I did see some islands, real islands. As the flight attendant forced my fellow sleeping passenger to open their window seat view for landing I caught the thin sheen of light that pours over the south China sea during morning hours. Those glowing waters wrapped and framed the many peninsulas that emerged from Hong Kong's volcanic geology. It really was a glorious sight to indulge and lean into my from aisle seat.
There are 90 boarding gates in Hong Kong Airport. Stretched into long segments a birds eye view of Hong Kong’s airports will elicit an image of a crudely drawn stick figure with 2 arms and 2 legs outreaching from a central body. It was here where I had 5 hours to ruminate, relax but most importantly above all, not fall asleep. I can’t say so far it’s been an easy task, it's been 7 years since i’ve flown internationally and the seats whose headrest I found excruciatingly uncomfortable did indeed turn out to be adjustable. This sublime fact that I could rest my neck in some normal conformation was alas only released in the 8th hour of a 10-hour leg of the journey. So here I sit mindlessly typing away in the fish bowl that is Hong Kong airport. Don’t get me wrong it has beautiful views but a fish bowl nonetheless. It’s an air conditioned glass sarcahphocous whose only connection to an outside atmosphere is a 15 metre by 15 metre garden. This garden is not a relaxed respite but an overcrowded yard where smokers cling to the shaded edges of a sanctuary punctuated by corporate modern art. In the marinating smells of Malboros and jet fuel you appreciate the fact it's luckily only a five hour stopover. Hong Kong airport, a layover ,a place to eat and an answer to a question. What is it like to live in a fishbowl?
