Land of Smiles

5/5/10

Someone has tossed sand in my eyes, I swear, as I pry them open after a fitful sleep. There is nothing – ever – comfortable about sleeping on a plane.

Outside it’s black; the big dipper rests on the starboard wing. Even though we left at 1:40AM, and have been on the plane seven hours (nearly halfway there) it’s still night, as we are flying west, away from the breaking dawn.

Our group had convened at LAX around 10:30PM – a flock of ten excited, excitable women; bound for Thailand and adventure. It was like Girl Scout camp, from days gone by: meeting long-lost friends, and new-found friends, you’d talked to but never met, saying, “I never pictured you with short hair!” with a smile.

Now, subdued by lethargy (with the exception of Sherry Davis, who is never subdued) we huddle near Jeanne’s seat at the back of the plane until the wobble of turbulence foretells the ding-dong of the fasten seatbelt sign. June and I grab glasses of wine first; making believe it’s 10PM not 10AM – as the sky is still dark. But the orange-blue smudge of a new day promises on the horizon: we have left today behind at the international dateline, but tomorrow is catching up.

Our route has skirted the southern tip of Japan, and through the cottony haze, we skim Taiwan. Such exotic places! Soon the clouds fade to wisps, revealing green-gray water ribbed with white caps, where cargo ships stacked with colorful Lego-like containers zoom; creating foamy rooster tails in the sea.

We blame the grayness of Hong Kong on the early hour, but later learn that air pollution is at a peak. Skyscrapers rise to an impressive and identical height: there must be a ceiling on construction, and they all built to within an inch of the spec.

This flight is more jovial: we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Plus we’ve enjoyed the red carpet treatment at Hong Kong Airport thanks to Karele, as her wheelchair attendant whisked us up elevators, on a tram, and then a shuttle, to the Dragon Air terminal. At the end of this flight, too, we’re greeted with a cheerful lavender-suited lady who escorts us from immigration to customs, where our bags are already heaped on a cart (how do they know?) and we’re led straight out without a glance at our bags, to the curb where our drivers are waiting. SWEET!

The hotel staff is equally kind and patient, and Thailand – known as ‘the land of smiles’ – makes a warm first impression. On many fronts: as it is humid and in the 90s when we arrive. The pool also, is not so refreshing; but the server Chet at the poolside bar gives us our first Thai language lesson. (I’m delighted to learn that the Thai word for beer is pronounced “beer” ;-D ) Thailand has 13 different ways to describe a smile – sort of how the Inuit have 100 different names for snow …

Later tonight we’ll dine at the restaurant here and perhaps stroll down to the beach; tomorrow it’s elephant rides and a preview of the sea charts; Saturday – Thai cooking class, and a LadyBoy show. But right now it’s naptime … or perhaps just a chance to s-t-r-e-t-c-h out after being crammed in our airplane seats, and bask in the cool of the air conditioned hotel room!

(PHOTO: VIEW FROM OUR ROOM)