From here to there: notes on my travels

I should have seen it as a sign. It's not every day you step in poop in an airport. Doesn't matter if you're in an airport in the sticks or in a large city. That's not normal. I told myself it was that of a dog. Not sure I could handle it being that of a human. So let's just say it was doggie doo doo. There was even a group of men nearby that tried to warn me. Instead I think I stepped in it multiple times while I spun around trying to figure out what they were pointing at and saying. 

All because I was simply trying to find where in the world I was supposed to check in. Turns out my flight was cancelled and I didn't get the notification. Yep. The poop was definitely foreshadowing of things to come. So I had to do the run around getting a new boarding pass for a new flight. But first I had to go spray my shoes off over the toilet seat in the bathroom. No I didn't do it well. Yes, I'm the reason you should always wipe the toilet seat of a public bathroom before using it. Either that or hover. I've mastered that one. 

So I finally got my new boarding pass for a flight 3 hrs later. Sam and the kids already had plans to go to the beach and I didn't want to spoil THAT fun, so Sam took me to a local coffee shop to wait it out. I was close enough to the airport I could just walk back when I needed to. But God wanted me to have a ride instead. So after finishing my lovely breakfast chicken noodle soup and a small but mighty cappuccino, in walk a German couple who I struck up a conversation with. After they found out why I was there, they immediately offered to drop me off at the airport after they finished their own meal. Providence. 

Finally I was boarding my first flight. It routed me through another small city for a fuel-up, which was fine, but only served to make a long day even longer. I was thankful when I finally arrived in the capital city and to my hotel for the night.

This was after I haggled with a taxi driver over the cost of the drive to the hotel. If you must know, I won the haggle. 

The next morning was my first international flight to Tokyo which started with a very early shuttle ride to the airport. The check in line was quite long as they also needed to check for proof of vaccine, contact tracing forms, and Covid test results. I got to stand in line behind the most stereotypical surfer if there ever was one. What gave it away? Well, he was traveling with a very large surf board, for starters. He also had long wavy blonde hair, flip flops, and said "duuuude" and "bro" way too many times. He was with his friend. And their conversation helped entertain me through the boring line. Something about cobras and how some people kill them to take their power. Duuuude. I have nothing against surfers, by the way. This guy just ticked all the boxes. I think it also stood out because my brain was having to process being around other Westerners (that I didn't know) again. Already there were Japanese, Middle Eastern, and Americans on the flight. Yup. Definitely heading back towards the first world. 

The first flight was thankfully uneventful. I discovered the downsides to traveling alone. There's more of a chance that you will be stuck in the middle rows, in the middle seat. It wasn't terrible though, and I was thankful I'd made the last minute decision to buy an overpriced neck pillow in the airport, which helped me sleep. Ok, to be honest I didn't sleep much but at least my neck was relaxed, right? 

The Tokyo airport was as I'd remembered it when we returned from the states a year ago. Strict lines, very empty, and only one cafe open. They double checked my Covid test, had me sign a form, and stamped an "OK" on my boarding pass. All clear. 

The next flight was the long 11 hr one. Unfortunately, I discovered that I was again in a middle seat, in the middle row. And while all of my flights were with American Airlines, my flight to Japan had been operated by Japan Airlines, which I now believe is the superior airlines. The seats on this American flight definitely had way less leg room. It's ironic that American airlines wouldn't have more leg room, since we Americans tend to be taller and larger than the average Asian. Notice my wording of "tend" and "average".  There's always the exceptions, I'm aware.

The flight started out alright but I guess my weather app was somewhat correct as we flew over some windy weather over the Pacific Ocean. It was enough for the pilot to mention it and have the flight attendants buckle up. And I say that so casually but for anyone with a fear of flying, that's enough to get your heart pounding and your nerves a wreck. All while smiling and sitting there like it's the most normal thing in the world to be flopping around the sky in a metal tube. This is where logic, for a personality like me, is thrown out the window. Logic says "airplanes don't crash from turbulence" and "the chances of you being in a plane crash are super duper low" and "these pilots fly these planes all the time". The other part of the brain (clearly the dominant side), on the other hand, is screaming, "THIS IS THE EEEEEEEND!!!" while praying that God smooths out the weather, calms my nerves, and comforts my family when I'm dead. 

You may think I'm crazy, but from what I'm discovering, I'm not the only one with this irrational anxiety while flying. 

What's crazy is that I have been flying on airplanes since before I could walk. And my mom has told me that when I was little, turbulence was my favorite thing in the world. Basically like a roller coaster. I wish I could go back to that. I'm sure part of my growing anxiety for flying over the last few years is just knowledge and stories of crashes and incidents. I also think part of it is my personality and after experiencing some life-changing "traumas", my knee-jerk reaction is to expect the worst. Call it pessimism. Call it catastrophizing (yes that's a thing). But I find myself doing it in other areas of my life and I'm trying to work through it. Yes maybe therapy is a good idea 😉

But regardless, I made it to Dallas, safe and sound. Shocker. I wouldn't be surprised if I sprouted a few more gray hairs though.  I was happy to finally feel the wheels on the ground. And happy to leave the confines of my seat between two men, one of which I could have sworn was sniffing some sort of questionable liquid. Maybe that was my mind conjuring up something that wasn't. I'm sure he just really liked the smell of his beverage. I didn't want to openly stare cause that tends to get awkward, so I am only going off of my peripheral vision and casual side glances. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

The fun thing about landing in Dallas was that most people trashed their masks as soon as they arrived. With the domestic flight mask mandate being lifted, I guess US airports aren't requiring it anymore either. A nice relief to no longer be smelling my own breath for 20 hrs. Ok, liquid sniffer guy makes a lot more sense now. 

The Dallas airport was packed to the brim. If I hadn't just been in Tokyo I would have forgotten how empty airports could be because of Covid. Not Dallas. Business as usual. I re-checked my luggage and walked through the super long but still moving lines of immigration and then back through security again (complete with a drug sniffer dog. I hope Dallas was my seat mates final destination). 

I had one more flight to go. I felt slightly better about this short flight for some reason. This time I had a window seat and even got to watch the sun set. Only slight turbulence and weird screechy braking sounds on landing. I'm sure that's completely normal.

Finally I had made it to South Dakota. I was a little disoriented and a lot tired and nauseated (my stomach didn't know what was happening and my meal schedule was out of whack). But I'd made it and was welcomed by my brother, his fiance and her son. What a relief and a joy to have made it. So thankful for this opportunity to celebrate God bringing these two people together.

Observations and notes from my trip:

1. Americans really do walk very fast! 

2. I still really like airplane food. By the last flight I had lost my appetite just from the travel but I'm a big fan of all the different surprises and cuisines that come on each tray 😁

3. Singing and blasting worship music helps me during turbulence. Oh and jiggling my leg. If you can't beat the turbulence, join it. 

4. Traveling across time zones and essentially "backwards" is pretty trippy.

5. Wearing a mask is very deceptive. You definitely cannot tell what someone looks like based on their eyes. Had a few surprises along my trip. Amazing how many facial features you have from the nose down.