This is a first for me… I have been travelling business for quite a while now now, if memory serves me well, my first business trip was in May of 1992. I remember that clearly because I almost missed my flight. Being a novice business traveller, I underestimated the length of time I would need.
Fast forward to today. I estimate, and I must say it is a very feel based estimate rather than one based on fact, I must have traveled at least 1 day a month of every month for the last 4 years. Just to get a feel of how much this is, my peak traveling clocked at around 150,000 Krisflyer airmiles for a 12 month period of traveling. This may not be a lot for the more seasoned traveler, but it is not a push over either.
Since I moved to Bangkok, I do not travel much anymore. In the beginning I actually missed flying. Gradually as time moved on (about nine months), I gradually did not miss it. In fact I liked it quite a lot. Being more at home that is.
I thought about this and said hey, I can have more time for my photography. And then there is the other group of people I live with.. (wife and kid)
I also thought and said to myself, at some point though I will need to travel and travel I did. Being in an airport always gives me a funny-nice feeling.
The concept of flying was not new to me. I can’t explain it, but during this trip it felt a bit awkward. But I guess its like riding a bike. You never lose the “skill”.
So, there I was in Changi airport. It felt good, it felt right. I was on my way home after a good meeting with a customer. I was tired, lacked sleep, a bit hung over, but hey I was going home and so I thought.
I checked in, did the usual stuff and then I went through the usual look-see of the duty free items and BLAM… I totally lost track of time and the plane had left without me.
I began to melt like ice in this global warming stricken world.
It was a sense of panic, then calm then acceptance and then I felt really really really stupid. Then I thought to myself, how the hell did I miss this flight.
Was it because I did not have my regular travel “workout”. Maybe I was just too hung over…
Whatever it was it made me again try to think of this experience and relate it to photography. Afterall, this blog is about me and my photography.
This also happens a lot in my world of photography, it maybe plausible that I can apply the same train of thought. Is it possible that I can lose my head in photography with inactivity. My sense tells me yes.
I cannot control the amount of business or leisure travelling that I will do, but I can sure find a way to ensure it does not happen to me in my photography.
So I am here after 12 hours still in Changi and its 6:00 in the morning, still in the lounge of Transfer F, waiting for confirmation that I can get booked on the next flight. Stuck in Changi Aiport…
See you home soon..
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the Generic Asian
the Generic Asian 