Taking a Trans-Pacific flight from Bali
Bali is a great place to arrive in and a hard place to leave.
I left Bali at 4pm on Saturday local time bound for Portland Oregon via Hong Kong and Los Angeles.
The reason for my trip was to re-unite with friends Sean and Chris as well as other people I have not seen for a while. Flying Cathay Pacific to Hong Kongtook 4 hours 30 minutes and was very smooth. I was interested in what the new airport was like as I used to live in Hong Kong on the other side of Lantau Island is where the airport is located. Back in 1993 it was just a sandbar.
We were fed on the plane and I had a steamed fish and rice dish which was very good. A glass of cheap red wine helped wash it down.
Arriving I noticed the place was massive and very modern with moving walkways, food courts, shops and plenty of stainless steel and glass for that ‘Minority Report’ feel. You could actually be in any new airport around the world.
I browsed the expensive gifts and after 2 hours and 30 minutes boarded a jet bound for LA. The flight was over 12 hours I somehow kept my sanity by watching The Bourne Identity with Matt Damon and a selection of sports and wolrd news available on the personal monitor.
Arriving in LA it was 9pm local time and the place was in chaos. The Thanksgiving weekend was in full swing and the flights were getting backed up. Passing through immigration I was directed to an area to fill out my immigration card ( the airline providing me with one that was out of date) only to find they only had forms in Spanish. After searching various places I found a couple of English language forms and after filling it out passed through quite quickly.
Los Angeles International (LAX) sees a ton on traffic and I was mazed that no one could direct me to a food court or airport restaurant. About 5 different staff told me the coffee shop was closede and that there was no restaurant for miles.
Eventually I did find the food court on the 2nd floor of the Tom Bradley terminal. This is what ‘ international departures’ at LAX looks like at 3am. Outside the cold air promised a chill to anyone stupid enough to hang out there.
I sat next to a Japanese lady who was waiting for a 4am flight, mine was 6am. I managed to doze off for 15 minute periods as the Mexican cleaning crew worked around me and occassionally banged my chair with their mops.
My morning flight was on time and after viewing snow capped volcanoes in northern California and southern Oregon I landed in Portland where my friends Sean and Chris were waiting.
Part of my trip complete!
By Nick | Permalink
Related Posts
- Tracking friends from my bedroom in Seminyak Bali
- Plane is on time
- Taking a break in the Gili Islands Lombok
- More photos from Ubud
- Just met Johann in Warung 96 Bali
Subscribe
|
Print
|
Share              |
Comments
He’s back where it all began, glad you didn’t have to many problems getting there.
Have a good time.
Ya should of told me ya were flying CX , i would of looked after ya .
Enjoy ya break..
Cheers
Hi Mate,
Ya should of told me ya were flying CX as i could of looked after you.
Enjoy the break.
Cheers Mick
Taking a Trans-Pacific flight from Bali
Bali is a great place to arrive in and a hard place to leave.
I left Bali at 4pm on Saturday local time bound for Portland Oregon via Hong Kong and Los Angeles.
The reason for my trip was to re-unite with friends Sean and Chris as well as other people I have not seen for a while.
By Nick | Permalink |
No Comments | November 29th, 2004 | Trackback
Related Posts
- Taking a Trans-Pacific flight from Bali
- Tracking friends from my bedroom in Seminyak Bali
- Cathay Pacific 2006 All Asia Pass
- Toby & Maya in East Bali
- Heading back to Bali
Subscribe
|
Print
|
Share |
does anyone agree? nick seems like a pretty switched on person..