from, they all sound the same. When you are on the other side of the world, and missing your wife and family these are the things you take comfort in.

OK,  so much for “profound” insight. Now back to work. I do actually work on these trips. Well, sometimes.

Tools of the Trade