17 Oct 04 To make a little girl smile
The Korean enclave at Sukumvit in Bangkok is a good place for spicy food. You often end up here for a bowl of Bibim naengmyon (spicy cold noodles) whenever you are in the city. This time you are at a travel agent’s looking to find a way to Pyongyang. There are many raised eyebrows, not many go to the North. The travel agent is looking for a book to find the airport code. You smile and say “try FNJ”. Now the travel agents exchange glances. They probably think that you are a spy or a nuke spare parts dealer.
Through the glass door you can see a little Korean girl with a rather large water gun. It is the second day of the Thai water festival and kids all around Thailand are gunning down people with their water guns. The little girl looks up eagerly at serious looking people walking by (mostly surrounding Korean shop keepers), hoping to get their approval to drench them. Most of them just glare at the little girl. Soon the little girl gives up and sits dejectedly in one corner.
You excuse yourself from the travel agent. You walk out to the little girl, raise your hand in surrender and call out to her. “Hey chingu”.(chingu = friend). Her surprise turns to glee and with a joyful shriek she empties the water gun on to you. She would certainly make a good North Korean agent.
You can travel half the world but if you can’t make a little girl smile then there is no point to the travel.
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Let’s go to North Korea.
Sure mate, I was trying to go earlier this year but was not able to make it. Will try again next year.
Hi Preetam,
Just wanted to say that I found your blog very interesting - you seem to be quite the traveller and the gourmet! How do you find yourself travelling so much in the south-east-asia and China regions? Do you work in that area?
Nice photographs too!
–Das