24 RTW Day 01-02
March 06-07 Travel Days
So we board our first plane in Los Angeles and take a short one hour flight to San Francisco. Then we board the flight that will take us straight to Singapore. Here are some pics from LAX and the landing in San Francisco (SFO). I even think I spot Rice Paddies in SFO! Who’d have thunk? It is delayed 30 minutes. Not a big deal. Then we get on the tarmac and delay most of another hour.
The captain comes on the radio and explains that we will have tailwinds to Singapore (which is odd for a westerly flight) and that Singapore will not allow us to arrive early. So we finally take off and are told that we will arrive in Singapore on time. Sixteen and a half hours in the air. A long time! Plus another hour and a half in the plane for the delay! 18 hours in the plane! Crossing the International Date Line really messes with your sense of time! No, we are in tomorrow. You are in today! But Elee has found the perfect seats for us in Premium Economy. We have footrests, reclining seats that recline further that most seats and ‘leg lifters’ that supported our calves. Add to that a sleep package pouch that had sleep masks, toothbrush and sundries. Toss in a huge blanket (larger than any airline blanket we have ever seen) and a pillow!
So we spend the first couple hours relaxing and watch a movie each. I choose an old Tom Cruise race car movie, Days of Thunder, and Elee muscles her way through Barbie. More power to her! Then a hot meal arrives and because of our seat positions, we get served not only a hot meal but with stainless silverware and glass wine glasses (with an open bar, of course!).
Movies completed, tummies filled, blankets arranged, I take a sleeping pill that my doctor always kindly prescribes for me when I travel, and I actually get most of 8 hours sleep in a couple of 4 hour shifts. Then I wake and watch another movie. This time I attempt to be brave like Elee and watch Barbie. But 15-20 minutes in, I can’t tolerate it and have to go looking for another action/adventure movie. PS: Elee admits to me that she fell asleep watching Barbie and only woke up near the end!
I watch another movie after and manage to time it so my movie ends shortly before landing and it works perfectly. As we approach Singapore, the last hour has fabulous views of the sunset and I grab some shots with my cell phone which I will try to upload here. We are seated over the wing so not truly clean shots but fun colors.
We get off the plane and have to go through Customs. We find the line to stand in that says, “Nothing To Declare” and we get in that line. No sooner are we in line and an official looking lady looks at us and asks, “Nothing To Declare?” We say ‘No, Nothing To Declare’ and she signals us to open a gate and leave! So we do. There is another check to go through and I clear it with flying colors and walk out. I look back and they have flagged Elee for some reason and send her through another line. But she is through and out in a couple minutes. Nobody is looking at me so I take a photo of the Security area. Usually, one is told not to do that. But here we are!
A half hour taxi ride to the hotel that was pre-arranged and all is good. Our driver was even in the terminal looking for us so it was a happy arrival! All is looking good! We check in to the IHG hotel and get into our room, which is somewhat small but we manage to figure out how to place our luggage. Glad Elee had the absolutely brilliant idea of packing an internal bag/pouch marked “Singapore” and I followed suit.
So we walk outside and down the street which is filled with food restaurants and we choose one, FYR, that serves wine and bar food and all is good! We stop at a small market on the way back to the hotel and pick up bottled water and room snacks and turn in for the night. I get this blog written and it is time for sleep!
Around the World in 80 Trips (Or Less) 