If It's Friday it must be Hong Kong
April 21,2013 or is it ?
Through the double doors and just on the other side of passport clearence and
baggage claim I go. Feeling pretty good that I made it. Feeling pretty good that the flight crew arranged for a wheel chair and someone who could help me get straight to the loo. Feeling pretty good that I sailed through the temperature check.* and feeling really good that inspite of the fact that my bags didn't make it , I am currently $800HK richer as a result, and with not only much apology but narry a bit of paper work to boot. I am also surprisingly not worried ,not sure if thats a result of being SO damn happy to be on the ground or jet lag kicking in but they do have an idea where the bags might be (still in LA) and so long as I can get to Lala's; shower & sleep, I'm happy to deal with it later before my flight to Japan with Lala.
I need to note here what got me on a plane to Asia in the first place.
When I asked Lala to come with me on my journey to Santiago , The Camino, and to walk "The Way of Saint James" with me, her response was , at first " Whats that?" and then after as a brief an explanation as I could give, without missing a beat, she said " Sure lets do it"
A few months later she called me to say that if she was going to walk with me, I should come teach for her in Hong Kong. " It will be fun.." An after school Shakespeare program , Mideaval Studies and a Renaissance Faire with a play you can direct" ....... Elizabeth ( Lala,Jadis) Blurton , is also now know as Dr Jadis or rather Elizabeth Blurton PHD. Clinical Developmental Phycologist. She owns and operates The Blurton Family Development Center in Hong Kong. When she is not doing that in her copious free time she also founded ,owns and operates The Harbour School a thriving innovative International School grades PreK-8. Oh yeah and she has also raised 6 kids, and helping to raise more (including her grandchildren but who's counting?:) So I too didn't hesitate to say "Yes!" (I mean, seriously, what was I going to say " I'm too busy ?!" ) and after much switching of tickets, i started wrapping my brain around leaving the states 2 months early for The Camino. I also had to start trying to figure out how to pack not only for the Walk but teaching and 3 different countries with different weather and requirements...my head was spinning. At least I thought it was until she called back two weeks later and threw in Japan. Seems her middle school students had just finished a five week study of Japananese history ,which would culminate as a trip hiking The Historic Nakesendo Trail . The curriculum for this trip would include stays along the route in authentic mediaeval Samuari Inns. " Come on, she assured me ,the km are short and easy and it will help keep us in shape for walking The Camino. As great as this all sounded it took another entire day for me to wrap my head around that one. Ok I thought, as I started unpacking AGAIN.....and preparing to push my leaving back two more weeks, you have had a whole lot of other really big problems in your life, this is not one of them.
I remember looking at my bags before i left for the airport in LA
I began to feel stronger more confident, proud of myself.
If I could do this, Logic stands that I should be able to get organized enough to prepare for anything.
On My Way to Santiago de Compostela by way of Asia
Approx. 3 months 21 days before I start to Walk
The Camino also know as The Way of Saint James
Woman Plans God Laughs
Woman Plans God Laughs
April 22, 2013
There just through the doors is Lala's husband Craig Blurton. Leaning on the railing grinning with his camera slung around his neck. I am giddy.
"So do you want the good News first or the bad news " ,At least thats what I think I'm
hearing ,as my ears are still plugged up from the flight , and he is practically yelling from 4 feet away.
I am wheeled around the barrier to get closer and as he leans down to give me a hug he says. " Welcome to Hong Kong, The flight to Japan leaves in 1 hour. " Knowing Craig's pension for a good joke, I am laughing when I ask: " A day early?" He looks at me funny "Sage, he asks laughing , Do you know what day it is ?" im doing the math in my head ( something I am not really good at) ......Well yeah lets see i left on the 19th , lost a day in flight and .....O M G ..... it suddenly dawns on me... the delays in my departure and my leaving at 1 am meant I actually left the states early the morning of the 20th!! It is NOT June 21st , It is June 22nd!! Ive lost almost two days. He doesn't flinch ...when he says: "The good news is you haven't missed them "Jadis (Lala) and the kids are upstairs at departures, they are checking in now"........O......k.......
I am suddenly struggling with a whole different kind of "Fight or Flight"
But there is no time and as our general conversation, catching up & questions for each other overlap , i am out of the wheel chair ,stiif & sore , Craig is helping me as we are already moving up the escalator to departures ..." What do you want to do?", "Where are your bags?", "How much time do I have again?", "Sorry , Sorry :( " We were here to get you yesterday, Welcome to HK signs, a driver etc.:) " , again me "Sorry, Sorry :(" We still manage to laugh as we pick up speed ..."DO NOT feel bad" Craig is reassuring me. in an effort to assuage my guilt and embarrassment he is relaying his own experience with " Time Zone and Flight confusion" ,about how when they first moved to Hong Kong 18 years ago, he had arrived 24hours too late for their wedding anniversary dinner, and had NO idea. It did take a bit of the sting out.
Then it's on to the pressing issue " Are you sure you wanna do this?, maybe you can catch up later?" " Just stay here in Hong Kong get settled in" Suddenly I feel my adrenalin this is NOT an opportunity i am going to miss and good news occurs to both of us ..... I might actually be able to do this as
1. I could make it in time as I've no bags I have to check 2 hours prior to the flight .
2. In my small carry on I have all my medications with me, as well as my rain jacket, & small basic toiletries,
3. I'm wearing comfortable practical clothes, including a light weight hoody and very light wieght thin down vest things I had already planned to take on the trek for the colder and often wet weather in Japan.
("If" I had slept on the flight I would have used my vest as a pillow)
Well now wasn't I just Miss Smartie pants.... Everything I had organized so perfectly were in my bags ... my backpacks, poles and most important my already broken in boots , ALL of it , in my delayed luggage. As much as I am concerned about that and ..well all kind of issues, as much as Id like to flogg myself right now for not wearing all my hiking gear on he plane......I tell myself there are stores in Japan, Ill figure it out. Suddenly the decision is made for me , we round the corner to the airline counter and there stands Lala. Happy as ever to see me . No recriminations, No, " What the hell happened?" (they had already figured it out) Just a great big hug. She leans away enough to level her gaze and asks, " What do you think?", my response? ,same as it always been when she ask me anything.... "Lets do this!" Then just as quickly Craig is taking my baggage claim tickets and promising to keep us posted as he waves us off Lala and I link arms and head to our gate.
Five hours later from Hong Kong by way of Taiwan , Fourteen hours from San Fransisco, a hour from LA prior to that ,a total of almost 21 hours of flying, no sleep, beginning to hallucinate from Jet lag, I land in Nagoya Japan.
* For those of you who have never traveled to the land of Bird Flu & Dingy fever before. Most Asia country's trying to head of even minor epidemics by greeting visitors and returning residents alike by posting someone (usually a pretty official looking individual with a mask on, (think Michael Jackson) just as you enter the area for passport clearance. There is no getting around this person. As you approach they point what looks like a fazer from Star Trek at your forehead and voila. You've just had your temperture taken.
Oops Correction: On My Way to Santiago de Compestela by way of Japan
Approx. 3 Months and 20 Days befor I start to walk
There just through the doors is Lala's husband Craig Blurton. Leaning on the railing grinning with his camera slung around his neck. I am giddy.
"So do you want the good News first or the bad news " ,At least thats what I think I'm
hearing ,as my ears are still plugged up from the flight , and he is practically yelling from 4 feet away.
I am wheeled around the barrier to get closer and as he leans down to give me a hug he says. " Welcome to Hong Kong, The flight to Japan leaves in 1 hour. " Knowing Craig's pension for a good joke, I am laughing when I ask: " A day early?" He looks at me funny "Sage, he asks laughing , Do you know what day it is ?" im doing the math in my head ( something I am not really good at) ......Well yeah lets see i left on the 19th , lost a day in flight and .....O M G ..... it suddenly dawns on me... the delays in my departure and my leaving at 1 am meant I actually left the states early the morning of the 20th!! It is NOT June 21st , It is June 22nd!! Ive lost almost two days. He doesn't flinch ...when he says: "The good news is you haven't missed them "Jadis (Lala) and the kids are upstairs at departures, they are checking in now"........O......k.......
I am suddenly struggling with a whole different kind of "Fight or Flight"
But there is no time and as our general conversation, catching up & questions for each other overlap , i am out of the wheel chair ,stiif & sore , Craig is helping me as we are already moving up the escalator to departures ..." What do you want to do?", "Where are your bags?", "How much time do I have again?", "Sorry , Sorry :( " We were here to get you yesterday, Welcome to HK signs, a driver etc.:) " , again me "Sorry, Sorry :(" We still manage to laugh as we pick up speed ..."DO NOT feel bad" Craig is reassuring me. in an effort to assuage my guilt and embarrassment he is relaying his own experience with " Time Zone and Flight confusion" ,about how when they first moved to Hong Kong 18 years ago, he had arrived 24hours too late for their wedding anniversary dinner, and had NO idea. It did take a bit of the sting out.
Then it's on to the pressing issue " Are you sure you wanna do this?, maybe you can catch up later?" " Just stay here in Hong Kong get settled in" Suddenly I feel my adrenalin this is NOT an opportunity i am going to miss and good news occurs to both of us ..... I might actually be able to do this as
1. I could make it in time as I've no bags I have to check 2 hours prior to the flight .
2. In my small carry on I have all my medications with me, as well as my rain jacket, & small basic toiletries,
3. I'm wearing comfortable practical clothes, including a light weight hoody and very light wieght thin down vest things I had already planned to take on the trek for the colder and often wet weather in Japan.
("If" I had slept on the flight I would have used my vest as a pillow)
Well now wasn't I just Miss Smartie pants.... Everything I had organized so perfectly were in my bags ... my backpacks, poles and most important my already broken in boots , ALL of it , in my delayed luggage. As much as I am concerned about that and ..well all kind of issues, as much as Id like to flogg myself right now for not wearing all my hiking gear on he plane......I tell myself there are stores in Japan, Ill figure it out. Suddenly the decision is made for me , we round the corner to the airline counter and there stands Lala. Happy as ever to see me . No recriminations, No, " What the hell happened?" (they had already figured it out) Just a great big hug. She leans away enough to level her gaze and asks, " What do you think?", my response? ,same as it always been when she ask me anything.... "Lets do this!" Then just as quickly Craig is taking my baggage claim tickets and promising to keep us posted as he waves us off Lala and I link arms and head to our gate.
Five hours later from Hong Kong by way of Taiwan , Fourteen hours from San Fransisco, a hour from LA prior to that ,a total of almost 21 hours of flying, no sleep, beginning to hallucinate from Jet lag, I land in Nagoya Japan.
* For those of you who have never traveled to the land of Bird Flu & Dingy fever before. Most Asia country's trying to head of even minor epidemics by greeting visitors and returning residents alike by posting someone (usually a pretty official looking individual with a mask on, (think Michael Jackson) just as you enter the area for passport clearance. There is no getting around this person. As you approach they point what looks like a fazer from Star Trek at your forehead and voila. You've just had your temperture taken.
Oops Correction: On My Way to Santiago de Compestela by way of Japan
Approx. 3 Months and 20 Days befor I start to walk
The Camino also known as The Way of Saint James
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