Motion-sickness: 0, Serena Wu: 1
My fourteen-hour flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong was not as bad as I had imagined it to be. With the help of Dramamine, I slept like a baby throughout most of the trip, and every wave of turbulence just felt like I was being rocked back to a disturbed dream. I did not regurgitate any of the meals, nor did my eardrums pop from high altitudes and babies’ shrieks. It was a relatively pleasant flight—in my opinion, though not so much for the old gramps sitting next to me.
Old Gramps: 0, Serena Wu: 1 (apologetically.)
Perhaps he saw me sniffing my Vicks vapor inhaler, or perhaps my pale complexion (a result of pulling the previous night) had scared his 80-year-old, ghost-believing soul—because he had offered me a medical facemask, straight from an industrial-sized box in his one and only carry-on. And perhaps I should not have declined his generous offer, because every innocent sneeze I let out struck another nerve in his fragile frame. Alas, he only asked, “Excuse me,” once to use the lavatory right after mystery meal #3 was served. God bless his bladder.
Chinese Women: 0, Serena Wu: 1
Despite being dehydrated, diuretics like tea and coffee activated my excretory system more times than they did with Old Gramps’, so I ran for the bathroom as soon as I got off the plane. There is nothing quite like staring into a bathroom mirror and making eye-contact with face-masked, horror-stricken women as they watched me use my oral syringe to rinse out the two gaping holes in the back of my gums. I’m sure orthodontists in Asia don’t demand that you have your impacted wisdom teeth surgically removed—when most don’t even seem to care for braces.
“Swine Flu”: 1, Serena Wu: 0
Relieved and refreshened, I followed the signs and arrows and navigated through one hell of a giant maze until I came face-to-face with a health inspector (or perhaps, faux inspector who only collected signed forms). I had to fill out a health declaration sheet and promise that I had not come into contact with any Swine Flu patient within the last seven days. I also had to detail every city, state visited and any critical symptoms experienced within the past week. At first, the inspector would not let me through because I had not provided a contact phone number in addition to my email address. If I suddenly faint here from fatigue, dehydration, or homesickness, they might just deport or quarantine me for Swine Flu—after all, they know where I’ve been and even what seat I sat in on which flight. (My prayers go out to Old Gramps as I wish dearly that he does not come down with anything.)
Customs Officer: 0, Serena Wu: 1
I’ve been to very strict airports where they demand that I have a local address written down on my immigration card, but that was not the case this time. I gave the officer my sweetest smile as he matched my passport photo, and then told him how I would leave as soon as tomorrow morning for Kao-Hsiung. He gave a slight nod and added the 25th stamp in my passport (since 2006), permitting me to stay for 90 days.
Internet: 1, Serena: 0 (or 1 by association!)
My mood sunk as I turned on my phone and received the text about how each minute would cost me $2.29 and data would cost a whopping $19.97/mb. Then I turned on my laptop and my heart rejoiced as I saw the fine letters, “FREE WIFI”. I was able to Skype briefly with a best friend (at 4am?! back home), then fix some MMIAF website problems and add in a banner ad. Before I knew it, it was too late for me to leave the airport for the city without having to find some overpriced hotel to stay in for the night.
Laptop: 1, Serena: 0
Just as I was stranded and landlocked at the airport, my craptastic battery died. I scoured all accessible, public areas in search of an outlet, but alas, there incredulously were none. (C’mon, even Burger King at KLIA had a few!) To nurse my disappointment, I went to exchange some money and bought myself a kiwi smoothie as I skimmed through mags without really reading them. All I could think about was getting internet to kill the twelve hours before my next flight. (I had already killed four.)
Internet: 2, Serena: 0
The lure of having internet was too powerful, so I gave in and bought lounge access. Thanks to my awesome bargaining skills (more like the rep’s sales tactics), I’m allowed to stay here until I have to leave for my flight (10+ hours) for the price of five.
Hong Kong: 1, Laptop + Serena: 0
The plug wouldn’t fit—and of course I didn’t bring my adapter kit. Thus, I am lounging on a sofa, writing in my Moleskine (which I’ve just water-damaged with tea) and about to switch over to one of their desktop PCs to transcribe what I’ve just written. (verbatim.)
Seven more hours to go.
Posted on July 1st, 2009 at 9:31am by Serena Wu
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