The days leading up to our departure were a blur of checked tick marks on to-do lists, last minute necessary travel supply purchases, and crazy domestic mishaps.
With three children, two homes, four animals, and a couple of businesses to keep running smoothly in our absence many, many loose ends needed to be tied up before we (ok, I) felt free to shed day-to-day responsibilities for the unencumbered posture of a world traveler. By the time we even lifted off from our first airport I needed a vacation from our vacation preparation!
Don’t be fooled, we have done our fair share of daydreaming too. Jeremiah spent countless research hours pouring over maps of far-off places we hoped to visit (most of which had names we couldn’t come close to pronouncing), and I often scanned the web for insider tips on how to make the most of our time in Thailand and Cambodia. We thought we were prepared; we thought we knew what to expect. We were wrong. We were simply freshmen about be get schooled on everything from temple etiquette to cultural misconceptions.
The first day of our trip started early…like the day before early. I know it may seem strange to consider the start to our trip occurring before departure, but this was the longest trip either of us had embarked upon and we wanted to be comfortable and safe.
Seasoned, long-haul travelers warned us to expect leg discomfort and poor rest during and immediately following the extended flights. This was bad news for us! Jeremiah is prone to suffering from restless legs anyway, and we knew our immune systems and chipper dispositions would suffer greatly if we became sleep deprived; not a good recipe for a spectacular holiday. We were determined to take preventative measures where possible.
Our fatigue-battling arsenal consisted of baby aspirin, vitamin C, compression socks, ear plugs, inflatable travel pillows, and low-dose sleeping pills! We each took one baby aspirin and 500 mg of vitamin C the morning and evening of the day prior to departure as well as the morning of the trip. We donned knee-length compression socks as soon we boarded our first flight and didn’t remove them until we prepared for landing in Bangkok. While in flight from Seattle, Washington, to Seoul, South Korea, we created personal sleep cocoons with our travel pillows and ear plugs. To top it all off, we toasted with a cocktail of a tall glass of water and a sleeping pill (okay, yes, and a whiskey or two. Who’s counting?).
The combination worked like a charm! Not only did we sleep for the majority of the trip, but Jeremiah’s legs didn’t get the antsy feeling he was afraid would plague him following travel. Of course, we did walk the aisles of the airplane and stretch often when we were awake mid-flight, but the fatigue we expected did not grab hold of us.
I guess, for due diligence’s sake, I should offer the disclaimer that we are not medical professionals and cannot advise anyone to take any medication without consulting his/her own physician. Come on people, use your noggins! This is a tongue-in-cheek article not a medical journal. Proceed accordingly.
Anyhoo…
Travel Tip: Buy quality compression socks (my preference is the long, over the knee style) and wear them! Embrace the fact that you look goofy as hell in them and ride the wave of leg and foot comfort all the way to your flight’s destination.
I digress. We were finally underway at daybreak. We bundled our sundries into our packs and said our tearful, hug-filled goodbyes. and Honestly, the first 14 hours of our first day’s travels was a blur. So many broken segments of sleeping and waking time you lose track, and it could be any hour outside those shielded airplane windows.
We did attempt to sleep in larger segments of time in alignment with our arrival time zone, which seemed like a logical move to combat jet lag. After the short hop from Spokane to Seattle we boarded Korean Air bound for Seoul, South Korea. Korean Air was a wonderful surprise in their service and amenities. We really lacked for nothing to eat, drink, or entertain us while in flight. Personal monitors meant that watching a movie with your honey was played out using earplugs and simultaneous video play. Functional, not sexy.
After a lovely flight flanking the sun forward in time, we landed in Seoul, South Korea. We had no time in the city, but I was impressed with the enormity of the Hangang Bridge on the Han River. It seemed to span almost horizon to horizon over water. Pretty cool!
Anyway, back at the Seoul airport we were left to wander undirected down a long corridor toward international customs. Much to our dismay, we learned we had to endure the whole bag opening, liquids segregating, passport studying examination we had in Spokane, Washington. Strike ONE.
As the exceedingly long, gangly line of people funneled down into a one-lane human traffic jam, tempers flared and arguments erupted. All in all, the dirty cheaters who thought they could cut in line didn’t get any farther any faster. We all came to a dead halt 100 people deep and with only 15-20 minutes to board our connecting flights to Thailand. Strike TWO.
Upon successful exit from the human funnel that was international customs, we old-lady-mall-walked our buns expeditiously a long-ass way. So far. So fast. Carrying full packs. It was as close to “The Amazing Race” TV show style action as I ever expect to get.
We rounded the corridor corner which led to our boarding gate and waved a hasty goodbye to our hometown friends. A yard or two farther and Jeremiah grabbed my arm mid-stride and cursed aloud. This was never a good lead in. He realized he had left his liquids bag containing his contact lens case and solution as well as all our bug spray back at the customs area. We froze. Return and risk missing the plane or continue and risk not having sight in water? We chose to board the plane and leave the fate of Jeremiah’s contacts and our bug bites in the hands of Thai drugstores (which are pretty rad, FYI).
The lobby was completely empty except the two gate attendants waiting for us to board. Apparently we were holding things up and they didn’t much care for it. Even though we quickly boarded and took our seats, the plane ended up sitting idly on the tarmac for over 30 minutes. We shook our heads at the irony and passed the time with a travel sudoko book.
Once in Bangkok we easily converted our money and made our way toward the mass transit elevated train line which would take us to our hotel for the next two evenings. Baiyoke Space Hotel. Baiyo (pronounced: by-yo), as we learned to abbreviate it, is the tallest hotel in Thailand and the seventh tallest in the world. You see, my husband has this “thing” for staying at least one night in an excessively tall hotel when he travels. It helps me work on my fear of heights. I guess we both get something out of it.
Fatigued and giddy we arrived at our train stop, stepped from the air-conditioned car and straight into the wall of humid heat we would battle for the next 21 days. Tonight the warmth was welcome and exotic. We hurried down the train platform and through the poorly lit alleyway toward the towering fluorescent beacon of our hotel. At this point we were fueled by the last burst of energy we could muster, and the repugnance of the aroma from raw sewage running down the roads and pooling in crevices and pits throughout.
After a refreshing shower we threw open our room’s wall-to-wall curtains and fell, exhausted, into arm chairs facing the twinkling cityscape below. We raided the minibar and toasted the day’s successful travels with strawberry wine coolers. We fell asleep gazing at the same city lights, satisfied and excited to experience the land around us. Tomorrow we ride! But, first, sweet slumber.