Through Time and Space

My first conversation with an HK taxi driver went something like this:

– I’m going to Ying Fai Court, please.

– Yin Fai Cot? Dunno where that is. Show me on the map.

– I don’t have Internet access, but I think it’s near the Mid Levels Escalators.

– Don’t know where. Where is Yin Fai Cot?

– I dunno, you tell me! I’m not from around here…

– Ok, Siri: “Yin Fai Cot“… Oh! YING Fai COURT! Ok, let’s go.

This short exchange was really the perfect example of communication barriers I’d gone through for the past 18 hours. From the Swiss customs agent who dangerously told me that without my European passport I may find it difficult to get back home, from the currency exchange agent who couldn’t convert US dollars, I knew I had to mentally prepare myself for what lay ahead.

Fortunately, the flights were a delight. While traveling 24 hours in an 18 hour timespan and through thousands of kilometers with Emirates, I noticed how amazingly diverse and multicultural everyone on the plane was. Not a shock to most people, I’m sure, but growing up in Canada, I was always proud to say: “Here we accept all cultures”. But I realize that this kind of pride is really not that special. The Airbus A380 was filled with people from all over the globe, from the air safety actors, to the passengers, to the air hosts, from economy to first class. All just minding their own business and being overly polite. I think this low-level-and-very-naive-revelation is perfect to start the holiday!

I’m exhausted, and I didn’t have time to snap overly increasing pictures, but tomorrow promises to have many more pictures, colors and smells, as well as some familiar faces!