if only a traveler’s photo filter existed that masked being sweaty, dirty, and tired
I have lived two Sundays. When July 26 was over and done with in China, I boarded a plane in the wee hours of the 27th and flew 9 hrs to Hawaii — where it was still 5:30 pm Sunday. I guess time travel does exist.
I will make up for it flying back — one (or is it two?) days will disappear from my life completely. Those day(s) will never exist for me.
From Korea my path separated from Sly’s as he had a direct flight (paid for by work – the reason we’re in Hawaii, or at least Sly’s reason. I’m just tagging along) and I took a much cheaper indirect, 15+hour layover flight to Beijing.
Once in Beijing I obtained a 72hr visa and then, without the aid of a smartphone, (bc I couldn’t find a sim card machine) set out on my own to explore the city with a blurry, barely legible, subway map I thankfully found at the train station.
It’s been a really long time since I traveled anywhere overseas alone and a huge part of me wanted to just stay put in the airport where it was safe and sound and air conditioned. But then the larger, more curious side of me always seems to win in these matters.
15 hours is a lot of time to do a good bit of exploring.