getting back to the US- part 2 of a 2 part story

The next morning bright and early we repacked our carry-ons to be on time for our Delta flight to Detroit. We found our counter but couldn’t believe the line. It was wrapping down the concourse; surely that isn’t for us, we just need boarding passes. I tried the self check in but it had screwy seating for our family, even though I had carefully lined out our seats when we booked. So we stood in line. A trainee came along and wanted to know if we were going to Tokyo. “No, Detroit” She put a sticker on us and moved on. No information just a sticker. Slowly as we moved along in line over the course of the next 2 hours we learned the basics of the story. Our flight was delayed 15 hours; meaning our 9a.m. flight wouldn’t be leaving until midnight. The attendants at the counter were rebooking where possible and otherwise just checking in, while listening to lots of howling and moaning from increasingly irritated passengers. We overheard from other passengers that this wasn’t something that just came up. Delta knew about this days in advance and several businessmen had rescheduled off this flight for just this reason only to find themselves somehow back on this flight.

We got to the counter. Explained that really arriving anywhere in the Midwest would be fine, we can drive home. Nothing. One possible was flying Cathay to Minneapolis then to Chicago but they wouldn’t be able to get us a flight to Bloomington for a day. In the end, we asked for our hotel room back and meal coupons. They rebooked our hotel and gave us food vouchers for inside the airport. We got back to the hotel and they gave us food vouchers for the hotel. Yay, no wandering back to the airport! We laid low in the hotel room for a while. We found the kid’s playroom (this huge space converted from the steam works of the hotel) which was bright, friendly and huge. @ ran. I snoozed. After lunch we took a big family nap. By 10p.m. we headed back to the airport for our 12 pm departure. Jonathan began trying to use our airport food vouchers at the starbucks for mugs and coffee. Coffee ok, Mugs aren’t food. So he bought coffee and I sipped on a nice cup of mint tea and @ found the playground to be delightful. Jonathan also bought several bottles of water for me as I have a tendency to seriously dehydrate on long haul flights. The called for boarding and told us to get rid of all beverages and empty all water bottles . I have 3 new unopened bottles of water. So I set off to find the mother @ had struck up conversation with a few minutes previously. I explained the situation and asked if she would like these water bottles. They were unopened and she had 5 kids. She thought Delta and security were crazy and gladly accepted water bottles.

The 14 hour Delta flight went well. @ slept the first 5 or so hours. I snoozed intermittently, Jonathan slept awhile. We watched movies. Talked over meals. I stayed hydrated! No one was sick. We arrived in Detroit feeling ok. We had 5 or 6 hours in Detroit before our flight to Bloomington. When the bagel shop opened I went for bagels and coffee. We took it in turns to go to the bathroom and freshen as best we could (the delay in Hong Kong had taxed our back ups in our carryons). Still a washed face and brushed teeth were a good start. And daylight helped us feel vaguely more alert.

Even with the delay in Hong Kong, this was our best trans-pacific flight to date.

getting back to the US- part 1 of a 2 part story

I haven’t written a story for awhile and our trip back to the states seems to be a good story.

We left our city at 8a.m. local time. Right on schedule. Jonathan had wanted to cushion our departure just in case it was delayed and as anticipated it wasn’t. We arrived at 9a.m. to begin waiting for our 3 p.m. departure to Hong Kong. At first it didn’t seem like a bad idea. We had to wait for our luggage from our domestic flight. Then upstairs, through the security line and then to hunt for Cathay Pacific’s counter. We walked to the end of the airport terminal and found nothing. So we stopped to ask again. It seems that Cathay’s counter’s don’t open until noon. The morning hours belong to Saudi Arabia Airlines. It was 10:15a.m. So we sat down to wait. Or more accurately, I sat down to wait. Jonathan doesn’t sit in airports. I made myself a nest of 2 luggage trolleys, my water bottle made into Pink Lemonade, and the Asian Reader’s Digest. Jonathan and @ took and walk and returned with Krispy Kremes! Then @ and I listened to “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” on Ipod audiobook. At 11:45 we decided to head out in search of the area of the Cathay counter. We could tell that it was getting ready to be set up but as yet nothing was ready for check-in. So we waited. And watched as more Cathay attendants arrived and began to get out the counter junk. Slowly but surely Saudi Arabia Airlines attendants began to surrender ground. They were still trying to check in the last of the travelers to Mecca for the Haj and apparently some of their baggage was giving them trouble. Cathay checked us through to Bloomington, reminding us that we would have to re-check them in Detroit after clearing TSA. No problem.

Now inside the international terminal there really isn’t much to do. It was lunch time so we had sandwiches at the Starbucks (and as a travel tip: Starbucks is always a pretty safe place to get food in an international airport). As we were finishing, they began to call for our flight- 90 minutes early. So without haste, we finished lunch, went to the bookstore, stopped for a bathroom break and meandered down to our gate. The attendants were there for check in but for the life of me I can’t figure why they called it so early. @ and I settled down to play a game of memory on the floor, Jonathan wandered. When it was actually time to board, we were eager to see what Cathay service would be like on board. Cathay has been one of the best ranked airlines in the world. There’s a reason for that. @ was thrilled with the kid’s bag of activities. I was thrilled at the seat spacing and Jonathan was happy for more leg room. Then they turned on the inflight TVs and @ was over the moon. YAY for kid friendly selections and adult friendly selections. Everything about this flight was lovely. We arrived in Hong Kong feeling good but ready for our hotel room.
Hong Kong’s airport is MASSIVE. We walked for 30 minutes from our gate to immigration and that included 2 one minute speed train rides. Its crazy big. When we finally found our way out of immigration control, we were exhausted. The Regal Transit Airport Hotel was waiting for us. We finally got there after another 15 minutes walk. We got up to our room, washed up @ and he promptly fell asleep. Jonathan and I were hungry, so we called for room service and paid an unknown amount for fish and chips. I’m still foggy on the exchange rate in Hong Kong.

not in sing

So yesterday we got to the airport on time about 5:00p.m. and the attendant told us at 6:00p.m. we'd know how delayed our plane would be. They were expecting 3 hours but it could be less. So we got our departure time for 9:00 p.m. and we started our sitting and waiting. Sadly the country's best bookstore closed around 7:00p.m. At 8:30 they corralled us all into the international gate. At 9:00 they posted a delay until 10:00 then at 9:30 they said 11:30. When no plane came at midnight I went in search of someone. I told her its no big deal if they can't fly tonight but just tell me now because we only live 5 minutes away and we'd like to sleep in our bed. I reminded her too that I have a small child and it would be better for him. She promised the flight wouldn't be cancelled and that they expected our plane to leave national capitol at 1:00a.m. So shouldn't have listened to this lady. Because then at 2:00 a.m. there was no plane and then at 3:30a.m while I was sleeping on the exec. lounge floor, Jonathan came in with a cancelled flight. So we collected our 2 checked bags and got home to wake up our house guard at 4:00a.m. We laid down on the king size right as call to prayer was starting! ERG! I guess they have a flight for us at 6:50p.m. today but I don't know if that is really true. Of course we could be headed to a minor show down with immigration because they stamped a plane-full of people out of the country and then they all walked right back in! No idea. It won't be bad, in fact they saved us a hotel night in singapore. but it also looks like we won't have time to do the aquarium this time. We'll be back in a month so we'll do it then. and I think my trip to Ikea is also off the table. Trip out to little India for shopping and food. Then some time at the Botanical Gardens. Its a let down because we've been looking forward to giving @ this special day at the aquarium. He deserves it. The boy ran laps until 10:00p.m. last night, just trying to stay awake. I was letting him stay up so he'd sleep on the flight but at 10ish it wasnt looking good so then I put him down in his stroller. Gone in 10 minutes, barely moved when we left the airport. Love that kid. I can't count how many times @ has slept in that stroller in his little life. So thankful for our king size bed. We all just rolled into bed on it last night and slept pretty soundly. Now we're kind of hanging out in the bedroom with the ac and some videos and toys.

I have a pic or two from the sleeping in the airport I'll post after a bit.

awake in singapore

Killing time before calling the airline. We've been awake since 3:00 a.m. Singapore time, and we're running out of ideas. Waiting for breakfast was pretty hard. Thank heaven for a portable DVD player. We had a moment of profound genius when we bought that thing. Also grateful for wifi. At the moment we're stealing someone's linksys so I don't have to go back to the cafe.

Just found out that the carrier we're hoping to fly on just had a plane go down. sigh... it wasn't our flight, but that isn't reassuring. I guess on a positive, the recent earthquake didn't effect the area we're going to.

sigh...

from singapore

working hard at the moment on just spelling. incredibly long trans- pacific flights. LAX is by far the most boring international airport we have ever been in. 12 hours in the international terminal can make you question a lot. reminded us both profoundly of frankfurt's dungeonesque airport. boring, apparently built by communists very concerned about money.

Singapore Airlines is wonderful. Their economy class seats are not a bad place to be. That and the women are gorgeous. I could sit and watch them all day.

Got to singapore, no flight at the moment to points beyond. We're waitlisted for tomorrow's late night flight. With all 8 of our bags.

@ passed out while we were arranging a hotel and transport (I love our stroller). Jonathan showered and passed out. I walked to the internet cafe and their is a corner in the shop that is beginning to look very attractive. probably a sign i need to get back to the hotel.

I do love this city though, what a beautiful place to live.

more on our adventures later, maybe with pics.