;-)I always pack at the last minute and this trip was no exception. I awoke early with those butterflys that flutter in my belly in anticipation of adventure. challenge and the unknown. Off for a 2 month journey that has me in my first week spending time with Aami, then off to Cambodia, back through Japan to see Aami before returning to New York to finish out the summer in the city. Packed very mobile and light, its hot in SeAsia. I packed a classic tan linen suit I got made in Vietnam last time I was in Vietnam with Lisa. This suit reminds me of the French Indochine influence in asia and of an old world charm and elegance. To counter the classic suit, I packed shorts,tee shirts and chinos. I packed a weeks worth of clothes and laundry will now be a weekly effort out of necessity. I learned my leason the hard way last trip with Lisa. I over-packed and had to battle to carry and pay for extra baggage(which actually cost more in one case than the tickets for both lisa and me combined). I packed a second bag stuffed with gifts and books for Aami; Dr. Suess, microscope, an awesome painting ala Andy Warhol by my friend and gifted artist and a custom bound blank book for Aami to write down her Haikus.
Grabbed a gypsy cab to Kennedy Airport. I am not flying my usual JAL,ANA or American airlines.I found a great deal on Eastern China Airlines that stops in shanghai for a day and was 825 roundtrip, unbelievable. Mentally preparing for the" you get what you pay for" that for some folks still justifies an extra grand because the food sucks a bit less and you dont have to pay 3 bucks for a can of coke. For me my choice of airline makes no difference when you're stuck in a flying armpit for 15 hours. The less I spend on the flights the more often I can go to Japan and see Aami. The flight check in and all the basic travel stuff, patted down my balls, checked my bungole for a hidden cavity I think they might have suspected me of trying to smuggle urine on the plane. TSA: observationally. . . you need to question why idiots,morons or mentally empty people are placed in authority positions and not given the ability to understand common sense and respond to rational questions. "Read the sign sir. but but i can't read chinese. well then i guess you is stupid. cause i work here and i know what it means."
The Plane was crowded and I had a window seat. and as a bonus I learned chinese from first class,business class. economy. Despite being a few inches from one another the chinese feel the need to shout and go all nasal. I cant hear you. what are you deaf? what? what, the louder you speak the more others understand you. this works quite well when learning a foreign language.
Landed in Shanghai. Taxi to quite charming airport hotel where I dined on red meat( not sure what type, but did see some dogs,cats and horsed that seemed to be at a town hall meeting with local officals brandishing knives and forks) with sliced peppers and a jaunticed chicked thay call cochine chicken, it egg yolk yellow. Dinner was great. I was exhausted.
Blink of an eye early morning flight to Fukuoka. Never flew directly before to Fukuoka before. On all my trips to Japan I always ued Narita(Tokyo) and rail pass to get to Hakata Station. Overall quite an awesome deal; saved 575 on rail pass and airport in Fukuoka is only 3 stops from center of city.
I used like spending a few days in Tokyo before seeing Aami but now I could care less and with the money and time I save by flying into kyushu, more time with Aami. Hurray!!!!
In a nutshell have discovered a more streamlined travel plan and the minor annoyances during long travel will always be present, so might as well save some bucks and go straight to Aami. The only reason I go to Japan is to see my sweet precious child, makes sense to cut to the chase and all the extra un-needed effort.
I am spending the week with Aami. This time it's my birthday. Seems both Aami and me got the same great gift,in fact perhaps the greatest gift parents and children can give one another, time to connect and build a strong and loving relationship. Yea baby daddy is home because home is where the heart is.
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