1-1, KOREA: WARP AT THE BOARDING GATE

EVERY MORNING I wake up to realize, firstly, the unhappy word, “STAY HOME” as much as possible, for a long time.

That is COVID 19, which attacked throughout the globe from the beginning of 2020. It depends on area by area, time by time, however, in any way still people of all the area had serious difficulties to keep ordinary life, and so far, nobody could be sure when it would be ceased.

Yes. Every single people got difficulties. For me, one of those is that I need to stop taking flights to overseas, which is my largest passion source. I know it is a selfish one under the situation of so many people got serious damage. However, in any way, it is an individual one.

For long time we need to stop taking flights to overseas, then one day one of my Face Book friends in Korea, named Jang-san, suggested that I had a virtual trip to Korea, when we made a voice chat through Face Book Messenger.

“That looks like a nice idea, exactly. But, how ?”

“Actually it is just a issue of concentration and finding a suitable timing. Well, let me see to find your pattern”.

It looked like Jang-san put her mobile phone on the table, and I heard some sound of her keyboard touch. Probably it was from her PC.

“I am sorry for waiting, DONDON-san”.

Actually I did not wait. Just I was trying to remember when and how we saw each other through Face Book.

“ DONDON-san, your place is AIRPORT!”.

“AIRPORT!?”

“Yes. At the airport, you might to find the chance to “WARP” to the virtual tour”.

Frankly speaking, I did not trust her word at the beginning. I think it is quite natural for me. Furthermore, it is only several months we saw each other on Face Book. The individual communication started just because I visited Korea (actually) several times on business, and I said I like Korean culture very much. And I started voice chat talking just recently. It is the exceptional case in my SNS relationship.

However, when I heard of AIRPORT from her, I felt the different wind flowed between us, suddenly, softly but steadily.

“Yes, it should be the place for me!”., I replied to her.

I think I took oversea flight, more or less, 100 times. And I am sure every time in each, the most concentrated minutes are just before boarding when we were waiting in front of the boarding gate.

Every time I was in imagination in a several minutes that I might be going to a different world through WARP. Just it was lucky, every time, I went to right world. But just by luck. If I had a more concentration, and a slight different pass I took, there might be a way of WARP !! It became to a conclusion a minute by minute….

“Jang san, I will try it !!”

“Good luck, DONDON san. Please tell me once you succeeded to come to Korea I will be waiting in Seoul”.

It was around the end of March 2022. I did not realize if that communication was the virtual one or the real one. Probably it is the main purpose to try for the warp to the VIRTUAL trip. The next day I went to Narita Airport without booking of the actual flight! and no preparation like underwear, several clothes, shaving and so on. Just with a small bag and mobile phone. 80 days was my itinerary, around the world. It was my dream for a long time after I read the classical work at my youth.