M&K: Since I started this blog, there's been a lot of talk, but the actual walk has been non-existent. Well... gulp... we purchased our plane tickets today! We've been checking the prices for airfare and were expecting to spend about $900 per person per way, but when we found tickets on www.cheapoair.com (an unbelievable resource for plane fares, by the way) for $455 it was too good to pass up. It's official. We'll be flying United Airlines, leaving Friday January 2, 2009.Here's our approximate itinerary:
Friday, January 2, 2009
9:20 am: Depart from St. Louis. We will be excited and nervous, with grins from ear to ear. Mark will be doing some stretches to prepare for the marathon flight.
10:30 am: Arrive in Chicago for a 2 hour layover. Woohoo! One hour down, nineteen hours of traveling left! Let's get something to eat... oh and some Starbucks too. (Do they have Starbucks in Korea?) Meanwhile, Mark is limbering up with some yoga stretches in Terminal A.
12:45 pm: Depart Chicago. Bye bye USA! 12 hour flight... bring it on!
5:34 pm: Mark complains for the first time about his cramped knees and aching back. Kim asks for a heating pad and some earplugs.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
5:05 pm: Arrive in Tokyo, Japan for a 1 hour layover. Long past needing stretching, Mark heads straight to a massage parlor in Terminal B. Maybe steal a quick bite of sushi... compare Japanese airport sushi to what is available in St. Louis.
6:15 pm: Depart Tokyo for the last leg of our flight. We're just about there!
9:10 pm: Arrive in the homeland. Mark already notices stares and points from people amazed by his height. Both wonder what adventures lie ahead.... and where the hell is the baggage claim?
All in all, according to the travel itinerary, this trip will amount to 20 hours and 51 minutes of travel time. We saw some more expensive flights with 5-6 hours less travel time, but we thought the savings were worth the extra time. We decided with the money we save, we'll buy ourselves a few little treats (iPods, portable DVD player, books/magazines galore) to pass the time. Plus, we liked the idea of having two layovers to stretch our legs.
We would both like to thank everyone for their support with this process. All of the encouragement really makes this very scary decision so much easier. As always, we will keep you up to date with any news or developments.
6 comments:
OMG OMG OMG!!! I am SO excited for you right now. I may even call you soon if I can manage to get off the couch for a minute. Kim, this is awesome.
Also, you might be the last people on earth NOT to have an ipod, you realize I hope. :)
When you have your 2 hour layover in Chi-town I'll make sure to pop by with some "Goodbye America" handmade signs. Full of my usual glitter and ribbons to bid you a farewell.
HOW EXCITING!!!!!
THAT IS SO EXCITING!!!! I am so happy for both of you. . .we will miss you of course but know that this will be an experience of a lifetime. CONGRATS!!!!
TAG you're it. I know this won't fit with the theme of your blog but you can still do it for fun. And I promise to call soon.
Yes they do have Starbucks here.
Koreans like to refer to it as "Pyol Da-bang" which roughly means 'the star cafe'.
Lee: Thanks for the info. And THANK GOODNESS! Can't imagine surviving a year without "Pyol Da-bang." :)
And J: I'm pretending not to notice the game of blog tag. Laymens, I wouldn't mind sharing 7 things about me, but I don't have 7 other bloggers to tag. I hope you forgive me and will still meet us in Chi-town with the glittery ribbony heroics! (hee hee) ;-)
WooHoo!! I'm laughing about Mark stretching. You guys should ask if you can get upgraded. Usually it's just if you have status but if they have open seats in business or first the day of the flight some times they'll upgrade the lay people for a fee of course (but cheaper than buying a ticket for business class).
We will have to have a NYE going away party for you guys!
Post a Comment