after sleeping til noon, and pretty much being in a funk after I woke up for the day,
i started calling the local number for lost baggage at DTW. 30 calls in about 3 hrs. the line was busy on each stinking call. Finally about 4pm the line rang. IT RANG!
Immediately upon connection it went to auto hold, where I remained for almost 20 minutes. When the lady finally answered, I was told that my bag had "just arrived" from Chicago and would be delivered sometime later. Of course by this point I had convinced myself that everything would be missing, or broken or some other awfulness - but at least I knew it was back in Detroit.
I met up with Tina for some quick eyebrow maintenance and to shoot. Had a lovely dinner with Meghan and Nicole and by the time I got home the airport delivery people had already called to say they were enroute with my stuff.
The (very creepy) delivery guy got here about 9. After a bunch of small talk he finally left and I could get down to the business at hand.. checking out my shit.
Much to my delight, upon opening it I could tell everything was intact. tons of chocolate, hello kitty stuff, and most importantly many bottles of booze. yay!
I finally feel like the trip is complete. Now, the laundry starts.
Monday, March 30, 2009
home
monday 4am
my own bed
changing time zones is a treat. you spend the first few days of a trip "in the future", not really knowing what day it is, or what time it is and pretty much exist
in a fog.
coming home is kind of magical. a chance to go back in time. a chance to redo things that you may have messed up the first time around.
we woke up early Sunday morning in Seoul and had breakfast, then did some power shopping. I was really limited on space in my carry on stuff (our luggage had been checked in Vlad - so we wouldnt see it again until customs in chicago) so it was a bit of a challenge getting my purchases to fit, but it worked out and i ended up with just one extra small bag.
the flight from Seoul to Chicago was LONG. Poor sweet baby T was up for all but about an hour and a half of it. when she finally got to sleep, the turbulence was bad so she had to be put into a seatbelt, which woke her up and she was never really able to get back to sleep.
we got to chicago about 10:30a chicago time. Customs was quick. Tatiana became a citizen before the luggage even arrived. We got our bags, took a minute to shove a bunch of the new souvenirs into luggage, and then had to recheck them for the flight to Detroit. Had a quick lunch at the gate then we were off again to Detroit. Arrived to a very nice homecoming with Amy's family. Of course, I was feeling pretty much like a zombie at this point, and writing this now I have little recollection of the conversations. Sorry guys!
The Sunday that went on forever should have ended on an up note at this point..but no such luck. Leave it to good old Northwest to mess things up. Amy's bags came out pretty quickly, but mine was no where to be seen. The customer service was anything but, they claim they can't track bags with Korean Airlines tracking numbers (although they are a partner airline, and more importantly TRANSPORT THE DAMN BAGS!)
So now, 12 hrs later, I still have no bag. Hopefully it will turn up later today - and a greater hope that everything is intact inside.
My intention after getting home was to see megan for a little bit, then try to get a coffee with Tina, but after a shower and the silly assumption that I could just close my eyes "for a minute" I was asleep. Sorry Tina, Monday is all yours - promise!
enough for now
g'night (again)
my own bed
changing time zones is a treat. you spend the first few days of a trip "in the future", not really knowing what day it is, or what time it is and pretty much exist
in a fog.
coming home is kind of magical. a chance to go back in time. a chance to redo things that you may have messed up the first time around.
we woke up early Sunday morning in Seoul and had breakfast, then did some power shopping. I was really limited on space in my carry on stuff (our luggage had been checked in Vlad - so we wouldnt see it again until customs in chicago) so it was a bit of a challenge getting my purchases to fit, but it worked out and i ended up with just one extra small bag.
the flight from Seoul to Chicago was LONG. Poor sweet baby T was up for all but about an hour and a half of it. when she finally got to sleep, the turbulence was bad so she had to be put into a seatbelt, which woke her up and she was never really able to get back to sleep.
we got to chicago about 10:30a chicago time. Customs was quick. Tatiana became a citizen before the luggage even arrived. We got our bags, took a minute to shove a bunch of the new souvenirs into luggage, and then had to recheck them for the flight to Detroit. Had a quick lunch at the gate then we were off again to Detroit. Arrived to a very nice homecoming with Amy's family. Of course, I was feeling pretty much like a zombie at this point, and writing this now I have little recollection of the conversations. Sorry guys!
The Sunday that went on forever should have ended on an up note at this point..but no such luck. Leave it to good old Northwest to mess things up. Amy's bags came out pretty quickly, but mine was no where to be seen. The customer service was anything but, they claim they can't track bags with Korean Airlines tracking numbers (although they are a partner airline, and more importantly TRANSPORT THE DAMN BAGS!)
So now, 12 hrs later, I still have no bag. Hopefully it will turn up later today - and a greater hope that everything is intact inside.
My intention after getting home was to see megan for a little bit, then try to get a coffee with Tina, but after a shower and the silly assumption that I could just close my eyes "for a minute" I was asleep. Sorry Tina, Monday is all yours - promise!
enough for now
g'night (again)
Saturday, March 28, 2009
the long way home
Air Garden Hotel
Incheon Airport
Seoul S. Korea
10:30pm Saturday night
Left Vlad today about 3pm. Although I'm glad to be on the way home, I will miss Russia and the people there.
Perhaps my dream of taking the Trans-siberian will work out and I'll return to Vladivostok some day.
The flight to seoul was pretty uneventful. Tatiana was a real trooper, never fussing a bit. Now, we keep our fingers crossed that she'll do as well on tomorrows flight to Chicago. 10+ hrs is a damn long time to be on a plane. We have a short layover in Ohare, and then its home home home.
I've spent the past few hours shopping at the duty free stores, and i'm worn out. there are no sounds coming from the room next door, so I'm guessing that Amy and the baby are fast asleep. I should be too.
more tomorrow
Incheon Airport
Seoul S. Korea
10:30pm Saturday night
Left Vlad today about 3pm. Although I'm glad to be on the way home, I will miss Russia and the people there.
Perhaps my dream of taking the Trans-siberian will work out and I'll return to Vladivostok some day.
The flight to seoul was pretty uneventful. Tatiana was a real trooper, never fussing a bit. Now, we keep our fingers crossed that she'll do as well on tomorrows flight to Chicago. 10+ hrs is a damn long time to be on a plane. We have a short layover in Ohare, and then its home home home.
I've spent the past few hours shopping at the duty free stores, and i'm worn out. there are no sounds coming from the room next door, so I'm guessing that Amy and the baby are fast asleep. I should be too.
more tomorrow
Friday, March 27, 2009
last day in Vlad
Saturday 9:45am
Vladivostok
Our last morning in Vladivostok. This week has flown by. Tatiana has changed so much in just the few days that I've been here.
She's so comfortable in her surroundings now. I'm sure the transition at home will be smooth for her.
We had a great Friday night. Kate, our translator from the first trip came for a visit and had dinner with us. She wasnt available to be the translator for Amy on this trip due to commitments with school, so it was a nice treat to be able to spend some time with her. She's a great girl. I hope that she will be able to come to the US and visit us there. Make it happen KATE!
We leave for the airport shortly, for a 3pm flight to Seoul. Due to the restrictions that North Korea has imposed (some silly threats of shooting down passenger planes in their airspace) the flight now takes a bit longer - about 2 hrs. We'll spend the night at the Air Garden Hotel inside Incheon Airport, and then have a 12pm flight to Chicago on Sunday.
Its a long layover in Seoul, but it shouldnt be too uncomfortable. Incheon is rated one of the top 5 airports in the world.
Its beautiful inside. Plenty of dining, play areas for children and SHOPPING! Its shopping galore there. Unlike russia - the prices are quite similar to the US, so no real savings, but lots of fun products to look at. My one hold back is that I'm very limited on room in my carry on bags and i'd really hate to buy a second bag to carry home, so I'll have to make due.
more from Seoul later.
paka
Vladivostok
Our last morning in Vladivostok. This week has flown by. Tatiana has changed so much in just the few days that I've been here.
She's so comfortable in her surroundings now. I'm sure the transition at home will be smooth for her.
We had a great Friday night. Kate, our translator from the first trip came for a visit and had dinner with us. She wasnt available to be the translator for Amy on this trip due to commitments with school, so it was a nice treat to be able to spend some time with her. She's a great girl. I hope that she will be able to come to the US and visit us there. Make it happen KATE!
We leave for the airport shortly, for a 3pm flight to Seoul. Due to the restrictions that North Korea has imposed (some silly threats of shooting down passenger planes in their airspace) the flight now takes a bit longer - about 2 hrs. We'll spend the night at the Air Garden Hotel inside Incheon Airport, and then have a 12pm flight to Chicago on Sunday.
Its a long layover in Seoul, but it shouldnt be too uncomfortable. Incheon is rated one of the top 5 airports in the world.
Its beautiful inside. Plenty of dining, play areas for children and SHOPPING! Its shopping galore there. Unlike russia - the prices are quite similar to the US, so no real savings, but lots of fun products to look at. My one hold back is that I'm very limited on room in my carry on bags and i'd really hate to buy a second bag to carry home, so I'll have to make due.
more from Seoul later.
paka
Thursday, March 26, 2009
vlad day 4 (I think)
Thursday 9pm
Vladivostok
another relatively quiet day. lots of play, too much eating and a couple of naps for everyone today.
for those of you curious as to what my current neighborhood looks like, i've added a couple of photos of our surroundings.
the hotel is about 20 minutes from the city, in the middle of a small residential area. There are some really big houses and a HUGE private school - all surrounded by very high (20+feet at some points) fences. So, all you can really see are rooftops and a couple of tall windows.
There is a train line behind the hotel that goes into town, but I havent been confident enough to take it yet. Normally while traveling I dont have an issue with public transport, but not being able to read the lettering here is really daunting and I've let it hold me back.
about a 5 minute walk from the hotel is a small grocery store and what I think is a restaurant or bar. The store has three short aisles, maybe 15 feet long, tops. a little dairy, a little chocolate, some snack food (BACON PRINGLES!) and a whole lotta alcohol. hundreds of bottles of booze on the wall. Today I bought a couple of large chocolate bars, three bottles of vodka, a box of wine, a ramen bowl, crab flavored rice crisps and a little kinder bar for a grand total of 700 rubles.
700 = about 21 dollars. not too shabby at all.
Kate, our translator from last visit was supposed to come for a visit tonight, but wasnt able to make it. hopefully she'll be free tomorrow to come have dinner. She's a nice girl with a great future, and I really look forward to seeing her again.
The door on the left is the entrance to the market -I dont know what the door on the right is.
bbq restaurant
Vladivostok
another relatively quiet day. lots of play, too much eating and a couple of naps for everyone today.
for those of you curious as to what my current neighborhood looks like, i've added a couple of photos of our surroundings.
the hotel is about 20 minutes from the city, in the middle of a small residential area. There are some really big houses and a HUGE private school - all surrounded by very high (20+feet at some points) fences. So, all you can really see are rooftops and a couple of tall windows.
There is a train line behind the hotel that goes into town, but I havent been confident enough to take it yet. Normally while traveling I dont have an issue with public transport, but not being able to read the lettering here is really daunting and I've let it hold me back.
about a 5 minute walk from the hotel is a small grocery store and what I think is a restaurant or bar. The store has three short aisles, maybe 15 feet long, tops. a little dairy, a little chocolate, some snack food (BACON PRINGLES!) and a whole lotta alcohol. hundreds of bottles of booze on the wall. Today I bought a couple of large chocolate bars, three bottles of vodka, a box of wine, a ramen bowl, crab flavored rice crisps and a little kinder bar for a grand total of 700 rubles.
700 = about 21 dollars. not too shabby at all.
Kate, our translator from last visit was supposed to come for a visit tonight, but wasnt able to make it. hopefully she'll be free tomorrow to come have dinner. She's a nice girl with a great future, and I really look forward to seeing her again.
The door on the left is the entrance to the market -I dont know what the door on the right is.
bbq restaurant
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
lost in the fog
Tuesday 9:30pm
Vladivostok
sounds romantic, doesn't it?
not so much.
i think i'm still suffering from silent jet lag. i dont feel tired, no headaches, nothing. plain nothing. no feelings at all.
no appetite really, so I dont feel hungry, but never really feel "full" either. I didnt think i was sleepy earlier, but then noticed
that the wall seemed to be moving. that was my clue to take a nap (amy and baby T were out on the town doing paper work)
the most annoying part of feeling this way is finding myself staring off into space. the other people here have to think
i'm a total headcase. course, they're probaby correct :)
Tatiana (and Amy) had a much better day today. routines are starting to form, which makes life a bit easier for everyone.
Baby T went to bed about an hour ago and she's been sound asleep ever since. Hopefully, for Amy's sake she'll stay that way
overnight.
I know I will - its nice and quiet in my room :)
Vladivostok
sounds romantic, doesn't it?
not so much.
i think i'm still suffering from silent jet lag. i dont feel tired, no headaches, nothing. plain nothing. no feelings at all.
no appetite really, so I dont feel hungry, but never really feel "full" either. I didnt think i was sleepy earlier, but then noticed
that the wall seemed to be moving. that was my clue to take a nap (amy and baby T were out on the town doing paper work)
the most annoying part of feeling this way is finding myself staring off into space. the other people here have to think
i'm a total headcase. course, they're probaby correct :)
Tatiana (and Amy) had a much better day today. routines are starting to form, which makes life a bit easier for everyone.
Baby T went to bed about an hour ago and she's been sound asleep ever since. Hopefully, for Amy's sake she'll stay that way
overnight.
I know I will - its nice and quiet in my room :)
Monday, March 23, 2009
back in the (former) ussr
almost 10pm monday night
vladivostok motor inn
man, what a long day. two days really, as i still havent slept. the flight from seoul to vlad should only take a little more
than an hour, but its currently taking 2 hrs because north korea is limiting its air space, so instead of flying a direct route
over n.korea, you now have to fly a big circle around it. boo to them.
and the turbulence was rough. btwn the rolling flight saturday night, lack of sleep and food, and the hard bounces today,
i was really feeling motion sickness by the time we finally landed. fortunately i had plenty of down time while waiting on
passport control in russia... they dont talk to you, or explain what they are doing that takes so long. the just type. and frown
occasionally, and then you're given your papers and sent on your way.
sergei my secret russian boyfriend slash driver slash bodyguard came solo to pick me up from the airport. not a problem really, except that sergei speaks no english (although i think he understands it, but refuses to speak it) and my russian is limited to da, nyet and vodka. needless to say, it was a quiet ride through the country to my hotel.
so now, the important part. Tatiana is so so so stinking cute. and a good girl. she's got a slight case of the new family/terrible twos/interruption in routine sickness right now, but she'll be okay. and i have all the confidence that Amy is going to be a great mom. we played most of the afternoon, then had a pretty unremarkable dinner. Amy put the baby to bed and then we (okay, maybe just me) ate way too much chocolate for one evening.
i'm all about sleep now.
vladivostok motor inn
man, what a long day. two days really, as i still havent slept. the flight from seoul to vlad should only take a little more
than an hour, but its currently taking 2 hrs because north korea is limiting its air space, so instead of flying a direct route
over n.korea, you now have to fly a big circle around it. boo to them.
and the turbulence was rough. btwn the rolling flight saturday night, lack of sleep and food, and the hard bounces today,
i was really feeling motion sickness by the time we finally landed. fortunately i had plenty of down time while waiting on
passport control in russia... they dont talk to you, or explain what they are doing that takes so long. the just type. and frown
occasionally, and then you're given your papers and sent on your way.
sergei my secret russian boyfriend slash driver slash bodyguard came solo to pick me up from the airport. not a problem really, except that sergei speaks no english (although i think he understands it, but refuses to speak it) and my russian is limited to da, nyet and vodka. needless to say, it was a quiet ride through the country to my hotel.
so now, the important part. Tatiana is so so so stinking cute. and a good girl. she's got a slight case of the new family/terrible twos/interruption in routine sickness right now, but she'll be okay. and i have all the confidence that Amy is going to be a great mom. we played most of the afternoon, then had a pretty unremarkable dinner. Amy put the baby to bed and then we (okay, maybe just me) ate way too much chocolate for one evening.
i'm all about sleep now.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
seoul plane
monday march 23 - 6am s. korea time.
finally got to seoul about an hour ago. super long flight from LAX but relatively uneventful. the plane wasn't as
crowded as the last time we flew this route, but the turbulence was bad. there were several times i did the whole
"life assessment" thing. Fortunately we landed smoothly and now i'm in one of the rest areas of the airport. and when they
say rest, they arent kidding...there are about a dozen people sprawled out in the chairs snoring away.
this is one of the only open areas in the airport right now, so its busy. Everything else opens at 7. that gives me a full 2 hrs of duty free fun before the trip to Vlad. Unless I decide to nap along with my new cafe mates.. sleeping on the plane was a goal that went unachieved. boo.
i predict a lunch and a HUGE nap in my future.
finally got to seoul about an hour ago. super long flight from LAX but relatively uneventful. the plane wasn't as
crowded as the last time we flew this route, but the turbulence was bad. there were several times i did the whole
"life assessment" thing. Fortunately we landed smoothly and now i'm in one of the rest areas of the airport. and when they
say rest, they arent kidding...there are about a dozen people sprawled out in the chairs snoring away.
this is one of the only open areas in the airport right now, so its busy. Everything else opens at 7. that gives me a full 2 hrs of duty free fun before the trip to Vlad. Unless I decide to nap along with my new cafe mates.. sleeping on the plane was a goal that went unachieved. boo.
i predict a lunch and a HUGE nap in my future.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
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