I am in Malaysia, in the Kuala Lumpur which bills itself as World's Best Airport. I appreciate the free WiFi at Starbucks, although I did not appreciate the 700 yen cup of coffee. The sun is setting and I am looking out over the Malaysian hills and enjoying the fact that I am a person who has seen hills in Malaysia and has I counted today, sitting on the toilet in Narita over 50 stamps in his passport. We also saw Mount Fuji as we flew over.
I was sad to leave Yoko and the baby this morning, but I managed to pull myself away. I bought travel insurance for the first time in my life after thinking about it for a while. I am certainly not concerned, but Dhaka is probably the most dangerous place I have ever traveled to. That's really sad, when you think about it, because Bangladesh is not particularly dangerous. I've lived a pretty safe life. On the plane, I watched 'Reign Over Me' and started crying twice. God. I think I'm in trouble. How could you go on, I kept thinking, without your wife and kids. The Malaysian Airline synopsis of the movie noted that 'This film depicts opinions about the 9/11 incident that some might find offensive.' Incredible, I thought.
This airport reminds me of last October, when Yoko and I were here at the beginning of our honeymoon. Yoko was sick from the baby and I was angry. I remember I lost her in the airport and that I walked around for about thirty minutes looking for her. It was terrifying until I found her: I thought for a second that she had left me.
Now, I really should do some work on my presentations and also my dissertation as my supervisor emailed me to remind me that I only have about four weeks before it needs to be in Birmingham. And I am going to be back at work on Monday. Seven days left to live it up.
The rains came down and floods came up, but I am undeterred. I battle on.