Fly by Night

9:30 am Thursday, June 28th Columbus, Ohio to Atlanta - 1:25 hrs... 3 hour layover. Atlanta to Incheon, South Korea - 14:30 hrs...2 hour layover. Incheon to Busan - 1 hour 9:05pm Friday, June 29th.

I had forgotten how excrutiatingly boring trans-pacific air travel is. They now have those on-demand style screens behind every seat where you can choose from a balanced selection of hollywood currents and classics. I think that makes it worse! By the third movie I become very much aware that it is my third movie in a row and I have no interest, concern or even reaction to Cate Blanchet's sublime portrayal of Bob Dylan (I am not there...great movie, I had to turn it off so I could actually enjoy it in the proper frame of mind).

Anyway, ... where was I going again? Oh yeah, Korea.

So, I'm on the beach at Haeundae by 10:30 having a beer and remarking on the fact that everything is completely unremarkable. Like I had never left. I mean, the honeymoon period ended before I collected my bags in the airport. By the time I got to the cab I had remembered how to give directions in Korean. By the time I got to the hotel, I had remembered how to say thank you. Today, I took the subway to the school I'll start at next tuesday without even thinking twice on how to get there. I even did all of my prep and photocopying for the week. S'like I never left.

It is for only two months, and I do have a residence and a class schedule waiting for me come autumn.

Still, despite it all I am far from indifference. I must have that fresh "new carpet" smell about me as I have noticed some odd things today. For instance, I enjoyed a sideways glance from everyone around me on the subway. Maybe that was always the case before and I had just become oblivious. Also, people here make weird noises and it smells funny. And they act super awkward around me when I need to deal with them (cell phone store, super mart, PC room...etc), and no one watches where they are going.

None of this bothers me...at all. Jet lag rules!!

This smile is for the Delta agent at the check-in counter at the Columbus, OH. (CMH). I think his name was Dave or Derek, or Dumbassed Dickhead...whatever! The guy who told me my bags would go all the way to my final destination and I wouldn't have to collect them and re-check them after clearing customs in Seoul. I even asked you twice Dave, or David...I'll just call you Dick.

Dick, have you any idea what re-entering a secure customs area in a foreign airport to collect your unclaimed baggage because you didn't collect because you told me it would go to my final destination involves??

Do you?

(Actually, it took me all of five minutes. I just told security that the Americans lied to me and they laughed and gave me a personal escort...but the point is that you can get bent!)