48 Hours Later, Just in Time

Hour 1


Lexington Kentucky. Here we go! It was sad to leave this beautiful house (note the old gorgeous windows), but hopefully we’re leaving for bigger better things.

Hour 6

Chicago. We had a lovely 6 hour layover with nothing to do but eat at Macaroni Grill. Everything tasted like salt casserole. I took a nap too.

Hour 15

Asian airlines do everything better. Bi Bin Bob was served for dinner . It included a bowl of sliced diakon, spicy ground pork, sprouts and cukes, a bowl of Udon noodles, a bowl of Kim Chi, a buttery fish soup and a large serving of white rice. Everything was arroy makmak (very delicious). And we ate with metal utensils, like proper gentlemen and ladies should.

After dinner I slept for ten hours straight. Despite apprehension, taking a red eye flight across the Pacific turned out to be a great idea.

Hour 22

Incheon airport is nicer and more comfortable than I ever fathomed an airport could be. Imagine an upscale mall as the first floor and a spa as the second floor. We spent our 12 hour layover (OMG 12 hours) in the “rest area” of the second flour complete with plush recliners and free wifi (there were even free computers to use if you didn’t have your own). Everything; the artcutecture, facilities are all state of the art and super modern. I said super modern because there is nothing in the US to compare it to, yet the US is generally the reference point when conceptualizing modernity. Seriously, the US’ infrastructure is like a rusty soviet hat factory compared to this. The US has really fallen behind on social infrastructure. It shouldn’t be a surprise really, given the distaste for social government spending and services. It is a strange, uncomfortable and depressing feeling experiencing what the future is going to look like and knowing that your country is not going to be part of it. In my opinion, of course (absolute).

(WE ARE STARTING TO LOSE IT)

We had lunch here too. Despite the fact that we went to a food court most of the dishes were very fresh and unprocessed. And nothing was served on “disposable” ware. I ate out of a huge brass bowl with metal chopsticks.

Hour 48

Bangkok, finally. I got here just in time for the sale too.

Alvin’s cousin P’ Paan picked us up from the airport and took us to her home outside the limits of Bangkok proper. Oh, Thailand how I have missed you- the endless cries of Krap and Ka and wafts of fermented fish sauce. Pom jai dee (my heart is happy). We took a quick tour of P’Paan’s ( very Bangkok apparent) abode- dark hardwoods and white marble decorate the floor. After the tour we shared shots of P’ Paan’s strawberry vodka, washed off 48 hours worth grime and fell asleep.