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Published: April 16th 2015
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Taiwan
layover in flight
March 9, 2015
My room mate left work and came and picked me up at the Metro link since I missed the train. When she arrived I asked her if she had my spare key and she told me that it was at home. We thought I should give her mine and there would be no problem. Of course, by the time we got to the airport all that was forgotten and she drove away. I went through security and into the lobby and was boarding the airplane before I realized I still had it in my bag. My car is keyless entry and is necessary to start it but I was not sure about keeping it running. I called her while having visions of her stuck at the airport by the curb. She answered and told me she actually made it 1/2 hour down the road before it died. Her daughter was on the way there with my spare and the dog who they planned to take to the dog park by the beach thus making lemons into lemon aid. The plane ride is always long and mine had a layover in Tiawan, as well. I wonder if that
counts as countries visited? After all I did touch ground there! Finally after traveling all night I landed in Bangkok airport. I walked off the plane at 2:30 in the morning and and I am standing in the airport with the most overwhelming desire to cry! I have to swallow away the tears every 15 seconds and I am not sure why! I don't feel good, it is 100 degrees and humid beyond anything I have ever experienced, I don't speak the language and all the signs are in a foreign language, and I don't know where to go or who to ask. OK...I have decided I have legitimate reasons to feel this way! As the plane was landing I could not get my ears to pop due to my cold and I thought one of them might explode! I just want to breath and feel excited to be here but instead I feel sneezy, and hot and I am coughing. I kept asking until someone spoke enough broken English to assure me that I was standing in the right place to get the transfer bus to the hotel I had already booked and paid for. Eventually they picked me
up and I was on my way there. After we got in the van and headed out the first thing I noticed was an archway that crossed the road leaving the airport. It had a picture of the King on it. I was soon to find out this is common as there are pictures of the King everywhere! On the side of huge buildings, inside most businesses, on billboards, etc... There are also many pictures of the Princess and since it was the month of her birthday and her favorite color is purple, there is purple everywhere! I asked if there is a Queen and found out there is and there are other children, the Prince who will replace the King and other siblings. I found it very interesting that only the King and one Princess had the hearts of the people and the others were not discussed or acknowledged. As we drove through town I saw people sitting at outdoor cafes and eating which I think is strange since it is 3am! We pulled into the hotel and it was very nice. My room only cost $29 and it comes with a complete breakfast. I noticed a small temple
sitting outside the front door of the hotel and later learned it was a prayer house. I would see many of them as it is a normal practice for every house, business, or piece of property that anyone cares about has a prayer house there to protect it from evil spirits. I even saw them on top of apartment buildings. They pray to them and leave offerings of food or small gifts.
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