I am sharing this because I still can't believe it until now and just now, reality sink in. Earlier today while taking my afternoon nap, I heard my mobile phone echoed a notification-a familiar Line notification. Normally, it is just some contest or a celebrity account that notifies users about some activities. I reached out for it, and saw the preview of the message on the screen- HAVE YOU KNOWN IT? It was from Kenji-san. Still dizzy, I got a weird feeling. Three messages - Hey!Bad news, Earthquake in Nepal and Have you known it? It was just right in time for me to wake up to prepare for my class. I replied-No, Oh My!- my usual reply by the way. I didn't panic thinking-no, maybe he is just exaggerating. The next reply was - Check it now! I obliged. So, with an empty mind and dizzy feeling- I searched " Nepal earthquake now" And then- there it was. Shocking news and pictures of people injured.
Okay, I am supposed to fly to Nepal next week - May 3, 2015 (originally, May 2 but AirAsia moved it). All set! tickets-check, accommodation-check, list-check, camera-check, mind and body ready-check, and my bags-almost done! It's the time of the year that I go solo traveling. Why Nepal? Two reasons- first, flying back from Thailand-I saw on an in flight magazine about Kathmandu and Nepal. Got interested. And the influencing one? watched Nine Times Nine Travel Korean drama ( which I didn't finish 'till the end). That's it. A lot of friends always ask me-why? why? why? My usual reply, I want to see the majestic Himalayas. I fell in love with it, the more I planned about it. It took me a year to prepare, a year to set my mind and body for another challenge and a moment to make me realize that anything can happen.
Maybe, I am not meant to meet the majestic Himalayas this time. This plan was supposed to happen last March 2015 but due to a co-worker's leave of absence-I moved it. FYI: A Turkish airplane skid the runway before my flight to Nepal (March 4, 215). They rescheduled my flight due to delay. I decided to change it before that news to May 2015.
Now, that I look back-it was a close call. Had I made my booking earlier than May 3, 2015-I could have been in Nepal during the earthquake. Now, that I look at heartbreaking pictures on the internet- I felt that part of me is in Nepal. I felt sad though I haven't been there and regret that I didn't get the chance to experience the wonderful country before its devastation. There is always next time-they say and Thank God for guiding me in my travels. Now, I want to cry because I felt I was given another chance to be thankful for this life. Thank Lord God and may you continue to guide me in my travels and whatever I will do.