FLYING TO KOREA

Back in May 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic I had a hard decision to make. I was staying in Bangkok, where the people had taken a step up and done what they needed to in order to curb the spread of what is now known as one of the most devastating global illnesses on our generation. What started as an isolated illness in China, the virus spread like wildfire around the globe, infecting millions, killing without discrimination and smashing economies. It changed the tourist industry for who knows how long and left many stranded all over the world.

After thinking it through I decided returning to my home country of Canada and putting some of my skills and knowledge to use may be more helpful than sitting in my room in Bangkok producing videos for the LIOP YouTube channel and taking photos for use on popular stock sites to be used in blogs and news coverage about what was happening in Thailand. At that point in time the people of Thailand had done a great job at curbing the virus and most establishments were starting to open. In fact the first week before I left I was able to go out for lunch and some what resume a "normal" way of life. Again I have to point out it was the people of Thailand that made this possible. They did not argue or put up a fuss, they did what needed to be done, regardless of hardships.

Now surely I thought to myself, if Thailand is able to perform this act my home country which has a smaller population and is much larger will have the virus curbed fairly fast. With that in mind and having a good knowledge of most things digital I figured it would be an asset if I returned home and did whatever I could to get local businesses online and help them manage to keep afloat while limiting contact with customers and hopefully stop some of the spread. So I arranged with the Canadian embassy in Bangkok for some inexpensive airfare and had a flight booked.

Leaving was not easy, I won't even pretend like I had much joy at the thought and not knowing when or if I would be able to return. At the time Thailand would not allow foreigners to enter and even today it is very difficult for a Westerner to get back into the country. But I did what I felt I needed to do, packed my bags, made my plans with those that I loved and headed to the airport.

Arriving at the airport in Bangkok was very unusual. This was at one time, one of the busiest airports I had ever been too aside from Incheon and New Delhi. But on this day it was almost eerie to see the lack of taxis, passengers and attendants. Check in took me no time at all but getting through all the security procedures was another story all together. The Thais did a very thorough job ensuring I did not have any symptoms and making sure I did not have any food. They asked me many questions about my health and I was even offered some extra masks to wear, which I gladly accepted.

When I got on my flight the scene was similar to the airport. More than half the plane was empty. I sat alone with no one in the row ahead or behind me, no one next to me and this was the case for most of the passengers on the plane. At take off one of the things I remember most was the lack of planes in the sky. Normally there were lights in the air as aircraft would be getting into their final approach, but on this day the only lights I could see were from the city I was leaving below and the stars in the sky.

The flight went off without a hitch and in a few hours we landed in South Korea, Incheon Airport. After boarding there were more security and health checks and it took about an hour to get from my flight and down to the train to head over to the terminal where I had to wait for my connecting flight to Toronto.

I never in a million years would have ever though I would see what I did when I arrived at my terminal. Incheon was dead. I mean dead, no one, deserted. This is a major flight hub in Asia and is normally full of people coming and going. No matter what time of day, what day of the week, normally this airport was buzzing with travelers catching flights, eating in restaurants and shopping at duty free.

I walked around the terminal taking photographs and video. It was one of those defining moments and I could feel it. I was actually living in history. As I walked the terminal, shops were open but there were no customers. Out on the tarmac fleets of jets were parked and the skies were completely empty. I had never seen Incheon so quiet, so dead. It was like the life had been drained from this magnificent place that I often looked forward to having a layover at. It was not only shocking but it was downright scary. What on earth was I getting myself into?

As I waited for my connecting flight all I could do was take photos, shoot video and worry. It was very clear at this point that what had already past in Thailand was just starting in other parts of the world.

Looking back on it now, I am actually happy I made this trip. Not because it was a thrill or I looked forward to getting back to Canada but because I saw something most people did not during this pandemic. Often our perception is limited to our immediate surroundings. We don't see the big picture. We look at where we are and assume the rest of the world is in the same situation. I was very lucky during this pandemic to have a chance to record some of what was happening in more than one country, I even got to see what was happening in a couple continents. What I did not realize at the time though was although I was leaving the end of the Pandemic in one place and travelling backwards into it. Because Canada just was not ready, was not prepared, and dropped the ball on managing the outbreak. But as I said before, that is a story for another article and I will write it soon.