The sun streams directly above casting a pink and orange light across the ocean. I watch her gently fall as I lie on the warm soft sand of Long Beach on the island of Koh Lanta. I listen to the evening approach and marvel at the beauty of where I am. I turn to Paul, “Look where we are!” I say. As I begin the sentence he knows what I am going to say and we finish together. It is not the first time we have said this.
We arrived in Thailand 3 days ago. The trip here was not an easy one.
Stormy weather in the east prompted cancelled flights and almost prevented me
from departure. Perseverance, determination and many patient customer service
workers from Expedia made sure I got to where I needed to go. The cost to me
was 36 hours in either airports or airplanes over a 48-hour period of time.
That was costly! Ridiculous exhaustion, chest congestion and achy body muscles
left me feeling too sick to move.
The journey to Thailand is brutal, even without complications. China Eastern
Airlines might not be the best way to travel. The service was lacking
considerably. For a 12 ½ hour trip we saw the flight attendants for the two
meals and a mid flight snack. Other than drinks with the meal, they were
invisible unless called upon for help. The P.A. system was ineffective, and the
quiet voices and heavy accents made it impossible for me to understand
announcements.
I found the stopover in Shanghai a bit oppressive. Even though we weren’t
even leaving the airport, we had to go through serious security, and the
officers were commanding and abrupt. It began to influence my feelings when I
heard Chinese being spoken around me. And the Chinese are a significant
presence in Thailand with many visitors and transient residents. With Thailand
being a 5 hour flight away and a much better climate during the winter months,
many Chinese come here for Winter refuge. It is the East’s ‘Florida’.
Cathay Pacific is my new hero. First of all, they were the only airline flying out of New York during
the (supposed) storm. It wasn’t really
a storm…just a few dusts of snow and cold temperatures. But New Yorkers are a
little wimpy and don’t really know how to deal with unusual weather conditions.
Anyway… Cathay Pacific Airlines made the New York – Vancouver leg of their
flight to Asia available at the last minute. I happened to catch it when it
became available and grabbed a seat. They also offered me a free upgrade to
Business Class and I thoroughly enjoyed such comfort for my 5 ½ hour flight
home. The service was beautiful. The attendants were pleasant and helpful, and
it got me home in time to meet Paul at YVR Airport.
The worst part about the trip is the way it left me feeling. Ridiculous
exhaustion was only exacerbated by extreme congestion in my chest. The coughing
kept me (and Paul) awake day and night and I probably hurt my muscles just from
the intensity of the action. I just couldn’t overcome jetlag! So yesterday I
went to a local doctor. She assured me there was no infection, gave me a
prescription for antibiotic just in case it didn’t improve, and directed me to
nearest pharmacy to purchase a natural cough medicine.
Today I am on the repair. Breakfast was my first meal since I arrived…the
first time I actually felt hungry!
When my United Airlines flight got cancelled in the onset of my
journey, my friend Sandy said, “Everything’s going to come together”.
As I watch the sun setting this evening and I am comforted by the
warmth of the sand under me, I know I have finally arrived. Yes Sandy… everything
does always come together somehow!
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