We're Here!

I think of myself as a seasoned traveler. I am used to the protocol in airports, I know what to expect, and usually I'm not phased by anything. I don’t know if it was because we left so close to Christmas, with my mind more focused on family and friends, but the moment I got to the Albany airport on Thursday morning, I knew I wasn’t entirely 'ready' for this journey.

"I left my passport at home. 15 minutes, I'll be only 15 minutes" says the Indian man taking the shuttle down to JFK with me. Let me tell you, anyone on that shuttle will never forget their passport while it’s Wally, the driver’s day to bring passengers to the airport. This man was so mad and he made sure to let everyone know it. He made up for lost time though, 85 all the way. I was holding onto my stomach the entire trip.

I'm the first passenger off and I ran into JFK so fast making sure not to look back at Wally. Feeling sad for everyone left with the aggressive driver, my preoccupied mind walked into arguably the craziest airport in the world. Terminal 1 included Turkish, Korean, French, German, and Chinese airlines. It was a people watchers delight. I found a seat and took it all in, until Dan arrived 2 hours later.

We had our last indulge at the golden arch and got the show on the road. I think our airline, agents, and flight crew were all relatively new. I've been warned about pig piles. I've even witnessed them first hand on last year’s adventure to India, but this was like nothing I had ever seen before. Asians couldn’t be more polite if you asked them to. Lines are formed, there is minimal talking and rules are followed. Well what happens if there is no queue or no rules? Asians freak out. It was the most unorganized flight I've ever been on.

After an hour of standing in line to board the plane, Dan and I look at each other with the same thing in mind...sleeping pills. I go for the heavy stuff. Dan stepped up his melatonin to the Dramamine. Within minutes we were sleeping babies. Now we thought the plan was to stop in Anchorage for fuel, but a crew change was added to the mix. Do you know what that means? All passengers must get off the plane. All passengers include me, the girl in the middle of her sleeping pill. I zombie walked off the plane and sat. I don’t know where, I don’t know what I did. All I know is Dan had a few laughs but got me safe back on the plane.

After another connecting flight in Taiwan we made it safe to Bangkok. We checked into our hotel that’s in what you would call the time square district and there is karaoke blasting from all different sides of us!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!