The time is neigh for Patti and I to meet in Seoul, South Korea. It has been almost four months since I flew from Anchorage to Seattle / to Seoul / to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia / to Irkutsk Russian Siberia.
Yesterday, at 7:09am in the dark and cold (minus -38°F) of a Russian Siberian winter morning, I walked, with my rolling duffel bag and my carry-on backpack, from my flat to the Hotel Irkutsk where a taxi was awaiting me at 7:15am to take me to the Irkutsk International Airport.
As I shared yesterday on dot.net, as I was making the above walk I thought to myself..
" If I fall and hurt myself, I could freeze-to-death before anyone would find me in this alleyway to the hotel. Am I getting too old to be doing this?"
Obviously, as I now write from Seoul, I got to the hotel, to the airport, on the plane, off the plane, into Seoul and met my friends Terry and Kathy who I stayed with here in Seoul last October of 2018.
Below are some photos of my trip.
A lot had to happen before I got to my boarding gate. But finally I arrived to find a very welcome sight awaiting me.
My airline, simply known as S7, is the largest commercial airline within Russia.
The below photo shows another S7 airliner approaching us.
Does it look cold out there?
We're airborne.
The flight was 4-1/2 hours. I slept a lot of the flight.
S7 borders on being a radical low cost airline. When the early-in-the-flight beverage cart came down the aisle, we had the choice of : water / orange juice / tea / coffee. Period! No soft drinks. No snacks.
Then, just past the midpoint of the flight, suddenly, much to my surprise and joy, lunch appeared.
What surprises await me?
Call me 'different', but I love airline meals.
My lunch entree was (top) chicken with vegetables and (bottom) steamed rice.
What I wonder is in the box?
Just look! How much fun is this!
A salad, some fruit, a piece of bread and for dessert, a very nice chocolate bar.
We're almost to Seoul.
Never, on all of my airline flights over a lifetime, has the sun been such that the shadow of my aircraft suddenly appeared.
The shadow and aircraft are about to become one!
Will all of you just look at the Incheon International Airport concourse that I looked upon immediately as I emerged from the jetway exit!
I have never seen a more beautiful airport concourse in my life.
Smiles from Patti (still in Seattle waiting-out a severe snowstorm) and Cap now settling here in Seoul awaiting Patti's arrival on Monday.
Yesterday, at 7:09am in the dark and cold (minus -38°F) of a Russian Siberian winter morning, I walked, with my rolling duffel bag and my carry-on backpack, from my flat to the Hotel Irkutsk where a taxi was awaiting me at 7:15am to take me to the Irkutsk International Airport.
As I shared yesterday on dot.net, as I was making the above walk I thought to myself..
" If I fall and hurt myself, I could freeze-to-death before anyone would find me in this alleyway to the hotel. Am I getting too old to be doing this?"
Obviously, as I now write from Seoul, I got to the hotel, to the airport, on the plane, off the plane, into Seoul and met my friends Terry and Kathy who I stayed with here in Seoul last October of 2018.
Below are some photos of my trip.
A lot had to happen before I got to my boarding gate. But finally I arrived to find a very welcome sight awaiting me.
My airline, simply known as S7, is the largest commercial airline within Russia.
The below photo shows another S7 airliner approaching us.
Does it look cold out there?
We're airborne.
The flight was 4-1/2 hours. I slept a lot of the flight.
S7 borders on being a radical low cost airline. When the early-in-the-flight beverage cart came down the aisle, we had the choice of : water / orange juice / tea / coffee. Period! No soft drinks. No snacks.
Then, just past the midpoint of the flight, suddenly, much to my surprise and joy, lunch appeared.
What surprises await me?
Call me 'different', but I love airline meals.
My lunch entree was (top) chicken with vegetables and (bottom) steamed rice.
What I wonder is in the box?
Just look! How much fun is this!
A salad, some fruit, a piece of bread and for dessert, a very nice chocolate bar.
We're almost to Seoul.
Never, on all of my airline flights over a lifetime, has the sun been such that the shadow of my aircraft suddenly appeared.
The shadow and aircraft are about to become one!
Will all of you just look at the Incheon International Airport concourse that I looked upon immediately as I emerged from the jetway exit!
I have never seen a more beautiful airport concourse in my life.
Smiles from Patti (still in Seattle waiting-out a severe snowstorm) and Cap now settling here in Seoul awaiting Patti's arrival on Monday.
That lunch looks great. The airplane shadow is pretty cool, too. Enjoy South Korea!
ReplyDeleteThe lunch WAS two things. A total surprise and VERY GOOD INDEED. So far on this my second visit to South Korea, I've really enjoyed it a lot. Maybe / Maybe not, a trip on the bullet train to the Southern most tip of the peninsula. Smiles .. Cap
DeleteGlad you will soon re-unite with Patti ! Hope you are resting up,I got tired just reading about all the miles you are making on trains,planes,cars and foot! Hard to imagine,a year has gone by since we went to Cactus League games here in the desert.We will make 2 or three games here ,the schedule begins in aprox. 2 weeks.Be safe,be careful & have fun ! God Bless
ReplyDeleteWe ARE NOW RE-UNITED. Wasn't there a song by that name? I'm going to try to rest up. Yes Oh Yes, I've been keeping a radically manic pace this past three plus months. I do need to rest up now that Patti is here. Snap your fingers and a year has passed by. Yes Sir, wasn't it just yesterday we were doing the Spring Training games Tom? Thanks as always for following along here. Cap
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