Finally...

I finally managed to get the internet connection hooked up in the apartment. It has been a long long journey from Singapore to Tucson (around 24 hours) and it sure is tiring. So tiring that me and Ash didn't suffer much of a jetlag. The first night we reached the inn we were sound asleep by 12am, and we slept through the night until the alarm woke us up. We were very lucky, for most of the others (his colleagues) woke up in the night between 3-4am (6-7pm in Singapore).

However, I suffered seriously from another symptom - homesickness, and it was very hard on me. I missed home dearly, where my family and friends are. So, I took out my camera, looked at several pics, and wrote the following draft in my notebook:

26th Dec 2007, 9.45pm

After more than 24 hours of travelling and waiting, we finally arrived at our destination - Tucson, Arizona.

The journey was long and very tiring - both physically and emotionally. We reached Changi Airport at 4am yesterday morning to settle our check-in and other administrative matters. Then, having another 3 hours to go before boarding the flight, we proceeded to have our breakfast.

My mum and brother reached the airport at around 5.30 a.m. and my mum started telling me once again the things to look out for while in US, and that was when I don't find her naggy at all, because I know my mum has my interest at heart, and that will be the final time in the next 2 years that I'm going to see her and hear her talk in my face. I know she is worried about me, especially after her friend's son, who happens to be working in the States as well, told her how dangerous it is here, that many rape cases happened recently to Chinese women. She was totally freaked out, and very worried for me. All I could do was to assure her that I won't be going out alone here, that I am a typical Singaporean and too Kiasee (scared to die), that I will only go out when Ash is with me.

We stayed around for a while and before we knew it, it was 6.15am, and we had to get ready for departure. So, we joined the queue to enter the departure gate. Along the way, we said our final farewell, and I did something which had not been practiced in our family before - I hugged my brother and asked him to take good care of himself while in NS (he'll start serving NS on 11th Apr 2008), and finally, I hugged my mum and reassured her that I will take care of myself and asked her not to worry about me. There and then, I felt a surge of emotion coming up my throat, and I held it back, because I didn't want my mum to worry, and I didn't want to get my mum crying with me.

When it was our turn to cross the gate, I patted my mum on her shoulder and told her I will take good care of myself, and that Ash will take good care of me, and went past the officers at the gate. I tried not to look back, as my emotions swallowed me, and I started tearing. But I know if I don't do it now, I will have to wait for 48 months before I can see them again, so I looked back, and tried like hell to hide my emotions, and when I turned around, I saw my mum walking away to hide from me, and I know what she's doing - just like me. At that very moment, I couldn't hold back any longer, and I let it all out. I kept waving to them, and wiping my tears away, but it kept coming, and it got worse when Ash came to hold me in his arms. I waved to them 1 last time and I walked on, and told Ash to just keep going, and we went in, not looking back.

I was glad my buddies weren't there to see me off, and that they came over my place and stayed for a couple of hours before I left for the airport. This way, I don't have to deal with my emotions for them and my family all at once, which I don't think I can handle. Ever.

We boarded our first flight at around 7, and flew for 6.5 hours before reaching Narita, Tokyo. We didn't have to check out our luggage, so we walked around for about 3 hours before boarding the 2nd flight - the longest flght (9.5 hours). On board the 2nd flight, as there was no entertainment (we had no personal tv screens so we had to watch whatever was showing on the shared screen) and so I took out my camera to look at the photos we took in Japan. We laughed at a few of the pictures and when I saw the pictures I took with my family, I started missing them, and I teared once again. Ash comforted me and told me 2 years will be over very soon, and I tried not to think of it so much, and fell asleep.

Throughout the flight, I fell asleep and woke for several times, and that was when I started to feel very uncomfortable. My butt and knee was aching from the long hours of sitting, I started having MC, I felt cold and giddy, and I thought I was going to throw up. I kept looking at the time and finally, we reached Los Angeles. I thought my torment was over, that I could finally get a place to rest, but we had to queue up at the customs to get through, and when I saw the queue, I almost fainted. The queue was god-knows-how-long long. We joined the queue behind a Japanese couple and another Japanese couple stood behind us. While waiting for their turn, the Japanese couple in front of us kept talking non-stop, and I was amazed at how un-tired they looked (they were on the same 9.5 hours flight with us). After about an hour or so, it was finally our turn to clear the customs. The custom officer serving us was quite quiet, and his movement was quite slow (maybe because I was very tired and hence, the lack of patience).

After clearing the customs, we went on to collect our baggage and check in again. As there was not much time left, we proceeded to the waiting area of the gate which we will be boarding our final flight and shortest flight (1.5 hour) and sat there to wait (we thought we can start boarding the plane around an hour before the flight). After around an hour or so, we thought we were able to board the flight, but when we looked on the LED screen behind the counter beside the gate, we saw that it shows the details of another flight. So we continued waiting at the holding area and we were only able to board the flight at around 2.15pm local time (the flight was scheduled for 2.09pm). We were too tired to find out why at that time but thinking back, it could be because that particular flight was a domestic flight.

By the time we reach Tucson, it was already past 3pm (27th Dec, 6am Singapore time), and the whole lot of us were tired, cold, and hungry. I and Ash mananged to get all of our baggages on time, although not in a very good condition (there were scratches all over our brand new luggage), but some others were not as lucky - their luggage didn't arrive on time. So we headed for the inn.

We reached the inn around 4.30pm and we were so tired we didn't have much appetite during dinner (we had buffet at this Chinese buffet restaurant). The buffet costs around USD12/person (including tips and tax), which amounts to SGD18/person. After dinner, we went on to Wal-Mart to get drinking water (tap water in US contains sodium) and some snacks in case we get hungry when we get back to the hotel. A 2.5 gallon (9.46 litres) bottle of drinking water costs around $2 (we took the cheapest already) and so we bought 1 of that, and a 6-bottle pack (500ml) of drinking water so that we can bring with us when we travel around. Thereafter, we will bring the 2.5 gallon bottle back to refill (33 cents/gallon).

When we reach the inn, it was around 8.30pm, and the very first things that we did was to quickly bath and brush our teeth (we haven't for more than 30 hours). I have never felt so happy and clean in my whole life. I'm not exaggerating.

However, after we settled down, I suddenly suffer from acute homesickness and I couldn't stop the emotions and tears that I had been holding back throughout the journey. I really miss home. I miss my family and friends. How I wish I could hug my mum right now. I miss her.

-End of draft-

Photos

- The gerz at my place before flight -

- Was bored waiting for breakfast so took a picture of my Xmas gift -

- Me & Ash having breakfast at the airport -

- Me, mum, bro, and mum's fren with daughter -

- Ash & colleague Benny feeling tired and bored on the flight -

- @ Narita, Japan "Yay~~ We're finally here~~" -

- The view out Narita International Airport -

- Japanese vending machine -

- The recycle bins by types -

- Drinking machine (thought it looks like urine cubicles in male toilet) -

- Travel Insurance Machines -

- Huge Gundam Figurine -

- Foodcourt in the Narita airport -

- Shop selling Japanese stuff in nice packaging -

We didn't take any photo in Los Angeles International Airport as we were too tired and there were not much time for us to walk around.

More updates about life in Tucson coming up. I have ample time here for that now. Lolz. Took alot of pictures here, as if I'm on holiday here. Will post them soon, probably tml. Missing everyone in Singapore...hope I can be back in Singapore soon *sobs*

P.S: I'm listening to the National Anthem right here in Tucson on 933. The feeling is so weird.