I tossed and turned all night, waiting for a 4 am phone call that never came. A quick dash to the NW airlines office at the airport before catching my flight to Chiang Mai yielded still more depressing news. I had come to Thailand. My bags had gone to Hawaii.
I provided them with my contact info for the remainder of the week and tried to remain optimistic.
Nonetheless, my trip continued and it was time to rally. I jetted off to Chiang Mai, eager to see the city in the north.
For anyone who’s ever played Katamari Damacy, I give you this.
Update: For other online game fun, check out this game based on recent events.
I am a huge fan of laws like California’s requiring the disclosure of unauthorized access to personal information. Disclosure laws like this, rather than mandates and voluntary codes of conduct, would work wonderfully to improve data security. What company wants to send letters to their customers informing them they lost control of personal information like address, credit cards, and other key items?
My whole first day has been reshaped around clothing. Finding yourself tall, alone, and in 90 degree Asia with only the long-sleeve sweater and khakis you wore for the preceeding 36 hours while traveling is a helluva way to start a trip.
Exploring the shopping plaza next to my hotel I was able to locate two shortsleeve shirts and a pair of khakis, giving me at least something to work with. Having completed the purchase, I sent everything away for express laundry service, so that with any luck I should have clean clothes in the next three hours.
If those get lost as well, I won’t even be able to say I still have the clothes on my back.
3 am Saturday morning, NJ time. I woke up groggy after a little less than 4 hours sleep. Destination: Newark Airport.
6 am Saturday morning, NJ time. The flight to Minneapolis boards. We’re served omletes with sausage and potatos for breakfast.
9:30 am Saturday morning, Minneapolis time. The flight to Portland is delayed. I’m reassured that I will make my tight connection on to Tokyo.
10:30 am Saturday morning, Minneapolis time. I’m served a second breakfastof omletes with sausage and potatos.
12 pm Saturday, Portland time. The flight lands, and after a brisk walk to the next gate I’m one of the last to board the Tokyo-bound flight.
At this point all sense of time goes out the window. It’s impossible to figure out where you are on four hours sleep with all the dateline and time zone changes.
4 pm Sunday, Tokyo time. Our flight lands, but that’s great with me. I’m in Narita, one of my favorite airports in the world.
6 pm Sunday, Tokyo time. For the third time on this trip (out of four flights), we’re leaving late. Thankfully boarding concludes quickly and we’re on our way.
1 am Monday, Bangkok time. My checked bag never made it, assuring me of having no clothes to wear. But Northwest did provide 2000 baht ($50) as an allowance to spend to purchase some new threads, and a promise that my bags should arrive in time for me to head up to Chiang Mai without them. At this point, having slept for onoly around 8 – 10 hours out of the last 48, I’m too tired to care.
I’m off to Thailand and Japan for a week. See you when I get back (unless I see you in one of those places, of course)!
The liberal blogosphere has been alight over the Dick Cheney shooting (Cheney shooting someone else, not the other way around). Quite honestly it’s like looking for a tempest in a tea pot. Do we need to manufacture what was an unfortunate event poorly handled in to a “huge scandal” when there are enough serious issues on the table?
Replies like this one to my post on Budak Pantai remind me that I really do need to check out the comments for posts that drop off the main page. After all, in this hyperconnected world it appears people really DO read this web site.
No, not THAT kind.
The Coca Cola company announced they were ending sales of several lines of Coke products, sending dozens of adults eager for the onset of type II diabetes in to insulin shock.
Not to worry, though, as they will soon have new products to fill the gap.
Vanilla Coke, Vanilla Diet Coke and Diet Coke With Lemon are to be replaced by Diet Black Cherry Vanilla Coke and Black Cherry Vanilla Coke in the US.
Updated due to spelling error.
By the way, the roads still suck around central NJ, with some nice snow, ice, and slushy patches throughout the area. Tomorrow morning’s ride to work will be a blast if this isn’t cleaned up in time.