Balance

I wrote at least one blog post each time I was on conference leave. And why not? Conference leave invariably means more personal time at night.

The schedule of my conference leave is always much the same. I would arrive one day before the event starts, and fly out the day after the conference finishes. In other words, it isn't easy to set aside more than one day to travel. Okay, at least not the off-the-beaten track experience within the tight schedule.

To balance my own travelling needs with those of formal attire in the conference, I find it a good idea to wear a pair of not-too-casual black running shoes. (Yeah, I guess that's the time I saw the envious faces of those ladies who wear high-heel shoes.) For my conference in Korea this week, I used the same strategy. I can hardly add one World Heritage site in my itinerary. It's impossible when I spent the bulk of my time inside the convention centre.

Still, I enjoyed the few short trips the way Koreans relish the banchan (side dishes). A bit from one dish, then a bite from another. A tiny morsel a time but enough to create balance in the meal. This is certain.