Like Father, Like Son?

I spent my last weekend in Hong Kong with my dad. I haven't spent time with him for a long time, since my teenage days.
It was nice seeing him again. I must say it was strange in a way. We've not really talked or seen each other for so long, there's that inevitable disquiet for a while when we first met up.

Click here to see photos from my weekend with my dad

The weekend was relaxing, we spoke about ourselves and our plans in life over a few drinks. Also smoked some weed with him in a weird electronic 'vaporiser' he has. He's retiring to the Phillipines, north east of Luzon island, sometime later this year. He'll be moving there with my Filipino step-mum, Josie, into a small quiet village in the hills, away from mainstream civilisation.

He needs that. He's the kind of guy that really needs to create his own environment around himself. My dad's quite contradictory in the way he interacts with life around him. On the one hand, he's a quick learner, adapting to surroundings and cultures that suit his temperament, but on the other hand, he cannot abide environments that don't accomodate his needs or way of thinking. I have never met someone who critises or moans about so much in life. Every 10 or 15 minutes, he's correcting or objurgating something or other. It really gets tiresome.

I realise that I sometimes can be like that, but I tend to gloss over it and I don't let it bother me so much. Most of the time, I'll keep it to myself. That's why I think he really needs to get away. The guy is really laid back. He smokes weed, enjoys a little tipple here and now, is a great conversationalist and is also one of the most well informed, well read and intelligent people I have ever met in my life. I just wish he could let things be the way they are without seeing them in such a bad light.

Don't get me wrong, I do love him. All the things that have happened between me and him in the past is now water under a bridge. It happened such a long time ago. I don't wish upon any child, especially mine, to have to go through what I had to in my childhood in Hong Kong. But that's all in the past now. That's the person I am. I like to look forward, or see the good things in life (whilst being aware of the bad things that happen mind you).

I sincerely hope I'll be seeing him again sometime soon, in the Philippines. I miss having a father in my life (Rudy, my step father has filled in very well). Maybe when I see him next, he'll be more relaxed, in his element, and finally enjoying the life that he wants. I do admire him in so many ways. He's such an intellect, a real sponge of any factual items, but at the same time, he can be so intolerant of minor details or quirks, which I dislike.

So I've achieved one thing I wanted in my year out. I reconciled in an offhand way with my father. We never spoke about what happened between us in the past. I prefer it that way. I guess it's kind of 'ignoring' what occured. Sometimes that's the best way though. At least in my case I feel it is.

It's a big weight off my shoulders. I'm flying to Bangkok day after tomorrow, and I guess that's where my journey really starts, at least in the physical sense. I've been in Hong Kong for one month now, and I've resolved quite a few family issues that I wanted to, so I guess my emotional journey started a while back.

I'll be staying in Thailand for just over a month, trekking in the north for a few weeks before Ling and Dodgy's joint 30th in Koh Samui end of February. I'll then scarper to India straight afterwards to be on my own finally! It'll be nice seeing Kosh, Ling, Dodgy, Ed Catton, Adam K, Lucy and others in Thailand for a week. But until I get to India, I know I won't really feel like I've gotten away!