Day 1 / Monday, December 27, 2010
US time – (19th dec) Sunday morning
I arrived at JFK airport at around 7.30 and waited in a super long line for more than half an hour just to check into my flight. And security check was another 15 min, which wasn't too bad. I arrived at the gate and a few minutes later they started boarding. I sat between a young lady who had the window seat and a man, who was probably in his early 40's. On my 15 hour flight from new york to hong kong, there wasn't much talking among my seatmates. Everyone was glued to the cathay pacific entertainment screen infront of them, myself included. Sleeping was quite difficult. On Jetblue I usually fall asleep on their pull out table, but on cathay pacific the pull out table was at a position that was quite awkward to sleep on. The plane food was quite good. It was flavourful and not overcooked. For breakfast I had a wild mushroom omlette with sausages. For lunch I had some sort of tomato and basil marinated chicken with potatoes and something something carrots. I was expecting some dry bland chunks of chicken with a tomato base, but it was really tender.
When we finally arrived to hong kong I was so anxious. I was so happy to finally get off the plane and stretch out my legs! At the hong kong airport, to connect to my next flight, I had to go through another security check. I just wanted to be in Singapore already! So ma fan...
By the time I got out of security check I only had a few minutes before boarding began. I had planned to chat to a special someone but off onto a plane I went on. I sat next to an old lady from long island, new york. It was her first time going to singapore and then first time she was spending christmas so far from home. I didn't want to probe much into her family info, but I was quite curious to know why she wasn't spending christmas with her family. I felt a little guilty too because I wasn't spending christmas with my mom or my brother.
During the entire flight, the old lady and I were counting down to our arrival in singapore. 4 hours... 2 hours... 2 hours... 15 minutes!! I finally arrived in singapore at 6.45pm (5.45 am EST time). I got my backpack and power walked my off the plane, through the terminal, through customs and to baggage claims. While waiting for my bag, I looked around my yiyi. I saw no one. I did see one boy though who looked like my secondary school crush. I was like?? coincidence? (on the same flight to singapore there was a school returning from an overseas badminton competition and there was one girl who looked like a a secondary schoolmate who was friends with him.) and I just looked at the empty conveyor belt of the baggage claims. A minute or two passed and I looked back to all the people waiting for arrivals, in search of a face I could recognize. Aha! I spotted my uncle say ann.. with a camera! But I could not see anyone else in the crowd. I turned back to conveyor belt that was releasing the first luggages. Looked back again, saw the same image and turned to find my luggage. A few minutes later, I heard my name! Gasp everyone was there with a huge banner, “Welcome Home Elisabeth!” Yiyi, uncle sayann, cousins kalea and sean, auntie gina and uncle ah vid!
I went back to yiyi's place and took a quick shower and off to my first dinner in singapore after 234792346279 years... claypot rice! And sugar cane juice!!
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The news here reported, 6 year annivarsary of the giant tsunami that hit southeast asia, which was also the same time when I left singapore! The news here also shows international news like something happening in Australia and another thing in India. and... SNOW in the east coast! lots and lots of snow!
/Hopped!
10:48 AM