Returning from Vacation Stateside

For the record, I never liked flying.  It just isn't my thing.  With that said, you will more appreciate the views and experiences I am about to describe.  Also my experiences can lend aid to your own if you decide to travel.

When I was in the states, I wanted to visit as many as I could.  I crammed my traveling into three weeks by spending time in basically four states and three regions.  Kansas and Nebraska saw me the most.  I was also in North Carolina and Oregon.  Needless to say... I got around.

My school paid for me a round trip ticket on the condition that I would stay an additional year or pay them back.  I chose to stay an additional year.  They set it up so that I flew to and from Kansas.  My last visit was in Oregon so I had to fly back to the Midwest in order to catch my flight.  Here is a learning point: double check the dates when you order yourself tickets.  I accidently set my flight for March 14 instead of February 14.  Thankfully Frontier Airlines has a hardworking policy and found me a flight that very day at no additional charge other than the transfer fee.

I was going to take sleeping pills and sleep while we where crossing the Pacific (actually, we didn't... went north through Canada, crossed Alaska, skimmed Russia, and landed in Japan.)  Figured that was the easiest way to get through a flight.  However, learning point: if you decide to stay up and read or watch movies then be sure to periodically stand up and walk around.  It helps in more ways than one in both emotional and physical ways.

Another learning point: double check and make sure your layovers are two hours long.  If you are flying in winter and the plane gets delayed an hour waiting to be deiced... you stand a chance of missing your connecting flight.  Thankfully, the Tokyo airport has an efficient system set up for baggage.  I ran into sweet ladies who let me ahead of them in the security line.  Then I ran down the escalators and along the moving walkways to my gate.  They were waiting for me, but if I had been 5 minutes later then I might have missed the gate.

Last learning point:  if possible, pre-arrange travel plans at your destination.  If you are going to take a bus, buy the ticket online and print it out.  When I arrived in Korea, I had to take a taxi from the airport to the school.  Well, I didn't have to.  I didn't know that there was a train available.  I also didn't know that Teacher Oh was willing to drive and pick me up even though I was well over an hour away.  So do your research!

Those are my learning points.  I really, really don't like flying anymore.  However, I will take an hour flight over an hour ride in a taxi anyday.  Less upsetting to the innards if you know what I mean.