Problem

This morning was a bit of a rush, but everything ended up being OK. I was up much of the night packing and organizing my stuff. My carry-on bag is packed with electronics and reading material and will get much lighter as I read and discard the magazines. The travel clinic I visited this morning gave some great information and I received shots for hepatitis A, typhoid fever and encephalitis. I also got a prescription for an antibiotic (in case in intestinal problems) and anti-malaria medicine. Unfortunately I was so pressed for time I did not get them filled. Luckily my buddy Matt leaves tomorrow, so he will pick them up and bring them with him after my wife fills them. He will also bring my guidebook to southeast Asia which, of course, I forgot to pack.

The airport was amazingly uncrowded, so I was able to have a nice lunch with Pam and say goodbye until December. It was very hard, much more so than I thought it would be originally. She is my rock and my strength and I am going to msss her terribly. However, since she is not going to be around to roll her eyes at my picture taking I lan to take so many that she will feel like she is there with me.

Just got the boarding call and we are off for New york......

And new york is a disaster. When I booked my flight neither Expedia nor Air China informed I needed a transit visa simply to transfer airplanes in Beijing. I do, and there is no way to get one in time before the flight leaves. So I had to book another flight through Taipei (which has no such restrictions on Americans.)

That flight does not leave until midnight so I get to enjoy jfk for eight hours instead of four. And instead of getting to Bangkok at midnight i'll get there at 4pm instead.

Moving on, I've arrived in Bangkok but as you might expect, my bag did not and no one seems to know where it is. Air China told me that the bag would not go on their plane since I was not going on it. I went down to the baggage claim area and talked to the person who runs it (a Lufthansa employee) and another worker who both assured me it has gone on to Bangkok. It didn't.

I talked to just about every baggage claim desk in the Bangkok until I found someone who seemed willing to help. I still have heard nothing on the status of the bag, though my guess is that it never left New York.

Today I found my way to a Tokyu department store and managed to find some underwear, socks, shorts and one shirt that fit. I also bought a bathing suit as I am heading to the beach tomorrow, bag or not. Seems I'll be hand washing my clothes on a very fast rotation, but if that is what needs to be done, it will be done.

The real bummer is that I wanted to get my scuba certification on Koh Samui so i could take some underwater pictures. The waterproof case for my camera was in my checked luggage.

Despite my misfortunes, I decided to go out and make the best of it. I visited Wat Pho this morning and saw the 60 foot long reclining Buddha there. I'll try to get some pictures uploaded tomorrow.

My buddy Matt and his friend were supposed to be here at 11am. Of course he could have meant 11pm. I'm not sure and Matt has a tendency not to provide all the information you need. ;)

More later!

Jeff