I'm not even there yet...

I just lost $40 in won taking my coat off in the security line from a day out in 23 degree Seoul, Korea and I'm pretty irate about it. I do flighty things like that somewhat frequently and it's really annoying.

Oh well, I'm indoors now (i.e. I can finally feel my feet again [3 pairs of socks have nothing on frozen streets and ice walkways]) and I'm just 4 hours from summer so I'm putting on a happy face and pretending I'm not so over layovers for just a minute. Free internet cafe here in at ICN so I can give you the play by play of my journet thus far. It includes 5 airports so far (1 to go) and an upwards of 25 hours of travel (time zone jumps prohibit my mind from doing the math necessary for an accurate count) so get ready, it's exciting...

11:00am (PST) A blessing from dad and his offer to use his digital DVD player. I kind of forget that I'm going anywhere

12:50pm (PST) I love SEA-TAC airport. I've said it before and I will again. Made in Washington store and Ivar's make my day. I'm too cheap to buy anything from either but they put a smile on my face

1:10pm (PST) Depart Seattle. I'm feeling indifferent. Where's my traveling high?

2:15pm (air) I'm crying. Margaret in 6C lost her husband a couple years ago. I wish I had someone to tear up about in my locket. Man I suck so much at sharing the gospel with Christians. How do you tell someone who believe they'll see their loved one again that they're missing something?

2:30pm (air) Northern California mountains are breathtaking. San Fran jumps my top three list of potential career locales

2:45pm (air) Approaching Oakland. Track Home Hell. Scratch that top three, I'll reconsider.

3:50pm (PST) the Oakland airport is useless. 8 bucks on a dry sandwich from and angry 60-year-old barmaid at 'the Taproom.' No other options but 'Peony Asian Food' or 'Oakland Tribune News' candybar stand. The girl behind me in the lounge sounds like Jackie Knudson on weed. The Peppermind chocolate Luna bar my mom forced me to buy is saving my life.

5:45pm (air) In the front row on the way to Phoenix. Got caught trying to hide my backpack under my legs so I don't have to store it up top. Boo. Sleep.

8:00pm (MST) I'm kicking myself for my poor planning for this nonprofit conference in Phoenix (the three extra airports was not originally part of the plan) and wasting my $8 on that sandwich in Oakland.

9:30pm (air) En Route to LA. Half of the flight is headed to the Alabama-Texas game tomorrow. Lots of red and burnt orange. A few seem to be trying to get the fight started up at 30,000 feet. Go longhorns...

9:45pm (air) Gerard and I are on round two of the in-flight crossword. I'm pretty sure he regrets bringing up corsswords as a conversation starter. He's not good and obviously hates this but he thinks I'm cute and continues. Yes Gerard, 63-across might be Sledge and no, I've never used that word before, but thanks for asking.

9:00pm (PST) I forgot I'm flying through LAX. 3 hours til I leave?! I'm wishing I called Heather to distract me, or had a phone to do so now

9:30pm (PST) Still walking to the international terminal. LAX, you have lame infrastructure.

11:20pm(PST) Mass chaos in security (it easily could have taken my 3 hours) and dismal choices for wandering. I plug in my portable DVD player to charge next to a Mexican cracking up watching the Daily Show on his Mac. A PhD student in mythology. Wants to start a nonprofit. He might hav emissed his flight talking to me, but I'm not sure. Anyway, I gave him my infor because my New Year's Resolution is to be a gorwnup (aka professional) and now I want to get me a business card made.

12:50pm (PST) Boarding my delayed Asiana Airlines flight. American flight attendants should go back to the old-style fitted suits of the 50's. Asians are still on it and it makes me like them more.

2:00am (air) I have to stay up for another couple hours to better adjust to jetlag. They say to get on the new time zone's schedule asap. I can't figure how to watch movies on my seat TV, just Korean dramas. I try to sneak peaks of my silent neighbor, watching UP! but don't ask him. I read instead.

Early morning (air) Turns out I'm an idiot. I watch Post Grad and wonder where I've seen the sexy Brazilian neighbor before. Alexis Bledel is not a good actress and Michael Keaton will always be Beetlejuice. Korean food is strange and I curse the dry sandwich again. More Luna bars to the rescue

Still early morning (air) I fast forward to my favorite parts of Time Traveler's Wife (mostly their wedding and when he dies) and take a few laps around the plane doing airplane calisthenics (sp??)

Later morning (air) Slept for an hour, read a bunch, made unsuccessful conversation with the Korean and Chinese men on either side of me (I really do suck at being a member missionary. Bad.) and watched Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I love Paul Newman. New goal to watch all his movies in 2010. We're landing and I almost can't move.

7:00am (Korea time) I wander out of the gate and semi-stalk some tourist-looking folk who I overheard talking about their 12-hour layover before Bangkok (like mine) and rally up a group (aka awkwardly invite myself to several pairs' day trips) and we head out. It is 12 degrees outside and I am not dressed appropriately.

Time is irrelevant really. Just know that Seoul is a cool city, we got a free (but very long) guided tour at a palace (I think he talked slow just to taunt us- he was all bundled up, lucky old man), ate some better Korean food than the plane had, and meandered around a shopping district. I redeemed myself with member missionary points by straightening out some misconceptions about the church to Steve and Anna, my American-Asian tour friends. And now I'm back, recounting it all before my flight boards in 15 minutes. I've got a similar layover on my way home and I found a few places I'd like to go back and explore more, though with my $40 donated to the airport, I'm feeling like I've contributed enough to the Korean economy.

5 more hours and I'll run into Lisa's arms. On to Thailand!