Episode One - Departures

A Little Bit of Seoul - a 13-Hour Layover in South Korea

Let me get this straight - I leave America with the fond memory of Underbelly ramen still fresh in my mind, and my first meal in the sky above Asia is a just-add-water knock-off of one of my new favorite meals? I have to admit, though, after what passes for in-flight meals on domestic US flights, that Korean kup-o-noodle is pretty much luxurious. Call me crazy. Speaking of hospitality in the air, has anyone noticed the inverse propensity to achieve friendly service on a plane relative to the age of the flight attendants? Are these older ones just kind of over it? I mean, if I had to spend 10 hours with some of my past tables with nowhere to hide, I'd be pretty bitter too. Well, at least they get free flights.

Alright, the million dollar question was, "What would you do with a 13-hour layover in Seoul?" (Apparently, it's "Korea" rather than "South Korea," but I never got the memo.) I tried asking around for the bus to Pyongyang, but everyone just gave me odd looks. Well, I arrived at Incheon International Airport (more on them later) at 7:00 pm and my next flight wasn't until 8:00 am. If we recall the Miami layover, I just rented a car and slept in it, which worked out quite well. However, different circumstances require different measures, and I opted for the hotel and two train rides. I had a grand Gangnam-Style plan to take over (not literally) Seoul and enjoy from dusk 'til dawn (minus vampire strippers), which was literally all I had there. However, midnight in Seoul is 5 am yesterday in Maui. I barely left the hotel, which is to say I walked a block to get some fried chicken. I was dead-tired and too worried about getting an hour and a half to the airport by 6 am, when trains don't start running until 5:30. I asked all the Asians there I could to figure out that math problem, and even they couldn't solve it with any great probability of success. Long story short - I put it in God's hands. It turns out He put in a good word for me with the fine people at Incheon Int'l, and they fast-tracked me through ticketing and security (and the thousands of other travelers there that day who left on time to get to the airport), and I made it to my gate with time to spare! Thank you ICN; I'm glad I chose you over Pyongyang. In conclusion, the answer to my all important question was: fried chicken and a mediocre pilsner - that's what you do with a 13-hour layover in Seoul.

Still wonder why I travel alone?

Live Free and Die Hard - Old Friends and Beginning a World Journey

You know what they say about old friends... wait, what do they say? I feel like there is an old saying - something about tried and true... die hard... you know, Bruce Willis-type stuff. Well, I have come to know many friends in my day, and I always like to think we can all catch up right where we left off - some sort of unspoken continuum that transcends space and time. In many cases, I have found that to be true.

Fittingly so, I chose to start my world tour visiting two of those guys who fall into the category of Die Hard Friends. Two others are assisting me on the Walking Amadeus video project. With any luck, I will see a few more before I complete the circle.

Destination #1 - San Diego, California

San Diego is quite a wonderful place to be. There are many reasons, but temperature, beach, food, and craft beer are among the best... those, and my good friend Jeff lives there with his lovely Liz. We knew I wouldn't get any great stouts for, gosh, months (!) ...gulp, so we had a good couple days of exploring a few more from among the 100 or so local breweries. Of course, we had to make a trip to Underbelly for ramen just prior to my flight. Watch out, Asia; Underbelly sets the bar pretty high. I don't know if any of y'all know about ramen, but they sure do. Thanks, Jeff for the great send-off.

Destination #2 - Lahaina, Maui

I had to count, but I believe this was my eleventh time to the Hawaiian Islands. My dad took me the first seven times. He taught me that all you need is a cheap flight, a cheap hotel, and some food money, and you've got yourself a vacation. For better or worse, my dining budget has snowballed a bit since the days of KFC and bargain buffets. I won't mention how Tom and his friend made me smuggle out all of that buffet chicken in my backpack for beach snacks. Oh wait, I just did.

Anyway, I picked Lahaina, because I wanted to go visit my long-lost friend, Shaun. We were fast friends from his sixteenth birthday when he got to drive his Mustang to school, invited me out to lunch, and he had a Van Halen tape at the ready. Done. I say "long-lost," because since he moved to Maui in the late '90s, I think I've seen him twice. We haven't been that good about staying in touch, but it's great to know the offer still stands to just show up in West Maui, and I'll have a friend and a place to crash. We had a pleasant reunion, and it was fascinating to see him and his younger brother as dads now. Hopefully, it won't be as long until we meet again - found three more little kids who call me "Uncle!" I don't actually know how many people call me "Uncle Mark," but it seems like a lot these days.

Well, off to Asia!

Walking Amadeus S01:E01 "Departures"

Episode 1 - Departures

Riverside and San Diego, USA; Lahaina, USA (2015)

First episode of a one-man trip around the world - leaving home in California back in April of 2015, Mark Porter starts his journey in the Inland Empire, on to San Diego, and off to Maui. This is an interactive project, in that viewers are encouraged to participate in the open-ended journey by suggesting routes of travel, destinations, challenges, visitations, etc by emailing walkingamadeus@gmail.com