Flight to Bangkok from Ottawa

01.10.2008

I wake up five minutes before my alarm goes off. Wow, I got to sleep in. I catch the plane to Toronto, then increase my credit card limit (I'm sure I'll be needing it) at Pearson and stand in line to get on the plane headed to Tokyo. It is the first time in my life I have felt tall. Honestly. It's maybe the second time in my life I've ever felt like I was in a minority. I am already adjusting to life in Asia, without even leaving Canada. I smile at the false panic that sets in as the stewardess calls out departure instructions to the impatient travelers waiting to leave. The line is huge and it's not moving, so I decide to take a pee. When I get back, the line is the same. Finally I get to my seat, I'm in the middle of an exchange student and elderly Japanese lady sandwich. Keichi, my 15 year old neighbour is interesting. In the middle of his school year, he found out that his grandmother is very sick. He is on his way back to Sapporo to see her, probably for the last time before she dies. He plays Pokemon on his Nintendo DS while I write this. The lady on the other side of me is intensely watching some teenage drama, and periodically spazzing out, so I don't bother her. I've already had three drinks, it's 4:30 and I'm ready to fall asleep.

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