3:15am Alarm goes off to wake me. As usual.
3:20am instead of working out, I shower and pack.
4:30am T attempts to talk to me while I pack. The connection is poor, so I talk and he IMs.
5:15am My luggage and I make our ponderous way toward the hotel lobby. There is a stage, loudspeaker, and party going on outside. There is also a party going on in the hallway down from my room. I suspect they have not gone to bed.
5:30am I check out of the hotel, pick up my three fried eggs, and eat them quickly.
5:45am Pong (my driver for the trip) picks me up and drives me to the airport. The entrance has a line. I guess they want to see my passport and itinerary to get through the door. My guess is wrong, they want me to strip off all metal and walk through a metal detector. Much chaos. I think I made it through with my possessions, but I'm not entirely sure.
6:15am Terminal 3 is less confusing than some airports.... And better well marked than many.
6:45am The check-in line starts moving. A sign tells me in English to not have an umbrella in my carry-on. ??? I spend the entire line trying to remember which piece of luggage carries my umbrella. I don't know. When I reach the front of the line, I put my backpack on my back and prepare to be talked out of my carry-on, as is typical in European check-in lines. She takes my blue checked piece and doesn't say a word about my carry-on. Weird. Perhaps there is only one free checked?
7:15am I settle at the gate and start watching episodes of Justified. The second season is so far as fun as the first.
9:15am My flight starts boarding. My seat is an aisle, next to a gentleman who loves the Philippines out of the many countries he has lived. I think he is a little crazy, but I keep this opinion to myself. See? I can be tactful. Even after the two glasses of free red wine. Mmmmmm... Wine. Wine helps me not strangle the small children across the aisle. Really screamy small children.
13:55pm (2:55pm local time) We land in Tokyo.They take my water at a security checkpoint. I find a bathroom and take a picture of the buttons for my friend W, who is thinking of traveling this way. "Which is the flush button?" I have a sake sample on my way to the gate. I find my gate to Houston. I really wish I'd thought to bring Yen, because I could have bought a drink... The woman next to me in the lounge is wearing a PARKA. I'm sweating, wishing for water and rolling up my sleeves.
15:45 (4:45pm local time) The truly long flight to Houston begins. At least I'll be in TX when I land...
18:30 My back hurts. I truly hate these seats.
23:00 The woman next to me is an arm rest hog. My back hurts WORSE and I realize it is because I am trying not to touch her. Her arm is actually intruding into my seat.
24:15 I hate her, I hate the guy in front of me. I hate them all. I'll show them rude! I shift multiple times in my seat. It wakes then all up. Ah, much better.
1:30am Lights on, take the food because the flight is about to get rough! I was just settling for a nap. Figures. Announcement says to put your seat forward to eat. I do, the guy in front of me does not. I "accidentally" shove, kick and knee his seat at every chance. I am The Reason Americans are considered so rude.
3:30am (1:30pm local time) We were supposed to land in Houston. Instead, we circled. And circled.
4:15am(2:15pm local time) The pilot gave up waiting for the storms to clear and headed to myhomeairport to refuel and wait. I asked if I could get off. It was a polite "No." Argh! So close! I am going to miss my connection.
5:15am(3:15pm local time) We land in a different Tx airport. They will not let us off the plane. Supposedly the plane is currently refueling. I have missed my connection. But I can access the internet...
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