DAY 37-38 - NYC to London - 6-7th Jan 2008

Day 37 - 6th Jan

Nothing much today other than lots of time spent traveling from place to place and spending time at the airport. Megan said an emotional goodbye to her family and we were off.

Our shuttle (funny how they use that term instead of flight) was late to Philidelphia, which funnily enough is only about a 1.5 hour drive from NYC, so we could have been there earlier with a car. Anyhoo, the shuttle was actually a propellor plane. Yes folks, no engines, just 2 nice propellors to keep you in the air. They didn't provide for a smooth flight either, then again I didn't expect them to.

In Philly I was so hungry I couldn't think so I ended up getting a Maccas salad...why I don't know but it seemed good at the time. I was still hungry though and 6 oreos later I was very regretful that I was hungry in the first place. All whilst US Airways announced that they overbooked the flight and would like volunteers to give up their seats for a return ticket to anywhere that US Airways flies, a meal ticket and a free night's accommodation in Philly. Both Megan and I were like over our dead bodies, we need to be in London tomorrow.

So we got on the plane and although the guy at check-in said we were sitting together, it was obviously not to be. Both Megan and I were stuck in middle seats 10 rows away from each other. Yeah together my arse. And then what happens? I see like 15 free seats. Either US Airways have problems counting the number of clients they have or a load of people missed their connections.

Thank god we got dinner on the plane, although by then Megan had already bought dinner for us. The state of US airlines is just shite, you're happy if you get food on a flight. It was barely a 7 hour flight to London and although I got some sleep I wasn't too enamoured of being woken up at 2:30am for a rectangular breakfast donut. WTF??? who serves that for breakfast?

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Day 38 - 7th Jan

So we get to London in the morning and we're all happy at Gatwick airport. I get our train tickets to Cardiff and Birmingham sorted and got to Farringdon station via a first capital train. Even though there was lovely scenery of green Megan and I both slept most of the way. We got to Farringdon and realised...FUCK...the station has no escalators or lifts. 2 staircases later with a LOT of luggage (Megan's going to France for an entire year, one look at her suitcase and my back waves the white flag) we make it to the otherside of the platform so we can get the tube to Liverpool Station were we can check our bags since it was only 11am and Travelodge doesn't let you check in till 3pm.

We should really have headed people's recommendations of not traveling on the tube with mighty amounts of luggage. Alas it wasn't peak hour at least. London really needs to look into have disabled access to it's public transport system cause they are going to be fucked for the 2012 olympics if they don't. 70% of the tube stations don't have lifts or escalators...like come on, we know we have legs but our suitcases don't.

So after what seemed hours checking in our luggage, where the women kept asking questions like...Did you pack your bags yourselves? and making us take our laptops out, we finally got out. And the first thing we did? Tube to Westminster, walk out exit number 2 and turn around...and stare Big Ben RIGHT IN THE FACE. I love it. This is exactly the feeling which makes me love traveling so much.



Too bad it was pissing with rain and windy, ah London, so predictable. So we walked across the bridge to the southbank, walking backwards and taking pictures of course. I acted nonchalant like an old hat since I've been there before. We got to the south bank and it was still windy and pissing with rain and what do we see? A McDonald's...or rather shelter. I was hungry and we both baulked at the prices, but I parted with 10 bucks for a big mac meal. But it was damn satisfying.

Once we got out it was sunny. So we made hay. Went around the sights nearby, Westminster Abbey, St James Park, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square all the while the weather couldn't make it's mind up about whether it wanted to be rainy or sunny. I think it was quite confused. We had a quick run through the national gallery where Megan kept falling asleep on every bench and then decided perhaps it was time to pick up our bags and head for the hotel.



I looked at the map and the Travelodge we booked at was quite near Liverpool St Station so we decided to walk it but not before asking the left luggage person, who said something to the effect of "I've lived here forever and I ain't heard of city road", perhaps it was my mispronounciation of "ci-y"? Next we asked a taxi driver, whose reply was oh yes just over that way and up. So we started walking...it was wet and lots of cobblestone, we were in the old town after all.

But still 15min we weren't there. Twisting and turning through a group of roads called Finsbury Square, jet lag, rain and heavy luggage was taking it's toll and tempers were starting to flare, and it wasn't any better that my map was saying it was only a little bit further but still no sign of city road. Another 10 min and we pass a brightly lit foyer...hey wait...isn't that?...the sign said TRAVELODGE, in the hallowed words of RTD...HOORAY!!!! On second thought it was actually quite close but everything combined and not knowing where the actual place was made the trip seem like hours.

So a bit of a refresher later at a new yet somewhat motelish Travelodge we decided to go in search of food, heading towards Old Road Station. This is were jet lag stupour really hit in. What we should have done was got some food, ate it and headed straight back to sleep. Instead we found supermarkets around a 20min walk away and decided that it'll be a good idea to haul back fruit, a jar of jam and 6x1.5 litres of water whilst it's pissing down with rain.

I was so close to chucking a spaz, but I kept my cool and then we just crashed at the hotel and ate some inedible psuedo Asian takeout.

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more pics here http://picasaweb.google.com/LJK131/London

DAY 26 - BAY AREA TO NEW YORK - 26th Dec

So again I got up at some ridiculously early hour to get to my flight at San Jose. My aunt drove me to the airport and dropped me off at Terminal A, turns out that United Airlines was actually at Terminal C. So I had to track down a bus whilst my aunt went and parked her car. Got to the terminal and the lines were gigantic, after spending 10min in the self check-in with the line going absolutely nowhere, i decided to spend 2 bucks at the curbside check-in where the line was only about 4 people long.

Bade farewell to my aunt and headed through security who insisted on checking my bag, cause fuck knows what was in it. The guy ended up taking out a glad-lock bag with my stapler and locks etc. Ended up putting the bag through the xray again and was satisfied that my stapler wasn't some kind of weapon. Seriously, the more I travel in this country, the more pissed I'm getting at its airports. Is it possible to have some form of decent customer service rather than treating every passenger like some form of potential threat. It's no wonder that tourism has gone down here. Why would people bother if the experience is so unpleasant.

Anyhoo, I get to the gate with about 10min before boarding started. So I dump my stuff on a seat and crash for a bit. I get on the plan and we're in the air and then I realise...FUCK my scarf is not around my neck, and if it's not around my neck it's very unlikely to be in my bag either.

I get to Chicago O'Hare Airport and go through my bag. Nothing. It's my favourite and ONLY scarf, mum got for me a couple of years back. And it was a nice khaki green which kind of went with all the clothing I had. Especially my new Burton Jacket and Timberland boots...ARRRGH.

So then I check the departures board after having a moments of silence for my scarf which is probably indentured by the TSA in San Jose. What do I find? My flight to New York, Scheduled for 3:50pm departure...delayed till 5:25pm....FUCK!!!!

So even though my plan of getting an earlier flight to New York would have left me some time to enjoy the big apple before I go to bed tonight, it has been thwarted by hideous flight delays. So now I've spent $50 on accommodation for tonight when the entire day has been either spent on a plane or in an airport.

Chicago O'Hare would also like to charge me $7 to use their wireless network...FUCK this...ARRRGH. Instead I'll try and finish all my journal entries whilst listening to the Cheungmeister to keep me sane and relatively happy.

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Okay so then the plane gets to gate B18 at 4:55...we are then told...sorry the plane can't go out now because it's due for a mechanical and we don't have a crew, we'll make a final decision at 9pm when we hopefully find a crew, but currently please feel free to head to the customer service desk and ask to go on standby for the next available flights to New York La Guardia. So everyone's like Oh. FUCK!!!!, thanks for telling us NOW.

So i'm in the line at the service desk with about 20 people in front of me, and 50 people behind me and the chick yells to everyone. Okay, I've got every flight booked from today and tomorrow, I'll put you guys all on standby but your chances are slim. Seriously? United Airlines you suck!!!

I get on standby on the 6:00pm flight I head to the gate and listen to the names being called. I swear it was like something out of the Amazing Race. So anyway, we get to the end and I see the chick who was behind me in the line get her name called WTF? Someone else told me later than standby doesn't rely on first come, first serve, but more on how much you paid for the ticket, obviously I didn't pay enough.

So the 6:00pm flight leaves, supposedly with all of my flight's luggage too, so the plane actually has room from all the luggage from another flight but not for any of the passengers. And to add insult, my suitcase will end up in NY before I do. I check with the service desk again and yep my flight UA 688 has now been officially cancelled, yay.

So I wait, I talk to random people, I wait, I sleep whilst my standby status rolled over to the next flight. I just wanted out of Chicago. At least I was by myself and wasn't dragging around a kid or something, this other woman had a toddler, that would have sucked. Luckily I got onto the 8:45pm flight, which was the last flight to La Guardia out of Chicago that day. I get to NY at around 12:00, and by the time I get my taxi and hit my hostel it was 1am. I just spent the entire day on planes and at airports.

So my 1 hour layover at Chicago turned into 6. Lessons learnt for the day:

1. Never ever transfer through Chicago O'Hare even if you have to cut off your right leg.
2. Never ever fly United, or if you have to, expect lots of delays and cancellations.

Sydney to LAX (Written on the plane)

My United Airlines plane

14 hours on a moving piece of metal hundreds of miles up in the air. Is a most unnatural and uncomfortable way to travel.

I have 48% battery left on my laptop, and 3 hours left till we arrive at LAX. I'm sitting here sandwiched between Megan and a old man who has had 3 whiskies since takeoff, and feeling the want to remove the remnants of my tail bone because sitting for so long on my butt has caused chronic and intense pain in my buttocks region as well as my lower back. There is a reason why long haul travelers choose business class. Because the sardine carnage of economy is really too much for more than say 3 hours.

Somehow we found ourselves in economy plus this time, although I really don't know what the difference between that and stand economy, perhaps a difference of 2cm width and leg room. Not enough to really make a difference though.

Anyhoo, so in total I've slept for a total of about 2 hours, when we arrive in LA it'll be 9am on the day that we left. Crossing the international date line is a serious mindfuck, but thank god i'll be too delirious from lack of sleep to really notice it.

Anyhoo, so my skin is all dried out, I want to sleep but instead i'm watching Andy Lau kick Daniel Wu's ass as a triad boss.

Best thing to happen all flight was intriguing tall Asian flight attendant offered Megan and me a Dove chocolate bar to share whilst we were standing and stretching to starve off the threat of DVT. Receiving chocolate makes me feel and act like a 6 year old. Really we never change from been kids

Did I also mention that I totally cried whilst saying goodbye my entire family. Seriously when did I become such a sap? My tears are just uncontrollable. 15 hours since saying goodbye and I can still summon the tears. There is something seriously wrong with me.

I'm currently anticipating yet dreading breakfast. I'm actually not hungry but i'm just so uncomfortable that I'll do anything else but think about sitting in this seat. Lesson of the day, always request for an aisle seat. It doesn't matter if people have to repeatedly climb over you or that you have to stand or have your elbows knocked by the trolleys, it is still better than sitting in the middle, because at least you have the choice of moving whenever you like and not have to suffer the claustraphobia.

and god the sound card (or rather the integrated sound card) is a piece of utter shite. ARRGh everything sounds like utter shit. And I really wished I downloaded half of youtube so I can waste my time on better things but instead i'll continue this diatribic stream of consciousness crap that's happening because I refuse to sleep.

Frequent Flyers

I just enrolled with Thai Airlines Royal Orchid Plus frequent flyers. The card I'm meant to print out with my membership number looks very very dodgy, I'd be quite embarrassed to actually present it at flight check in or something.

But looking at points awards etc, Royal Orchid seems to be the best one in the region. And the real good thing is I don't have to pay a membership fee like Air New Zealand or Qantas. Whether it'll actually help me obtain flights at another date is another thing altogether. I think the most I'll get out of it is probably a return flight from Bangkok to Shanghai.

I was looking at discount Asian flights today and bloody hell some legs are really really cheap. Like Singapore to Shenzhen for 32 singapore dollars, which is like $25 bucks. And Darwin to Singapore is only around $40. But then you look up prices from Sydney to Darwin or Melbourne to Singapore, the prices jump way into the hundreds. If the government would just deregulate the airline industry in Australia and open it up completely to the Asian airlines, travel in this country would be great. (Okay I take most of this back since I just checked the airfares WITH TAXES, and $40 jumps to $200...FER CRYING OUT LOUD!!!!!)

But so far Qantas is allowed to hold it's monopoly on the big cities and really the Macquarie Bank takeover of Sydney airport has really pushed up costs, I mean Sydney has one of the highest airport taxes in the world, but it's still a shit airport with the only good thing going for it is that it's really close to the city compared to most other international airports.

Supposedly Singapore Airlines was knocked back by the government on the trans-pacific route as to preserve the duopoly between Qantas and United. Sheesh, can you imagine having the comfort of Singapore Airlines on the 14hr flight to LA? HEAVEN. Instead I'll have to endure crappy ancient United with projection screens.