hello from korea, eerr....america

I started this in Korea, but then they called me and told me that I had to leave (early) so...

I've been sitting in this hotel, Hotel June, almost all day. The airline gave it to me for free. I was going to take a city tour but I missed the bus. The room has heated floors, a jacuzzi tub and a computer in the room. It was nice to get a little rest before the final leg of my trip home.

I've been traveling for almost 20 hours and have about 16 hours left. My flight out of Chiang Mai was kind of interesting because they put me and another guy in the international terminal, even though we were traveling domestic, because we were continuing onto other countries. When it came time to board I think we both thought we were either in the wrong place or that our flight was going to be empty. Neither of those things were true.

I flew Bangkok Airways and they weren't so bad. I made sure to get aisle seats the whole way back so I can get out when I need to. I was alone in my row so I sat by the window, though.

We were on a big plane but still got to walk down stairs onto the tarmac and wait for the rest of the, very slow, passengers. It was probably about ten degrees hotter in Bangkok than Chiang Mai and way more humid. I did not regret my decision to stay in Chiang Mai the whole time.

The Bangkok airport is not set up for proper waiting, at least not the international terminal. The initial waiting area is set up in a long, narrow chair lined hallway. The chairs are uncomfortable, there are no bathrooms as it's also elevated above the actual waiting area that they let you in a half hour before boarding. Gee, thanks. I did meet a couple of ministers who were traveling around southeast asia who were quite nice. They were a married couple and the woman and I watched the saddest nature show while waiting where a baby monkey died and it's mom refused to let it. She held her dead baby and sat vigil with it for days and then finally left it and another monkey found it and tried to wake it up. Oh, nature, you're so sad sometimes.

The flight itself from Bangkok to Seoul wasn't too bad, but I also fell asleep before we even took off. I was awoken by some of the worst turbulence I've ever experienced and then some woman in the row in front of me vomiting repeatedly into her barf bag in the loudest manner possible. I usually do very well with turbulence but the sound of this woman puking made me want to puke. Barf-o-rama came to mind.

I couldn't find the Asiana desk in the arrivals hall at Incheon and missed my city tour bus. That's how I ended up in the heated floor, jacuzzi floor, buttons in Korean that controlled everything hotel room. I walked around a little but I ate at the hotel and took a nap and a bath. Paul told me that I should have called, but he had said he was working and my phone battery was dead anyway.

I'm back in the states now and have to start working. I almost completely avoided jet lag. Tuesday night I couldn't sleep until 4am and got up at 7am. Last night I took a sleeping pill and was asleep by midnight and up at 8. it's all good.