En route blog: The 6-Hour Mark

En route blog #1: The 6-hour mark.

I’m getting bored. So I thought I would share with you all the happenings of the past several hours. By the way, thank goodness they have a computer charger on this flight, I think I’m starting to annoy my poor father.

As we were walking to our gate, I spotted some Israelis, I think I have some sort of radar. There was an El Al flight leaving at the gate next to mine, and it made me think about the past two years. Two years ago, I went on Birthright, one of the most meaningful trips that I have ever taken. It was so meaningful that last year, I traveled to Israel again during the summer to visit friends.  I have recently heard from a few people from my Birthright trip wishing me safe travels, and it made me realize how much a 10-day trip changed my life and how many great friends I made on that trip, and it made me wonder what’s in store for me on this 10-day trip.

We got to our gate, got situated, and when the workers for the airline were letting us through the gate to the plane, the lady that works for Japan Airlines spoke to me in Japanese, saying “Konichiwa,” and then thank you in Japanese when she gave me my ticket back. My parents were spoken to in English. Though I didn’t understand her, she didn’t know that. I politely bowed and went on my way.

Six hours down, five more to go. Turns out that the flight to Japan is only 11 hours and some change – not bad. For the past few hours I’ve eaten, napped, and watched Joyful Noise (Note to Rachel Martin: I liked it!). Though I do like anything entertaining on flights longer than 2 hours. The movie got me a little teary actually, I’m such a sap. 

During the first hour on the flight, passengers are given two meal options: a Japanese meal or a Western meal. My mom went vegetarian because she wanted to play it safe with food allergies. My dad and I looked over the menu, looked at each other and said, “When in Rome (or Japan, rather).” Our first course consisted of a selection of nine seasonal Japanese delicacies. It was interesting because I had no idea what I was eating, until halfway through when my mom gave me the menu that showed what each delicacy was. Our main course was beef and tomato “Sukiyaki” style – whatever that means. It was delicious. Our meal came with steamed rice and miso soup.

When I land in 5 hours, I will be in Asia. It will be the farthest east I will have ever been in my life.

That’s all for now, friends! It’s dinnertime in the States, I’m getting hungry so I’m going to get a snack!

My snack: Udon noodles.. yum!

Until Tokyo!

Meryl

Here’s another funny food story relating to my childhood and being Korean: My parents wanted to take me to a Korean BBQ/hibachi restaurant when I was younger. I think I was about 6 or 7 at the time, and my mom looked up a Korean BBQ restaurant and found one in Simi Valley, California. When the waiter came over to order, I asked him if I could have a bagel with butter. There were my parents trying to give me a unique cultural experience, and I asked for a bagel. So embarrassing, what a confused child I was.