sitting in changi airport, almost back in berlin. Sitting in the transit lounge of the worlds biggest transit lounge, this is the worlds most generic city. full of shopping malls of tourists buying things that aren't really that cheap, longing for some lost tax free day.
In the midst of all of this are moments of intense localness, usually related somehow to food. Places that recall the rest of south east asia. Hawker stalls and plastic chairs, big chilli crabs and steaming bowls of katong laksa. beef kway teow in the redlight district.
I love airports though. After days of trying to work out a strange city, the airport feels like home. Like a decompression chamber getting you ready to enter your old/new world.
time to board.
5 comments:
So you are Berlin then? The weather is too warm this year. I want snow, and sub zero temperatures by Monday week, but i think i might be disappointed.
now this transition is actually *on* singapore airport feels like a big internet cafe (with extra shops) - to get all that last minute humbug from australia ironed out before the fun begins
didn't get to see the crabs and orginal outdoor action (to Darwin's everyday bad replica) but judging from the air hostesses the monsoon must be special - didn't think it was possible for the queens of composure on Singpore Airlines to be grumpy...maybe just a bad connection (or ascended too fast)
miss singapore was probably upset that that week the newspapers had dared call her an outdated sterotype of asian feminine subserviance. they didn't think much of the regulation blue eye shadow either.
There's something magnificent in the artificiality of changi airport - all those lurid purple orchids and gleaming marble walkways. My favourite transit point though is bangkok airport, when you have to exit the plane, walk around for an hour then get back on - just enough time for a 20 minute massage augmented with pure oxygen, which really helps allay the claustrophobia of the next 13 hours in a floating plastic bubble.
I find airports daunting. Whether youre going for a departure into another world, or just picking up someone for a visit. Entering into a new environment and adapting to the cultural change, or seeing an old friend in ages, gives an indication on how much oneselfs changed, or needs to change, yet again.
Travelling interloper? maybe... Conservative self-concious wuss? damn straight
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