So I finally made it to Ho Chi Minh city. Got my visa. Now I have about six hours to kill until my flight to Phnom Penh. I found this weird section of the airport called “The Well Wishers Lounge”. There are the bones of several cafes and eateries.  A ghost like person wandered by me. Several more are strewn about love seats and chairs. The silence is total save for the floor buffing machine. It seems like as good a place as any to crash for a bit. Nine more hours left to reach the Billabong Hostel and then to the elephants!

If nothing else, travel has taught me (some) patience.

  

29 hours in…Hong Kong airport.

There are lots of people with surgical masks on here.  Clearly biochemical threats rank high here. Random people had their temperatures taken upon arrival. Does wearing a mask really help? Having spent my 14 hour flight reading the entire “Girl With All The Gifts”, airborne pathogens are pretty fresh in my mind. Hopefully I won’t run into any Hungries!

Off to download more books while I can since I have already read two of the five I downloaded for this trip….

 

Board plane.

Put on many layers including favorite travel sarong with monkeys on it. ( Why do they cool planes to arctic temperatures?)

Fall asleep within first five minutes of take off.

Wake up after sleeping for fifteen minutes.

Stay awake (against my will) for duration of plane ride.

TSA pre check status.

Should I take this as a sign that I may actually fly internationally without a hiccup?  

Stay tuned….

So preparation for this trip has definitely hit upon three of my weakest areas:

paperwork
pictures
procedures

As anyone who has ever left a piece of paper within a six-foot radius of me knows, I hate it.  I hate it so much I often lose it never to be heard from again.  So I am really keeping my fingers crossed that all the bits of visa letters and health insurance and tickets all stay together in the envelope!

As anyone who has ever taken my picture knows, I hate this as well.  Having referred to my stepmother as “the paparazzi” on several vacations, she can vouch for the fact that you are taking your life into your own hands if you want to take my picture. Who needs evidence of themselves exiting the ocean with their bathing suit at a very strange angle (and possibly not covering the right bits)?  Not me!  Well, this trip has caused me to sit twice for passport photos for a total of six pictures.  The second set of pictures make me look very much like a stroke victim.  The entire left side of my face is sagging.  I like to think that this is not happening in real life.

And as anyone who has ever forced me to follow any kind of procedure will tell you, I really really hate them.  I don’t really know if there is some deep childhood experience that created this or if it is just my nature, but I have a really tough time following a bunch of rules and regulations.  Can we not let common sense be our guide?  This thought always put me to the episode of “Absolutely Fabulous” where Edie is taken to court for driving and other offenses.  (Found here.)  We don’t all need nursemaiding!