A Busy First Day in Hong Kong

A beautiful night scene: Hong Kong Island from the Kowloon waterfront. The tall building on the right is the IFC tower. A taller building was built on the Kowloon side.

An old double-decker tram still in service on the island.

The Star Ferry awaiting passengers for the crossing to Hong Kong Island.

Not unlike Singapore, the transportation system in Hong Kong is fairly easy to navigate thanks to a little English thrown in with good measure. Firts up was the purchase of another Octopus card which can be used on subway, trams, the bus and ferries -- even at some McDonald's! (No I didn't). Boarded the subway at a station nearby to where I'm staying and headed to Tsim Sha Tsui station and emerged above ground on Nathan Road, a.k.a. the Golden Mile. It's something to behold with all the signs, shops, people hawking stuff, etc. and at night it's ablaze with neon lights! Some liken it to NYC's fifth avenue. Hmmm. Anyway, I walked a short distance to the Star Ferry terminal for my first visit to Hong Kong Island since the British were in charge!

It was a beautiful sunny day with blue sky, but I have to say that the smog/haze really is pretty awful. I don't have a camera filter for this so we'll have to see what photoshop can do when I get home.

The ferry crossing only takes five minutes so one must have their camera at the ready from the get-go. I filmed the crossing both ways. Once across and after a brief look around the terminal, I boarded a Big Bus Tours open-top double-decker for the 1 hour 45 minute Red Tour of the island. It cost US$20 and I hadn't done this in the past. With the audio commentary and the extensive routing it was a good choice. There are lots of new tall buildings with the tallest being the International Finance Centre tower at 88 stories. When it was built the locals complained that it stood out like a sore thumb. Then another new tower (International Commerce Centre) was built that at 118 stories is even taller but on the West Kowloon side of Victoria Harbour so now there are two sore thumbs! One can get off the bus at the various stops and I chose not to though the thought of going up to Victoria Peak again was tempting. My friend Erica, with whom I'm staying (she's an AirB&B host), advised against it due to the smog. Then when I saw how long the queue was when we drove by my decision was confirmed. Once back at the ferry terminal I headed across to Kowloon.

One thing not to be missed, at least once, is the Symphony of Lights show on the waterfront that takes place every evening at 8:00 p.m. Some 30 buildings take part in a massive 20-minute light-and-laser show coordinated to music. Although the night I attended, the commentary was in Cantonese, the show was something to behold as was the size of the crowd. I was there early for a front-row seat, of course. Then I hopped on a number 7 double-deck bus from the Star Ferry terminal and headed back to Erica's where the bus dropped me almost at her front door. The neon lights along Nathan Road were ablaze and provided their own little show.

Off to Hong Kong

Sure hated to leave Singapore. The city is fascinating, I loved where I stayed and the efficiency of everything was marvelous. I felt safe and the people were very friendly. I see a return visit sometime in my future.

Daniel was kind enough to call a taxi for me and help me downstairs with my luggage. Hugs for both Chin and Daniel and off I went to the airport. Spending some time in the Cathay Pacific lounge after checking in I got caught up on email, had a snack and watched planes until the flight was called. The single piece of luggage now weighs 29.8 kg with 30 kg being the max allowed per bag without charge. Something will have to be done on my next stop ...

Departure was on-time and after take-off the airplane circled out and around the airport affording a terrific view of a beautiful and efficient airport, arguably the best in the world.

Dinner was served after I enjoyed a nice glass of Johnny Walker gold label. Then a nap and before long we were descending for landing. II've visited Hong Kong several times before but this time there were some new "firsts" namely, first time visiting since the former British colony was "reunited" with China and first time landing at the new airport. The former Kai Tek airport often involved aircraft maneuvering that had the potential for emotionally scarring a passenger, perhaps for life. I loved it!

After clearing immigration and customs without incident I was confronted by a man claiming to be a taxi driver and pressuring me to use his service. I stopped my baggage cart and asked why he wasn't sitting in his taxi waiting for passengers in the queue? And then I rather loudly told him to move on before I contacted the police! I took a legitimate taxi into the city and had a very chatty driver who was very funny and let me use his cell phone to contact the friend of my host who was to let me into the apartment.

I waited for Billy and after a little while he arrived apologizing. I guess I was supposed to phone him from the airport but no worries. He helped me carry my luggage up the stairs to the fifth floor. I was exhausted. Four keys were used to unlock the two doors! WWe visited a bit and off he went. Erica, the host was in Shanghai and would return the following day. I was in bed by 1 a.m.

Some Smooth & Fast Talking Got Me IN !

Singapore at night from the 71st floor of the Swissotel, The Stamford and the New Asia Bar.

Another view, this one showing the waterfront and the Fullerton Hotel in the bottom left corner.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I've lost my interest in being out late at night and somehow participating in this or that "scene." But it was a Friday night, my last one in Singapore and my younger sister's 45th birthday so what the heck. And there was a challenge: getting into the New Asia Bar, which is very trendy and on Friday & Saturday nights has a $25 cover charge just to get in. So, dressing in my black Levi 511 skinny jeans and a nice black shirt seemed appropriate. Black Converse tennis shoes were worn too. Actually, with my salt & pepper hair the whole thing came together rather well if I do say so myself!

Upon arrival at the hotel I visited with the concierge and explained who I "was" and what I was doing in Singapore and my route of travel, etc. He was young enough to be overwhelmingly impressed. After handing me a $50 voucher for food/drink we walked over to the "gate keeper" and after a brief conversation with him the underside of my wrist was stamped and I was shown the way to the elevator. No cover charge. And away I went up to the top of the tallest hotel in Southeast Asia.

The views are absolutely stunning! I could barely pull myself away from the window let along stop taking photos. Finally, I headed to the bar and sat down for a drink as virtually all the other chairs were taken and the crowd standing around was large and talkative. I learned that a Tiger beer would cost $16 or a Johnny Walker black label $25. I had a beer and a plate of calamari which with tip spent the voucher completely. Enjoying the scene for a little while and having raised my glass in a toast to Anne on her birthday from her big brother half-way around the world, I finally left with my little souvenir "New Asia" cardboard coaster and headed for "home."

The "boys" were still out when I arrived but returned shortly. I showed them the photos and the coaster and told them the tale. They were amazed; not a dime was spent!

Singapore Photos

Little India

Botanic Gardens

Courtyard at Raffles Hotel

Street scene

Seeing the Sights of Singapore

My little Frommer's Day-by-day guidebook was a good investment in that it clearly maps out things to see in a limited number of days. Using it extensively I visited sights in Colonial Singapore including Raffles Hotel (home of the Singapore Sling drink as served up at the Long Bar -- though I didn't have one there since it was during the morning). I walked over to the Singapore Flyer which is the world's largest Ferris wheel. Due to budget I didn't go for a ride. Walking along the Esplanade I saw other memorable sights and admired the beautiful tall buildings in the central business district. Finally, a visit to see one of five merlions and have my photo taken (above).

On another day I visited the Botanical Gardens, at Daniel's suggestion, and admired the natural beauty just a short bus ride from the condo. And neighborhood visits that I enjoyed were Chinatown and Little India.

Though the weather was very hot and humid I was able to duck in to air conditioned buildings from time to time. The public transportation is air conditioned as well. Speaking of that, I am amazed at how easy the MRT is to use -- even for me! Everything is clearly marked, announcements are made in English as well as other languages and if ever there's any doubt someone is nearby ready to help. Wonderful!

Singapore and my First Air B&B Experience

There are clearly advantages to staying with young hosts. My arrival in Singapore was late and by the time I got to where I was staying it was even later. Both Daniel and Chin were awake and watching TV. We chatted for a little while before I finally indicated that the bed was calling me since my "body time" was actually 3:30 a.m. (local time being 12:30 a.m.)

This was my first experience using Air B&B and I'd certainly recommend it to anyone traveling at home or abroad. Daniel & Chin turned out to be wonderful hosts (they've been together five years) and were kind enough to spend time one evening taking me to Ichiban Boshi, a Japanese restaurant they enjoy and on the day of my departure, Chin cooked a wonderful fish lunch. They're condo is super tidy, they monitor electricity usage carefully (since it's very expensive in Asia) and the amenities include a beautiful outdoor swimming pool which I was happy to enjoy! And they are right next to the Redhill MRT train station which made transportation to/from the city very easy! I certainly enjoyed their company and hopefully didn't bore them too much especially since I could easily be the age of their parents. If I did bore them then they were kind enough to act as though I didn't. My thanks to them both for making me feel welcome! (I offered to reciprocate, however, neither of them care much for cold weather).

Flight to Singapore

Here you see pictured a very very very happy aviation & airline enthusiast seated in business class on the upper deck aboard the Qantas Airbus A380!

The flight, QF 31 was called for boarding and I wasted no time at all to get to the gate so as to spend as much time on board the aircraft as possible. While standing in line on the jetway I happened to notice a young (39 y/o) woman who appeared to be as excited about the next few steps we were going to take as myself. In inquired. She definitely was excited. "Giddy?", I asked. "Absolutely!" Moments earlier at the gate I learned that my seat had been changed to 12K, a window seat on the right side. Previously I was in 21A so this was a good change albeit unrequested by me. There was a man in 12J who, frankly, looked too boring to be seated next to for an 8+ hour flight so after I stowed my stuff I walked to the young woman I'd just met who was seated on the aisle directly behind me. We arranged a seat swap and the man was kind enough to agree.

After brief introductions and some festive champagne, Carolyn and I began what would be nearly four hours of non-stop chatting. Suddenly we were BFF (best friends forever). I learned that she is a member of Qantas staff, (stationed in Brisbane) traveling on a pass and headed for London (LHR) then to Iceland on holiday. (Why Iceland? "Because it's there and I haven't been.") The aircraft pushed back on time and we taxied out to the runway for takeoff. Using my new little Samsung pocket camera I filmed the entire take-off roll (historic purposes) and then some (seven minutes total). We headed to the forward lounge -- yes the plane has a small lounge in front of business class which is available to business and first class passengers. More champagne and lots more chatting. Gerwin, our male flight attendant called us back to our seats for the meal service: dinner.

Carolyn switched from champagne to Heineken beers and was having quite a few; I lost count after 7 so she did more listening while I chatted away. I had a sweetcorn chowder followed by lamb fillet with roasted vegetables and sliced fresh fruit for dessert. My alcohol consumption ceased after the lounge. Smart choice. Carolyn's request for another beer seemed to be ignored by the flight attendants so when I headed to the bathroom after dinner she asked me to mention her desire for another. I did so and Gerwin suggested she'd had enough and another flight attendant would be speaking with her. Oops! Upon my return we headed back to the lounge where she was pulled aside discretely and then disappeared. After ten minutes I returned to my seat, found her and asked what happened. A reprimand. She had to be a good girl or else. Well, we were both tired and others were preparing to sleep so I pushed a button and the seat converted to a 180 degree lie-flat bed. Sweet! The next thing I knew was an initial preparation for descent announcement from the captain. There was some light turbulence during the flight and although my seat belt was fastened while at my seat I was amazed that the seat belt sign was never illuminated except for take-off and landing. The aircraft is certainly big and stable beyond belief. My only complaint? The individual lights, overhead and for reading are the bright-blue/white LED kind which I absolutely detest.

Sad that the journey was soon to end, I soaked up the last few moments as we descended and landed at the Changi airport ahead of schedule. Upon landing I noticed three Singapore Airlines A380s parked at the gates (they were the first airline to fly the aircraft). All passengers were required to deplane and take all of their carry-on belongings with them (government regulations). The aircraft would be cleaned during the 1.5 hour layover for those continuing to London. Carry-on bags would again be re-screened by security (government regulations). We deplaned, Carolyn and I hugged good-bye (emails were already exchanged, of course) and parted company.

A beautiful airport and a smooth transition through immigration, baggage claim and customs. By the way, on the immigration card that is filled out prior to arrival it states in bold red lettering: Warning Death for Drug Traffickers Under Singapore Law. This portion of the card remains with the passport until departure from the country, perhaps as a constant reminder. Off I headed to the taxi queue where despite a very long line it only took 10 minutes to get a taxi. The most notable change from Sydney? The temperature: 90-ish degrees and humid beyond belief. Of course I was over-dressed. Oh well ...

The Qantas Airbus 380

Currently, I'm sitting in the Qantas business class lounge at the Sydney airport. Shortly I'll be boarding an Airbus 380 which is the new giant in the skies, having bumped the venerable Boeing 747 into second place. The aircraft is parked at gate 9 nearby and I can view it out the window to my left. The beautiful Sydney skyline is in the background. The skies are blue, the sun is shining. I am giddy with excitement. I'm finding it difficult to concentrate on anything except the aircraft. I am in fact, obsessed. They'll be calling to board flight QF31 to Singapore shortly for a flight that takes 8 hours and 15 minutes.

Business class seats are all upstairs on the second deck in the first two sections of windows seen in the photo above. This is where I'll be sitting. The premium economy is also upstairs but in the last two sections of windows. First class is on the main deck, first set of windows followed by economy all the way to the tail on the main deck. It would have been my preference to fly the aircraft from the U.S. to Sydney and then again to Singapore, however, Qantas hasn't opened up trans-pacific airline award travel seats for this sector. Too bad, but I'm happy nevertheless. For me this is a highlight of the trip and the fact that the aircraft is parked at the gate and that it hasn't been swapped with a 747 is fantastic. For a glimpse of the experience I'm in for you can click here and check out the aircraft on the Qantas website. There's a virtual tour. Take it! I don't mind if you're jealous. To be sure, I'll have someone on-board take photos of me and post them sometime in future.

There is little doubt that the upcoming experience is going to be fantastic, but I'm sad about having to leave Sydney. My how the city has changed since I was here 28 years ago, though I have to confess I'm not exactly sure how it has changed. One thing I discovered: they added two new steeples to St. Mary's Cathedral since I was here last! The city is as vibrant as ever, the people warm and friendly. I could easily live here.

The flight has been called. Got to go!

Stevenson Said It Best

It's my last day in Sydney and the sun is shining, the sky is blue and I can't resist yet another trip down to the Opera House & Circular Quay. Embedded in the footpath of both the eastern and western arms of the Quay are 50 bronze plaques with a quote about Sydney by famous writers, hence the naming: Writers Walk.

The Harbour Bridge in the mid-day sun. I didn't climb to the top as the charge for having too much fun is way over AUD$100. I did take a bus across and back.

The Sydney Tower poking its head above the trees of the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Even Rainy Days Can Be Fun - A Ferry Ride to Watsons Bay

There were a few days of on/off rain and I wasn't about to let it interfere with the fun I was having so I decided to hop on a Sydney ferry for the 20 minute ride to Watsons Bay. There was a very brief stop at Garden Island. (See map). We arrived around 11:30 a.m. and everyone headed immediately to Doyles, a famous beach-front seafood restaurant that's been around for something like 124 years. The kiosk on the wharf was where everyone headed for their take-away order of fish & chips (the main restaurant was closed for renovation). I did too. Frankly, the entree wasn't that good; I found the same thing at the Circular Quay restaurant City Extra to be better and less expensive, albeit a "snack" portion. Travel to/fro was on a "Supercat" and I was glad I dressed warmly and with a windbreaker! We were at Watsons Bay for an hour and a half. It was fun being out on the water and seeing some of Sydney Harbour.

Sunday at Bondi Beach

What better way to spend a Sunday morning than at Sydney's most famous beach! After stopping off for a terrific breakfast I headed across the street and spent some time people-watching and refreshing my suntan. The water temp. was pretty chilly so only my feet got wet. (Bondi is pronounced "bond-eye").

This iconic ocean pool at the southern end of the beach is home to the Bondi Icebergs, founded in 1929. It was originally used by local surf lifesavers to keep fit during the winter months. If the water wasn't deemed cold enough, ice blocks were added.

Since, as I said before, the water temperature was pretty chilly I didn't go in for a dip here either, in fact not many people were swimming.

One can take a 3.5 km cliff top walk along the coast from Bondi to Bronte beach. The scenery enroute is fantastic. This photo is approaching Bronte beach. Shortly after my arrival, thunderstorm clouds appeared on the horizon so I hopped on the bus and headed back into the city. Got back to the lodge just as the skies opened!

A New Day in Sydney

What a difference a day of recovery can make!

After checking into The Travellers Rest (their spelling) which is one of many backpacker hostels located in Sydney I took a really long nap. I didn't even take time to do any unpacking. When I woke up hungry I ate a snack that I'd packed and then promptly went back to sleep. There will be more to say about this hostel in a future blog.

Friday morning I awoke to blue skies and lots of sunshine. The temperature in the mid-70s was ideal. After some breakfast I headed out with map in hand, though amazingly after such an absence from Sydney I recognized some of the landmarks and street names. First stop was St. Mary's Cathedral which had two towers erected in my absence! Inside I lit a votive near the statue of St. Anthony partly in thanksgiving for a safe trip over (dramatic arrival not withstanding) and the upcoming planned surgery on dad's back. From there I headed over to Macquarie street and down the hill toward the Opera House. A brief look inside the Royal Botanic Gardens afforded an encounter with a young man wearing a Minnesota Twins ball cap. I asked if he was from Minnesota. No, actually he was from Manitoba, Canada. Dennis was impressed when I asked what city in Manitoba, "most Yanks don't know to ask that, they think Manitoba is a city." I expressed delight that I wasn't like most Yanks. We chatted a bit and I learned that he was a farmer from Brandon which is west of Winnipeg. Now traveling he was looking to do some migration farming in Australia; working on farms around the country as the seasons produced a need for harvest workers. Sounded fun and exciting for a 22 year-old but not for me, thanks. We shook hands and wished each other well.

Further through the gardens I could catch glimpses of the Opera House sails and arrived mid-morning. Took lots of photos before heading inside to the souvenir shop for a few small purchases. I decided not to take any tour of the inside as I'd done so the last time and in fact had seen a play performed there as well. Back outside and more pictures, this time of the Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay (pronounced "key") area. Next was a leisurely stroll along the waterfront of Farm Cove enroute to Mrs. Macquarie's Chair. Since it was the noon hour the path was very busy with workers out for a jog or run.

Sensing that blisters were forming on my feet I opted to jump on the Sydney Explorer red bus and purchased a 24 hour pass. The route takes one through various parts of the city and points out interesting sights. One can get off, see a sight and get back on the bus. This I did for the remainder of the day and eventually got off and took the city bus right back to where I was staying in King's Cross (the pass is good on city buses as well). I tended to my blisters and had an otherwise non-eventful rest of the night.

Enroute to Tokyo, then Sydney and an Infamous Arrival

Business class on American Airlines seemed nice enough to me. I was also fortunate enough to have a guy who turned out to be a terrific seat mate for the 13+ hour flight. When the champagne was poured Jon was the first to raise his glass towards me and offer a "cheers". That was both classy and sweet. His appearance reminded me of the actor Brendan Fraser and when I pointed this out to Jon he added, "yeah, with about 30 extra pounds."

We watched our progress across the Rockies displayed on the monitor in front of us and chatted much. It's always fun to meet someone and feel an immediate connection. The fact that we both shared the same sexual orientation became evident to each other and that strengthened the bond as well. He has a partner of four years and I congratulated him on that accomplishment. He was traveling to Hong Kong on business, something he does twice a year. The business class on AA he likened to premium economy at best on most of the Asian carriers. I had insufficient information thus far based on my travels but agreed that most Asian carriers always earn high marks for their service. I was looking forward to gaining more experience.

The meal service began and by the time we were offered choices of entrees the selection was limited. American works from the rear of the aircraft to the front on odd numbered flights; we were sitting in the front. Still, my selection remained available: seasonal garden greens, garlic ginger beef with mushrooms, mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. Wine too. There was more than I could eat so I left some. Later, Bridgette our flight attendant asked me about dessert. "You probably noticed I didn't clean my dinner plate," I pointed out. "I noticed nothing of the sort, " she replied. I had some ice cream. There's plenty of time on a long-haul flight for conversation, food and watching several full-length movies. I watched two. Then there was the need for some sleep. The seat reclined a great deal but it was not 180 degrees lie-flat, more like 150 degrees. I was disappointed by that.

Before long (so I must have slept) we were being told of our approach to Japan. The monitor confirmed this and showed us gliding over the north island. I'd noted our cruise altitude was 38,000 feet and airspeed around 520 mph. Made good time for sure. Looking out the window after having opened the shades I saw a cloudy day but as we approached Narita airport, Mt. Fuji appeared from behind a cloud bank. We landed on schedule.

Jon and I headed for the Admirals Club which he said had been completely renovated and enlarged. His flight would depart before mine. We both got something to drink; wine for him and diet coke for me. Checked emails, etc. using the wifi access provided. His name was called -- final boarding for his flight and after a hug good-bye we parted company. Emails had of course already been exchanged mid-flight.

I had found upon arrival at NRT that the Qantas desk wasn't open so I had to go back after awhile to check in. I would have needed to depart the Club anyway as it closed at 7:30 p.m. and my flight didn't depart until 8:30 p.m. So I packed up and headed out.

The Qantas representative advised me that my assigned seat didn't exist, perhaps due to a different aircraft (Boeing 747-400 nevertheless). I asked about business class being available and she said it was not (I'd had to downgrade to economy for this segment to get on the flight but kept my fingers-crossed to the bitter end). A new seat was offered and I ended up in 70J, an aisle seat nearly at the back of the plane. The young guy seated at the window (there were only two seats at this point of the aircraft) offered to switch and I took him up on it advising that I really just intended to sleep my way to Sydney.

After an on-time departure, the ear plugs went in and the eye-mask on as I attempted to get some sleep. It was fitful at best but somehow the next thing I noted was an announcement for breakfast. I was hungry, in fact I'd been feeling rather faint; seriously faint. The food arrived and the coffee too -- so did the turbulence. It was pretty rough and after a minute the captain ordered everyone to be seated and buckle up. The tail section of any plane doesn't ride out turbulence very well, at least from a passengers point of view. After watching most of my coffee slosh out and onto the tray I decided to cover the cup with a napkin which in the end was soaked. The turbulence finally ended after we changed altitude. I took one look at the breakfast entree and opted out of eating. Again I felt light-headed; enough to alert the flight attendant when he collected the tray. "You might need a shot of oxygen which we can provide. Sometimes we feel the same after a long flight so just ask," he calmly said.

By the time we landed and taxied to the gate I felt positively awful. I'd been essentially awake for over 33 hours. Fortunately my alcohol intake was minimal the whole time. As people left the aircraft the flight attendant came over to me with the oxygen bottle. I took a hit though the mask made me feel closed-in. Several others came over and the lead attendant started asking me questions and for my passport. I had to ask for a barf bag and then had to use it. It was actually rather a funny sight: this guy in the back of the plane surrounded by a group of five male flight attendants barfing what little contents of his stomach there remained. At one point the thought of being "rescued" by Aussie life savers crossed my mind ... hehe. Too bad it wasn't a good photo-op.

Although feeling a tad better, I was told that my departure off the aircraft would be via aisle chair and then wheel chair. I agreed I didn't have the strength to make the trip any other way. Having loaded up my stuff we headed forward in the long 747 cabin. At the doorway I thanked everyone as I was handed off to the gate agents. The journey continued to immigration and customs and it was a very long journey indeed, like OMG!! No doubt I looked horrible so everyone took pity and passed me through until they noticed I'd declared foodstuffs. Full stop. Main suitcase was opened (by me) and the Jolly Time microwave popcorn packets were removed and confiscated.

Next stop was the airport doctor's office which Qantas staff required lest I be taken to hospital! I agreed. Checked in and saw the doctor. Blood sugar levels were low and blood pressure was low. I was exhausted. He offered some of his own personal banana bread. I tried it but couldn't get much down as I felt nausea. Next came a small bottle of green colored glucose which was cold and tasted awful but I had to drink completely. I did. I got an anti-nausea shot in the arm. I took a nap for nearly a hour later I awoke. The doctor advised me that I should go to the hospital. I suggested taking a cab to where I was staying. He agreed but only if I could sit upright for a short while in his presence. I did.

The bill came to $130 Australian dollars! Then the wheel chair returned and off to the taxi stand I went. The outside temperature was rather warm, the skies blue and the sun was shining. Wow, what a way to return to Sydney!

Day of Departure

Sitting in the Admirals Club of American Airlines at the DFW airport isn't half bad.

My flight departed MSP on time and a continental breakfast was served to those of us in first class. My friend Brad would be please to know that Cheerios were served (he works for General Mills). The older man seated next to me didn't eat breakfast. He was too busy playing with his iPad, well, I thought he was playing but in fact it turned out he was reading scripture lessons and there was video too, some guy in what I assumed was the Holy Land. I shouldn't be so mean in my thoughts but the guy creeped me out. Wonder what his reaction would have been if he knew he was sitting next to a gay man ... I dozed off, still very tired from the lack of sleep the night before.

The alarm didn't go off at 03:30 as planned. My sleep was on/off anyway so when I finally looked at the clock I discovered it was 04:08 and jumped out of bed. (Most heart attacks occur in the morning as a result of activity such as mine). Made the bed and jumped into the shower. The tazi would be waiting at 05:00. I had to be at the airport two hours prior to departure since I was ultimately flying international. The bag was packed and I was out the door at 05:05 as the taxi arrived out front. We're off --- and running.

The flight into DFW was uneventful until just prior to touch down. Suddenly one could feel engine power applied and we climbed out and away from the runway, banking to the right and circling back. Some time passed, quiet time. The captain came on and explained that he had come in "a little to high and hot" for his liking so he decided to abort the landing. As a result we might be a few minutes later than scheduled arrival. I hoped that this wasn't an omen. We landed the second time around without incident, possibly my last flight on an American Airlines MD-80 as they're scheduled to be phased out. The lay-over at DFW was enough to catch my breath, briefly. The flight to Tokyo was called for boarding and on the way back down to the gate I called my sister, Anne and received a text from my friend Matt who I presume was at work (with Delta at MSP). I replied that his text was the last official one to be received for quite some time since I'd be phone-less while traveling. (Phone messages can still be left on the home number and I can access them via the internet, but the cell phone will not be used due to associated costs). Then I called the folks to say good-bye and was in fact talking to my mother while having my boarding pass scanned and walking down the jetway to board the aircraft. I felt just like a corporate road warrior.

The doors to the American Airlines Boeing 777 were closed and we pushed back from the gate on time. Take off from DFW and it would seem that there's no turning back now.

Time Zones - A Reference Tool

To assist you with determining "my time" versus "your time" a handy website to check out can be found here. I use this a lot.