Musings on flying

My trip is 60% complete in terms of flying time.
These are my thoughts from the first 48 hours of flying (not including time at the airport, like right now).

1) I wonder if prison can be much different than being on an airplane.
- trapped in a small confined space
- they feed you at regular intervals
- tell you when you should sleep
- and when other passengers ask you "where you headed?" and "Why are you going?", what is the difference compared to: "What are you in for and ?""How long you in for?"

2) Planes are not meant for the 6'3", 240 lb mass of jello that I am. (That's solid jello, thank you very much)
- I've bumped my head on the video monitor and always grab the top of the door getting in and out.
- If I don't sit straight up, my knees touch the back of the seat in front of me. God forbid if they choose to lean back!
- If I don't slouch down, my head snaps back, supported by stale, recycled air as the seat back only reaches the middle of my shoulders.
- It is extremely awkward to pee standing up without making a mess of it. It's a slightly squatting, hip thrusting, spine scoliosis, head tilted and jammed against the ceiling exercise. imagery is a nasty thing. ugh.

3) I've determined that my head must be at least partially hollow. While doing the pee dance, and as my head is pressed against the ceiling, I can hear the plane and engines rushing through the air. Either that or the walls of the plane are very thin. I prefer to think of myself as an airhead.

4) If you are going to fly (especially multiple times in a short span), try to have your flights straddle months. That way you can watch more than the same movie six times. Willie Wonka is getting really creepy. He might be related to Michael Jackson.

5) Non-american, non-communist airlines are so much better. We're talking video on demand, internet access, power for the laptop, 3 course meals, fully flat seat/beds. Compare that to seats that barely tilt 15 degrees, soup as a meal, non-personal video screens and pursers who are either gay or have asses that fill the entire aisle.

6) This last flight in business class, I had a very hyper kid kicking me in the back, screaming, crawling over the seat and having a good 'ol time. argh.

7) Thank you lord or Sony, for inventing noise-cancelling headphones. A must while travelling.

All that said, I actually like flying. I like being able to see different parts of the world. Most of all, I like to bitch, moan, and whine about it like a spoiled brat. So =p

Kauai

I've spent the last four days playing golf on the beautiful island of Kaua'i and seeing my family for dinner.
The north part of the island is wet, perpetually wet.
The south rains a little, but usually the weather is good.
There are mosquitos, so bring bug repellant.
The scenery of green luscious forests atop mountains and cliffs that drop to the blue ocean and white of crashing waves is amazing. Some of the most picturesque golf courses I've ever played.
Next trip, maybe I'll even spend some time at the beach.

Thanksgiving

God must want me to pay for the copious amounts of poultry I've eaten over the years.
A chicken ate my lunch today.

On a separate note, I don't remember there being so many mosquitos in Hawaii. I am a living pin cushion.

Aloha

Aloha from the rainbow state.
After 20 hours of flying, I have arrived.
From 40 degree Beijing to a muggy high 70s Honolulu.
One more flight to get to Kauai and four days of golf.
And then back to Beijing.
Happy Thanksgiving Folks!

PS> I may be the only person in history to wear a suit in Honolulu and Lihuie Airport.

Beijing

I have spoken more english and eaten with a fork more often here than I normally do in the states.
I think ezpats probably live pretty well over here.

Right now is the peak season for hairy crab here in China.
Hairy crab is a lake crab that are quite small (slightly smaller than blue crab) and are famous for the plentifulness and sweetness of their guts.
Hairy crab is good, but expensive if you get it from a restaurant. We're talking 15-20 / lb.
I think traditionally, the most famous hairy crab comes from this lake near Shanghai. Restaurants even tag their crab to show their authenticity from this lake.
Alas, in China, you can even get fake crab!

I had dinner with a friend of mine who goes to school here in China, she told me that at the market, she can get hairy crab for $1 each (as opposed to $15 in the restaurant) so next time, we'll go to the market and buy a whole bunch and have a feast!

Voting

I don't vote.
Whenever asked why, I never really have that good of an answer.
For whatever reason, I just don't. Maybe it's similar to the reasons why I don't drink.

But, I was reading my friend's blog where he posted an article on voting which I found interesting. Voting

Now I can say that I am comfortable with my social standing and therefore do not need to vote so that I may improve my appearance among others.
So there.

Travel Weary

It is day 5 in my travel and this is the 6th city I've been to.
Beijing is cold, they say it will be 0C tomorrow.
If you ever plan on coming to China remember always to carry tissue paper
with you...
Toilets have no paper.
This is currently my painful reality, trying to hold it till I get to the
hotel, which is half an hour away.

Gigi

yesterday I was kidding with friends that since I am in hong kong, I wanted
to know where Gigi Leung lived so I could stalk her. She is my favorite HK
actree/singer and I personally think she would be perfect for me, being
that she is about 5'10”

Today, as I got into the train between terminals at the hong kong airport,
I turned around and I swear Gigi was standing right next to me!

So of course I stalked her and tried to sneak a peek at where she was going
and to see if it was really her for that matter.

As her gate was in a different direction than mine, I contemplated ditching
my flight to follow her.... But decided that might be crossing the line
from fan to psycho.

I think she digs me, though. HA!

Land of the Short and Plenty

I am in the land of the short and plenty.
Getting into the tube packed from their shoulders to my stomach.
I look at my eye level over the sea of black hair and see...nothing.

If I weren't tall, I think I would suffocate here.
They have cues for just about everything from subways to elevators to restaurants.

And then there is another world, a juxtaposition.
Where the rich and well to do play,
Where the ex-pat community mingles,
and where the poor and sometimes toothless (I wish I took a picture) come and dream of millions...
The Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Travel

One leg down, one on the way.
Getting out of NYC was an adventure.
After a night of drunken revelry, woke up 5 hours before my flight with 2 loads of laundry and all my packing still to do.
Friends came over to pick up some packages I had to return to them and before I knew it, it was half an hour before I needed to go to the airport...
and the laundry wasn't done
and the stupid car service won't pick up the phone!
and I get a call from my friends that they left my packages in the taxi!
ACK!

Well, the laundry got cut short, so I have damp clothes sitting on my bed,
F the car service and got a non firm approved car, F the firm too for hiring the mafia for a car service!
And on the way to the airport...I get a call from a taxi driver that he has my package and is outside my door. Apparently I had left my phone number and address on the box and the dude was nice enough to bring it back!
Driver! back to the bat cave! and now I have the packages with me! Bugger!

Now it's getting tight to make it to the airport in time and I arrive 1 hour before my international flight, slightly worried...but the power of business class means no lines and the fast track. Although, I do scrape my knuckles closing my luggage pulley and am bleeding while getting my ticket, just another war wound from my highly dangerous occupation.

Everything goes fine.

Lufthansa has a new long haul business class that has almost flat beds, on demand video, edible food, and noise cancelling head phones. And, the coup de grace....internet!
But I was so tired from from the previous night, that I passed out immediately.

Such is life.

One leg down, five to go.

Love is in the Air...

Now do you really think I would actually post anything related to my own love life?

But it is a happy time as two (2) yes! two (2) of my friends have recently gotten engaged!

Congratulations Howie and Tiffany!
Congratulations Elvin and Cat!

who's next!?!
(but damn it, I better not be last!)

Fall on the East Coast

This is why I love playing golf in the fall in the Northeast.
Is there a better way to spend a day?

Vegas

There is nothing like a trip to Vegas that will get your imagination running away from you.
This time around, my peeps included a couple card counters who do quite well at the blackjack table.
I tell you what, seeing them win thousands of dollars gets a man dreaming!
Alas, my own personal card counting skills are so paltry that it is better that I do not play.

On the other hand, my poker skills are mediocore, but apparently that is enough to scratch out some dough.

Net net? It's still cheaper for me to stay home and suck my thumb.