Well.......I've finally made it back! After a year and 2 months, I made good on my promise and returned like I said I would. This sounds familiar - did I write this last year? I can't remember. Anyway, where to begin... Let's start with my flight....
My first flight was slightly delayed due to a "situation" in the baggage claim area where some luggage belt was non-functioning and they couldn't get the luggage or something. So they told us "We're not leaving without your bags" - a comforting thought for me since I wasn't about to head off to Taiwan indefinitely with just a backpack. Finally they came back on the intercom and announced that the situation had been cleared up and we could now board, and our bags were definitely coming with us, and though we were a few minutes late it wasn't too late to still fly out on time.
However, once we boarded the plane and began to taxi, the intercom suddenly cackled and the pilot announced that we were going to be delayed for about 30 minutes due to heavy traffic in LA since one of their 4 runways was down.... I sat there thinking, "Ok, who's praying that I won't leave??" And my next thought was, "I hope my family doesn't know my flight's delayed - they're going to panic that I won't make it to my international flight." haha. So I used part of that half hour carefully calculating the latest time I could arrive at the China Airlines check in counter before it would be too late to get on the plane. I figured I still had enough time even if we were an hour delayed, so I relaxed, since there was nothing else I could do, and sat back and started memorising some Chinese characters.
We took off 30 minutes later and landed without mishap or any further delays. I'm so thankful for not having to worry about trying to reschedule my next flight.
Well I've decided that 1:00 am flights are not so bad after all. I slept after "supper" which they served at 1:30 or 2 am, and I must say, China Airlines has some comfortable seats that recline quite nicely. They even have little pillows shaped with a U in the middle for your neck. They don't have toothpaste and eye masks though - you should fly with China Southern for that.
So after we got supper out of the way, the inside of the plane fell silent as about 98% of the people were conked out for a good part of the way. I didn't fully wake up until about 3 hours before we landed, which means I must have slept for 10+ hours. That's good though because today has been a loooong day.
As soon as we landed, I joined the crowds in the "Non-Citizen" line for immigration, then followed everyone down to baggage claim. It was around this time, as I was waiting for the super slow carousel to bring me my super heavy suitcases, that I found out there was free wi-fi, so I immediately began texting everyone to say I had landed safely. My bags finally came and I wandered out of the airport and stood for a few minutes messaging friends. I just wasn't ready to transition back and I knew that as soon as I stepped out into the bus terminal, my life here would officially begin. So I lingered a few minutes, wishing I could get on a plane and fly back because I do miss everyone I just left :-( sigh. That's the trouble with travelling so far away - you can't just pop back for a quick visit whenever you want.
So, fast forward through the bus ride and the ride to the church where I'm staying.... as soon as I sorted myself out here and found some vital items like my chocolate that I needed to get into a fridge asap, I headed out for the school to go see people (most of whom weren't there I may add - where were you guys?!). I found out that since I've been gone they added a new MRT (metro) station close by! That was exciting news. Thankfully it wasn't too hard to find, if you know anything about my sense of direction, you'll understand.
I had a list of things to get done today and I'm so glad I got almost all of them accomplished: I got a new phone number for my expired phone, and went food shopping for the weekend, then went to the city hospital for the health check that I need before I can work. So all in all it's been a busy day and I'm starting to get really tired from the heat, humidity, and walking all over. Oh, and probably a touch of jet lag. It's almost 6 pm, I've been up for 15 hours, and I have another 3 to go before I can sleep. The young people are coming over for supper and vespers soon I think so I have that to look forward to. So does my stomach. It's 32 degrees here and it's hard to be hungry in this weather, but the last real meal I had was my rice-porridge-breakfast on the plane. I did buy a snack on the side of the road here though, and some milk tea with the tapioca pearls! It was just as good as I remembered it!
Ok, signing off for now...this weekend is sure to be full of new adventures and I will try and keep you updated. At least I have internet! What would I do without it? Wishing you all a lovely weekend,
Until next time
