Seattle

Plane taking off

September 10, 2006 - I made it to Seatac Airport. I will be on flight 210 and will be leaving to Los Angelos at 0730. I don't fly often and I'm rusty at airports, and they are more automated then they were 6 years ago when I last flew. It's good to be on the road.



Seattle

Inside the plane


0730 - The plane started to board. It is supposed to leave a 8am. I didn't get any coffee because the last time I drank coffee when I went to China in 2000, I felt wired the whole flight over and couldn't sleep.

I brought a lot of snacks for this trip because I've heard that airlines don't serve food anymore. I don't even know if they will serve anything to drink. It will take 2 hours to get to Los Angelos and it is 881 miles. The captain announced that there is a tail wind that will help us get there.

0749 - They are about to close the plane doors now. I'm watching out the window at the airport workers load the luggage on the plane.

0800 - They just announced that everything is secure and they are ready for movement.

0810 - The airplane has started to move.

Flying down the west coast

Passing Mt St. Helen's along the way.

0953 - We will start to descend in a few minutes. We are flying over California.

1030 - We landed. It is hazy and warm in L.A. We flew on a Boeing 737

Los Angelos

Singapore ticket counter

1225 - I've checked in at Singapore Air and am now waiting in a large room downstairs with alot of other people. There are many Oriental people and also Indian people here. The jet for Singapore departs at 1425 so I have more then 2 hours to wait. I'm thirsty. In a little bit I will be looking for a water fountain. I checked my suitcase in and I will recieve it in Delhi.

I was able to sleep on the LAX flight. I dozed off but didn't get all the way to sleep.

I still feel a little drowsey. I had only 2 hours of sleep last night, but I think I will survive.

Los Angelos

Jet I took to Singapore

After a few delays we loaded onto a bus that took us to the airbus that will take us to Singapore. I thought I heard the pilot say that we were going to Tokyo. The attendants are now passing out steaming towels.

If we are going to stop in Tokyo, that is an added surprise.

Over the Pacific Ocean
First meal on the jet. Japanese cuisine
Dinner was great. I had Zensai, which is a selection of Japanese appetizers. There was Japanese cold noodles, miso flavored grilled fish with vegatables and steamed rice. Then Ice cream and cold oolong tea. I beleive this flight is supposed to be 10 hours long.

I spent several hours listening to contemporary, easy listening Chinese music. I slept for part of the time, but I can't seem to sleep for any length of time. I usually doze off for a few minutes at a time, then wake up after a few minutes.

I finally laid down on the three seats and slept for a few hours listening to light orchestra music. According to my watch it is 2230. It seems we should be landing soon.

I had some orange juice earlier and when I gave the empty can back to the stewartess she came back with an opened can of beer. I drank it. Maybe she thought it would relax me. The staff on the airplane seem to be all Japanese.

Quite a few hours ago they turned out all the lights. It seems everyone was sleeping or watching their individual monitors. I finally learned how to turn on my overhead light.

According to the itinerary I will arrive in Singapore Tuesday the 12th at 0120. Then I will depart for New Delhi at 1855 the next evening. I have a hotel booked in Singapore, so as soon as I'm done with customs I will take a taxi to Changi Village Hotel and check in.

One thing I have planned for this trip is to buy post cards, CD's of the local music and local art. These are the things I am looking to bring home.

The stewardesses have been good about coming around with liquids every 15 minutes or so.

They turned the lights on and then brought around another steaming towel. That was very refreshing. That's very Japanese.

No announcement yet. There is Japanese writing on the screen. We are heading straight to Tokyo according to the screen.

It looks like the route this airbus took was to Alaska and then over the Elusion Islands, and then to Japan. I opened the shades over the windows a couple of times and saw nothing but clouds.



Over the Pacific Ocean

Next meal

It looks like they are serving another meal. We have one hour and forty-five minutes before we land.

I set my watch. The time is 1700, Tuesday September 12, 2006.

1843 - We stopped in Tokyo for about a half an hour. I had to fill out an immigration paper for Singapore to stay over night there. I wish I could have seen more of Tokyo. I'm just glad to have been able to come.

Everyone is getting into the plane now. There is a whole different crowd, but still a few of the same people going to Singapore. I heard the captain said we are going to be flying over Thailand and Hanoi.

2040 - We are going through some storms and it is bumpy going. The Captain is climbing to a higher altitude in an attempt to get above the storm. He said it would take about 20 minutes to get out of it.

Somewhere over the Pacific

The last meal before we land in singapore

0130 - We are about to land. I slept most of the way from Tokyo to here.

Singapore

The airport late at night
0825 - Tuesday September 12th - I got off the plane and went through customs and went to the carosel just to make sure my luggage didn't get off the plane. I'm supposed to meet it in New Delhi.

I found a money changing place opened so I changed $100.00 Then I followed the signs to a taxi downstairs at street level. When I got there,there were a couple taxis waiting so I got in one. I told the driver I to take me to Changi Village Hotel. He knew where it was and started the engine. The route he took was through the city. The city is neat and clean. There are tall building amongst the lush greenery. The taxi's are clean and sparkling. The night air is warm and definately tropical.

Singapore

Breakfast
The next morning I woke up early. I looked out the window, everything was wet outside. It must have rained during the night. the sun was just beginning to shine. The hotel had no lights the whole night, but I used my little flashlight when I needed it, so all was well. I decided to get some breakfast and then go outside and explore the area for a little while.

I was expecting to come down to the hotel resturant and get a Singapore breakfast of rice porrage, salted eggs, peanuts, shallots and other things, but when I got there I found a buffet. I ended up having fruit, vegatables, muesli, ham,
a croissant, and some sweet rolls.

Singapore

Dinning hall at the hotel
I wanted to go out and see what this village was all about.

Singapore

Outside the hotel
I walked out of the air conditioned hotel and into the tropical heat. Palm and other trees lined the streets. Exotic birds chirped and made noise in the background. There was a low drone of insects in the bushes. Street sweepers were out cleaning the streets and weeding around the drainage ditches. No one hassles you. I hadn't walked very far before I began sweating profusely. I walked passed a resturant, I smell five spice Chinese seasoning in the air.

Singapore

Altar
I walked across the street where there was a market. I noticed this little altar on the side of the building. This is a Chinese Altar with Indian influences. I 've seen the Chinese merchants in Chinatown in Seattle where I live in the early morning when they open up shop. They would light insense in front of their stores. if you went inside the stores you would see an altar somewhere or a statue of a laughing Buddha.
Singapore

facade of Hindu temple
I went back accross the street and went down to the corner. There was a Hindu temple with all these images of gods on the building.

Singapore

Hindu dieties
These are the Aryan dieties that the Hindu people worship. This looks like Vishnu and some of his cohorts.

Singapore

Altar
I was looking for things to photograph. I went back over where the market was and came across this Chinese altar.
Singapore

Hotel in Singapore
Here is a picture of the hotel I stayed in.
Singapore

Ship
Then I walked over to a park that was near the water. Across the water is Malasia. This is the most northern part of Singapore. I sat on the bench and watched the ships go by for awhile.

Singapore

Sun through palm trees
In this picture I tried to capture the sun through the palm leaves. It didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, but that's ok.
Singapore

Taxi driver
After awhile I walked back to the hotel and got my stuff and checked out and walked accross the street to the first of the two taxis parked in front of the hotel. I was in no hurry to get to the airport. I asked the driver if he would take me to Little India and Chinatown. So we took off in the direction of town. On the way I was busy taking pictures out the window at everything I could focus in on. This seemed to make the driver nervous.
Singapore

Little India - Singapore

Singapore

Hindu temple in Little India.
I like this picture of this smiling man coming out of the Hindu temple. He was already having a good day, then he looks up and sees someone taking a picture of him.
Singapore

City of Singapore
The city is clean and orderly. There was nothing going on out of the ordinary.
Singapore

The greenery is the best.