Homeward bound

Homeward bound, originally uploaded by ericdues.

Now I know the fun part if this trip is over... The pilots just
arrived, my phones clock is set to Ohio time (Beijing time -13
hours... it just became yesterday night when I did that), and I had
the "American Breakfast" at the hostel... the only American food on
this trip except a New York pizza joint in Siberia.

I guess one more accomplishment can be made, I have never been on a
747, although I am quite sure it will be like all other planes;
crammed and uncomfortable... Tylenol PM anyone? I now have about 2.5
days, counting in-air time, to adjust to the time difference before
leaving my fantasy world and getting back to thinking about bridges
and walls and other such exciting topics.

It will be good to land on American soil and then be able to figure
things out simply by reading instructions... but that is much less
exciting. After going through customs here and checking in for the
flight, I was reminded how horrible and annoying and self-centered
that travelling Americans can be (in general).

I know I am not the perfect traveller, but I think we as a travelling
nation would be a bit more respected if we realized that by travelling
you must be willing to accept some level of discomfort... if you
can't, just don't travel... Please! I actually saw an American prick
hassling security because he wanted to talk to the airport manager
because some Chinese man and wife skipped some spots in the line to
meet a friend and because they appeared to be late for their flight...
come on people, have some damn understanding.

Another thing that a trip like this does is put into perspective the
small portion of the world that I have seen. Nick, for example, has
been going for something like 7 months and started in the Middle East,
and we ended up meeting at the Mongolian border... quite some distance
and time away from his beginning. I am also constantly running into
those who are at various stages of 1-2 year trips around the world...
my dream trip.

I am, of course, next to an old Chinese couple that speaks no English
and does not seem so keen to move, I am sure they will love me when I
get up after my hopefully long sleep.

Takeoff time is here, and I can't send this from the airport here, so
it will get sent when I land in NYC... USA and Thanksgiving food here
I come!

- The Dues