Asia Mega Tour 2026 - Day One - Travel Kindness

There is no easy way to get from Albuquerque, USA to Southeast Asia. It's just a long way. You have options but they are all trade-offs on a theme of it is a long way and it takes a long time. You add that our first real stop is a place (Medan, Indonesia) that is not easy to get to (much like Albuquerque), then you add more time and effort required. And as I've related in the past, if you're balancing saving money, but still having comfort, it's going to add to the amount of time required to make the journey. 

In our case, we are flew to San Francisco today on one ticket (where we will spend the night), and are doing a self-transfer to another flight that takes us to Kuala Lumpur (via Tokyo). We will overnight again in KL before taking another self-transfer for the short flight to Medan. 

Our flight to SF was mercifully smooth. It was an early afternoon flight so no getting up too early. And we got upgraded to First which rarely happens these days. Upon arriving and collecting our bags, I called the hotel to find out when the shuttle came round. I'd called earlier in the day and had been told it does its round every 40 minutes. This time they told me that the shuttle wouldn't start again until 5:15pm (It was 3:30). What! We're supposed to cool our jets for almost two hours? The person on the phone told me to take a shuttle for the larger hotel across the street.

This seemed a bit wonky to me, but we did it because I wasn't going to waste that amount of time sitting around. Sure enough, the shuttle for the other hotel shows up quickly. It is filled with mostly airline crews. The driver is a young woman and she is doing a yeoman's job getting all the luggage in the back of the bus. 

I was feeling appreciative watching her really doing the work when we got off and was going to tip her anyway. But I noticed that none of the airline crew members tipped. So I gave her more of a tip than I might normally because she was really working hard. We were the last to get our bags off the shuttle. I thanked her and I mentioned we were actually going to the hotel across the street. Wouldn't you know it, she offers to take our bags across the busy road way for us. 

I know I tipped her but I didn't give her that much money. There was no crosswalk between the hotels. We would have had to walk a ways to get to the crossing light. So this really saved us a lot of effort. What a lovely bit of kindness. 

We decided we didn't trust the shuttle of our own hotel to get us to the airport tomorrow, so we've reserved and Uber to give us some peace-of-mind. Tomorrow is the long, long trip. 

A Week Of Gratitude State Testing

Only a week ago, I was flying over the Atlantic, returning home from Ghana. A first stop in Washington D.C, very early in the morning. I had time to go to the Polaris Lounge and grab a very thorough shower and shave, a lovely indulgence when flying long distances. I ate at the club restaurant and then cranked out some quick emails before making my way to the plane for the next flight segment to Houston. 

I sat next to a delightful gentleman who did satellite communications sales and (unlike the vast majority of my travels) we had a nice conversation. After the meal service, I got my backpack out and reached for my computer to do a bit more work. Except there was no computer in said backpack. I couldn't believe it. I tend to do things when I travel by strict habit and pattern. Surely the machine was in there.

I put the backpack under the seat in front of me. I just sat for a moment. I took it out and looked again. It's not a very big backpack. There aren't a whole lot of places where it could be in it. No. There was no computer in the backpack. "I'm F@%$'D" My computer is like my total mission control central for things business and personal. There's not a day I am not on it using it for writing, researching things personal and business, reading a wide range of materials, running all my travel, all my business.

I was pretty sure I must have left in in the Polaris Lounge. Assuming someone hadn't run off with it (the Lounge was nearly deserted at that time in the morning), I would think the staff would get it. I wondered if I could call the Lounge and somehow have it put on a plane or otherwise sent to me. 

As soon as I touched down in Houston I went to the United Club. I asked the check-in person if there was a way to contact the Lounge in Washington. She was very nice. She explained that an organization like an airline as a HUGE number of items misplaced every day. There is a specific system you have to follow. You go on their website, fill out a lost item form. Then each day the organization matches up what has been found with the forms. This can take days. You are notified at 2, 5, 15 and 30 day intervals the status. If your item is found it is sent back to you. 

Of course, trying to find said form on the airline website and filling it out with my phone was not that easy. But the lovely woman from United kept coaching me through each blockage (even though she was checking in a steady stream of Club visitors). Finally I had the form submitted and got a confirmation email that it was in the system. How cool was having this lovely lady assist me? 

While all this was going on, I hurt  my right foot. It had been bugging me for a number of days before I departed. But on the flight to Houston, I struck the place that was hurting against the metal strut of the seat in front of me and felt a real sharp pain. However, with all else that was going on, I wasn't paying too much attention to it. I still got around the airport and got home. 

While flying the Houston to Albuquerque leg, I found I had free WiFi. I had already been thinking about all kinds of options I had to get computer enabled again. Fortunately, I do daily back-ups and had my back-up in my backpack. Reinstalling your stuff on a new computer is pretty simple with MACs if you are using their backup protocol. I researched new machines and refurbished ones. My existing machine was working just fine, so I figured there was no need to buy something brand new. How cool was that? Being able to line up all those purchasing options while on the plane. 

By the time Wife picked me up, I had worked through what I thought the likely scenarios were. I felt the machine being left in a near deserted club was either going to be found quickly by staff or stolen. It wasn't going to take the airline forever to find it. So either it would be on my way back to me or I would need to get a new machine relatively quickly. Adding a bit of time pressure to this all was the need for me to be doing a virtual presentation on Thursday using a PowerPoint deck. So, we would wait and see what happened over the weekend. 

Getting home I took off my shoe and it was as if I had a jack-in-the box in it. The foot that had been hurting expanded and was clearly totally swollen with something wrong with it. And now I can't get the shoe back on without great pain. In fact, walking at all is nearly impossible. I'm wondering what I broke and thinking of the alternatives since Wife and I are scheduled to leave for Asia in two and a half weeks.  

Saturday morning, the foot is not any better. Is maybe a bit worst. I am hobbling around using one of Wife's crutches from when she broke her foot. However, I do get a note from United Airlines. They've found my item. I go online and figure out how to have it sent back to me. I'm surprised that it won't be that expensive. However, they don't ship until Monday. Hopefully that means I get it on Wednesday so I have it for my presentation on Thursday. The rest of the day, I'm wondering what to do about my foot. I think I should go to foot doctor which I cannot do until Monday, assuming I can get in that fast. 

Sunday morning Wife convinces me I should go to Urgent Care. An X-ray will be needed no matter what and would be done there. I hustle myself off there. I know the long wait in store for me. Going in, I see NOBODY in the waiting room. NOBODY. Am I in an alternative universe. I check-in, immediately have my triage done, sit down and am immediately called in to have my X-rays taken then put in a room. It still takes hours before the attending physician can look at the X-rays and start determining the options. Still how cool is this? 

There is no break (Whew! No boot or cast. I'm VERY grateful for that!). He believes it is either an infection or gout with the infection being the more likely. I am set up on antibiotics. I should start to see some improvement within two days. Except I don't. So now what. I won't be able to travel if I can't walk. I communicate with my primary care physician via email even sending her pictures. She says the Urgent Care doctor had also prescribed a drug for gout, though it never got on the discharge instructions. She says we should try that and puts in the script to the pharmacy. 

We get that drug, but then the foot starts to improve. What should we do? Stay with the current course or change? We decide we will use the antibiotic until it is finished and then switch. In the meantime, I get notifications that my computer has been shipped and I can track it's progress on the FedEx website. Delivery is scheduled for Wednesday. It will require a signature so I will need to be sure to be around. 

While all this is happening, I'm using my phone for Zoom meetings, doing my email correspondence, doing research. There are things I need to do that I simply can't do or won't try to do on the phone. Like write a blog post. I'm frustrated but still feeling pretty grateful that things are coming along.

On Wednesday, I'm geared up for the computer return. It's supposed to show up between 10am and 2pm. It shows up at 5pm. Of course, I am like doing my entire day by the front door so I don't miss the delivery that needs a signature. But finally I have my baby! I promise it I will be a reformed computer owner and will never abandon it again. I get my PowerPoint set up. I have a lovely evening doing my writing. 

It is a good thing that my foot is coming along because after the presentation on Thursday I go in for my second eye cataract surgery. I'm a little worried about being in a sitting position for a long period of time (my therapy has consisted of a lot of foot raised and resting). It takes almost two hours before I'm finally called in for surgery. But my foot handles it okay. Once in, things go quickly. It is a lot less stressful the second time since you know the drill. I chose to not use a sedative (they use a local anesthetic to numb the eye so you don't feel anything) because I want a drink when it is over. Not being sedated, I am quite aware of all the conversation taking place during the procedure. How cool is that? I'm feeling pretty grateful and well taken care of. 

Getting home, the foot is good, the eye not so much. I have a lot of pain Thursday night. When we go for the post-op check up they tell us there was a slight scratch on the cornea. Not uncommon but very painful. They put a 'bandage' over it, which is basically a contact lens. That really helps.

I kind of over did things being on the foot today. I will need to be a bit more circumspect. The foot is definitely improved but not completely better, so I will go ahead and use the gout drug one I've gone through the complete antibiotic cycle. 

It has been quite a week and I can say I have felt a lot of gratitude as I've wound my way between the various ups and downs. 

How cool is that? 

MUPGT Transistions As Well

It is Saturday, January 24. I have been scheduled to fly to Ghana. All the prior week, there has been talk of the horrible winter storm that would stretch from my home of Albuquerque, all through the south and south east going up the East Coast including my stepping off point across the Atlantic, Washington, D.C. 

I spent numerous days tracking the projected weather for each of the three cities I would be transiting through, Albuquerque, Denver, and Washington. The information was consistent. I should be able to slip through before things got bad anywhere I was headed. The airline was offering to allow me to change my flight. I thought about leaving a day earlier but finally decided that I was content to go with my original plan and whatever would happen would happen. 

I woke up the morning of the 24th and no, there was no bad weather event yet in Albuquerque. Just some light rain. My Uber got to the airport in normal time and I checked through without problem. We had a slight delay taking off but I was in Denver with plenty of time for my next flight. It was very cold in Denver but nothing that was delaying flights. We arrived in DC on time. 

Then things started to go slightly sideways. Our flight to Accra, Ghana was listed as delayed due to mechanical problems. We were to take off at 6:30pm while the snow was scheduled to start at 11:00pm. By the time, we boarded and were ready to push back, it was now 7:30pm. We push back and now we wait quite awhile. The Captain comes on and says there are a couple more mechanical things showing up. They are going to need to go back to the gate and have mechanics come on board. 

This is done and another hour passes. During all this, I decide it is an excellent time to see if my practices related to gratitude were actually going to manifest in this rather stressful time. I can't say I didn't have negative thoughts like, "What if the crew times out and I get trapped in Dulles Airport during the winter storm and can't get out for days," But I didn't obsess on them. I reminded myself of all the great things I've experienced by being willing travel. 

The mechanical issue is resolved. But evidently a passenger decided to get off the plane. They need to find the person's bag which requires unloading most of the baggage containers then reloading and re-balancing them. It is another hour before this is achieved. But we do get out before any of the bad weather hits. 

As we are taking off, to my surprise the Magical Unicorn Pony God of Travel manifests before me.

"What the hell de-I! This was an opportunity for an epic battle. I throw all kinds of things and you and you just, just, I mean just paid no attention. What kind of way is that to fight?"

I tried to explain to the perpetually youthful demi-diety of travel mayhem my attempt to be in a place of gratitude in my life. 

"Well that's all fine and well mortal, but I think you are being really selfish. I really do. What if everyone started acting like you? What would be left for a demi-diety like me to do?

"Well MUPGT I haven't exactly abandoned you completely. Did you hear about your new neighbor on the lower slopes of Olympus?"

"Ya there was some noise about a new demi-diety.'

"Yes the Magical Sales Manager Goddess of Grapenuts."

"Pathetic. What are they doing to the demi-diety business anyhow allowing these parvenus in."

"Well my horned equine nemesis, that parvenu demi-diety is my daughter who I secured a promotion. AND she and her family have just committed to really upping their travel game."

I could see MUPGT brain whirling. A relative of de-I. Traveling a lot. And a fellow demi-diety. How much fun will that be.

 "Okay de-I I take it back. I appreciate your thoughtfulness. But I'm still going to throw at you an incredibly turbulent flight. I mean, I still have to do what I do."

"I would expect no less."

The flight was very turbulent. I watched the wine in my glass sloshing side to side, going over and soaking the tablecloth underneath, something I've never experienced before. But I was grateful to still be traveling, to still be able to enjoy this special thing in my life.   

Has There Been A Time When I Had More To Be Thankful About?

 I am a day late in putting out a post on thankfulness and gratitude but in fact should we have to have a special day to remind us of these two incredibly important life guiding properties?

Throughout this year as so many people have suffered, we have had food, clothing, work because we wanted to work, connection with our family around the world, the opportunity to give back. I even got to travel again during that lull period in the fall. Our children and their families despite challenges related to schools closing and lock downs are all doing well, in some cases even better. 

During a period when many charitable ventures and other not-for-profit organizations have had big problems, we were not only able to successfully launch the Theodora Africa Project, we executed our beta test and now are on to our second round funding and expansion. How crazy is that? In the middle of a pandemic and economic crisis.

Health-wise, Wife and I have mysteriously somehow  remained old. The fully expected rolling back of 10 or more years did not take place DESPITE MY TWEETING IN CAPITAL LETTERS OVER AND OVER AGAIN that it was just around the corner. I was so sure if I said it LOUD ENOUGH and OVER AND OVER, it would be come the truth. But no,we still have all the physical ailments, pains and diminution of physical capabilities. That was a bit disappointing. BUT, on the other hand, we seem to be taking all the deterioration with a modicum of grace and perseverance. And I am thankful that both of us are still determined to do as much as we can with what capability we still have. We have plenty of plans and once we are able to get out again, we will.

I am thankful for dumb luck. In Theodora, we talk about the birth lottery...how so much of what you have in life is determined by where and when you were born rather than your own innate abilities. Wife and I had the good fortune to get 5 solid years of semi-retired travel fun in our lives. I know so many people who are just a few years younger than us whose plans now have all been shot to hell. 

So yes, I have a lot to be thankful and grateful for. I don't take what we have for granted. I know things can change. But I intend to appreciate and take advantage of what we have been given for as long as we have it.

An Ode To Gratitude

 I am continuing my reading of all my blog posts. I am a bit over halfway through. I started writing in 2007 and I am in the spring of 2015. 

I have been amazed at all the eating, cooking, air travel I did during my pre-transition life. Now I am fully immersed in the second of our great long trips when we went to Istanbul for the first time. I am mildly amazed. My God we have done a crapload of experiences Wife and I. While this Covid-19 thing has us down that we (like everyone) are stuck and we can't get out and do, I am recognizing more and more how much we have actually already done. We truly did not let the opportunity pass us by!

And now I am in the middle of this almost surreal and transformational Theodora Ghana Project. Oh truly Lord let me fall down and bow in humility and give thanks for this incredible ride in life.

How Gratitude Manifests

Lately, I have been very much focused on gratitude. Despite all that is going on with pandemic and dysfunctional society, I know I live a very blessed life.

I am in the process of going through all my old blog posts since 2007, all 2000+ of the them. There is so much that I have forgotten of my life even just a decade ago! It makes me sad I didn't do a diary during my earlier years.

I am in 2011. I have been reading all these posts of epic hikes and epic cooking! Like this one. For a moment I was melancholy. I thought how we no longer would do anything like that now for a whole variety of reasons. But then I remembered that when our cooking/entertaining life ended, our travel life began. And now that we are prohibited from that, I thought of the incredible blessing that has come from working with the women of the Theodora Project.

Truly my life has been blessed with passion. The objects of passion change. But the commitment to and fulfillment from a passion continues.