Cinis Infernus

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

Breakfast.

$3.00

[6ɪx✦ @ok6ixx]

My last day in Japan, sitting in Narita Airport waiting for my flight.

I was thinking about all the small moments. The bows. The white gloves. The perfect change counted back to me. The restaurant staff said goodbye as I left.

And I realized something.

All through the trip, I'd been thinking "wow, Japanese people are so polite, so respectful, and such good service."

But that framing was wrong. Like they were performing politeness FOR me.

It wasn't a performance. It wasn't for me.

That's just how they treat everyone. How they treat each other. How they move through the world.

The taxi driver wore white gloves when driving Japanese salarymen too. The convenience store worker bowed to everyone. The rules at the onsen applied to locals too.

I wasn't special. I was just in a place where treating people with respect is the default.

And sitting in that airport, about to fly back to a place where customer service workers get yelled at and no one helps anyone and everything is a transaction...

I cried a little, not gonna lie.

Because for a few weeks, I got to live in a world where helping people is normal. Where good service is expected, not exceptional. Where doing the right thing doesn't require recognition.

And I didn't want to leave that world.

Boarding my flight, the gate agent bowed and said "thank you for visiting Japan."

I bowed back. Said thank you for having me.

It felt like I was leaving home, even though I'd only been there a month.

Funny how that works.

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

Outside is Thailand. Inside is a memory of England that may never have actually existed.

The longer you travel and the longer you’re alive, the more you realize every place is haunted by another place.

Tonight, that’s enough. Time to go to bed.

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

The British Empire is long dead.

Nobody told the pub.

A cold lager in Hua Hin. Football on the television. The smell of cigarettes drifting in from the street. Old expats at the bar, weathered by the tropics and their own decisions.

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

*smiles*

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

The Bangkok Beatles.

(Also, I hate The Beatles)

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

I’m surrounded by Boomer Brits who love it.

(Also, I hate Boomer Brits)

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

And it’s not even dark yet.

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

Groups of Indian tourists spontaneously breaking into song and dance in the middle of Bintabaht is very annoying.

It’s a walking street, not Bollywood.

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

35 baht for coffee.

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

Good morning Thai kitty

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

Greatest day ever

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

Success

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

I must choose.

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

Sadly, it’s now a durian stand.

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

Wait….WHAT?!?!

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

@714PlayBoySinz Ew. Blocked

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

The walls of this hotel are so thin I can hear some girl getting smashed from four rooms away,

[Cinis Infernus @CinisInfernus]

Wait….WHAT?!?!