Seattle to Ho Chi Minh 7 Nov but Also 8 Nov Because… Time

Fly out of SeaTac two carry-on as per usual. No one cared about my little key-chain knife because I tossed that into my suitcase. Not the best location because I wasn’t prepared. This will come up later.

The Korean Air staff eventually asked me to use one of their shitty disposable n95 masks because apparently the exhalation mechanism for my professional n99 mask wasn’t up to their standards. This is a laughable line to draw since these disposable masks do not provide a tight seal and I would argue provide less exhalation protection (under ideal conditions though probably much worse in cases where the wearer has a beard or other facial anomalies which would inhibit the facial contouring of these cheap masks.

Oh, the woes of our disposable culture. (The finger often gets wagged at Americans but this is clearly a global phenomenon.)

Korean airport flight transfer requires going through security check again. I think this happens everywhere though. Not clear one could make a good argument in favor. Anyway, intrepid go-getter x-ray operator earned his wings by confiscating my toothpick holder which does admittedly have a small blade attached.

No one is ever going to hijack another plane with just box knives. The passengers wouldn’t allow it. We have all these residual security procedures in place assuming this is still a threat. It’s not. Unfortunately there are still a lot of frightened people here on Earth.

Took a picture from the Korean airport showing some low mountains. For some reason that struck me as being quintessentially Korean. Not sure why. Is that something Korea is known for?  MASH?

Mostly the food was meh.

Bill and Maj met me at the airport. I walked out the exit to meet them to find a sea of waiting friends and families. Hundreds of people waiting at the airport for someone or other to walk though those doors. It’s really unheard of in the States for even a single person to meet anyone at the airport: We give them train instructions and meet them at a bus stop or something. Walking out to see all those people six or either deep staring at the doors through which I walked definitely raised my eyebrow.

Cab ride back to their apartment on floor 33. I learned “bam un” is thanks. We ate the banana bread I brought (one of my new versions adding oatmeal, oat bran, and ground flax seeds). (Thinking it’s too gooey but both liked the level of goo.)

Washed the 15 or whatever hour flight time of my exhausted body and wrote this up.

Also, on the flight I read most of The Adventures of Pinocchio (Carlo Collodi) and on the second leg met two Americans from Vietnam (one from Seattle and one from MN and a giant Vikings fan).

JamesIsIn

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