I woke up at 8am this morning which was completely unnecessary considering that it takes maybe 30 minutes to get to the airport and my flight is at 2:20pm. Everything was packed and scrubbed in my apartment, I even cooked myself some eggs for breakfast! Upon strolling to the curb with my enormous suitcases a cab rolled to a stop and the very kind driver helped me load them into the car. We chatted in Korean and English (his English was excellent) for the entire ride and my travel anxiety was at an all time low.
When I went to check in, I discovered my bags were 4 kilos overweight each. Considering my fairly new home scale weighed them in at precisely the limit (22 kilos) I was a bit annoyed. Especially considering that the fee for each bag was $50 USD. No matter, too late to change things so I smiled and joked with the clerk and went to the other counter to pay my fee. There I was informed by the kindly workers for Japan Airlines that I would most likely have to pay Again when I arrived in Tokyo because the fee only covered me from Busan to Tokyo, not to my final destination, New York. Now, this would not be surprising if I had purchased two separate tickets. However, I bought the ticket as a package and it was labeled "American Airlines Flight ---- operated by JAL EXPRESS." This is very common, when I flew to NY stopping in China on the way home last year my ticket had something like that on it too and I didn't have to pay overage fees twice. Trust me, when I get to Tokyo I will use all of my finagling to get out of paying $100 again. I'm an English teacher flying economy class. Ugh. I think I will weight them again using my mom's manual scale at home to see if their scales are set wrong. If so, they will definitely be receiving a letter of complaint.
On the bright side, security and immigrations were a breeze. I greeted each security officer with the most polite form of hello and chatted a little with them in Korean. After the scan a woman searched my purse and in my ziplock bag, pointed out that the toothpaste tube was too big for regulation. I pulled that sort of helpless, innocent smiley look and said in a pleading, light hearted voice (again in Korean) that it was 'just a little toothpaste left in the big tube'...and she smiled and put it back in my bag. Using my Korean skills to get my way always makes me happy.
Spaz update: I have a huge bruise on my hipbone from running into a desk yesterday which is inconsequential compared to the following bit of idiocy. A co-worker surprised me in class with a chocolate cake for the students and me. I ate a few bites of amazing chocolate cake because I didn't want her to lose face by realizing that I am allergic to milky cake in front of all of the students. I figured, I've been so good lately, I bet 3 bites won't bother me. Terrible idea. Was sick last night and this morning. I got medicine at the airport pharmacy though and am feeling better. Oh well. The students loved it and my co-teacher got to eat a huge portion since I didn't have much. My mom promised me a fabulous lactose free chocolate cake when I arrive in NY so long as I swore not to give her any. No problem, I have zero desire to share it with anyone except maybe my Dad. Chocolate binge, here I come!!!!!
Note: Gimhae Airport is full of free internet lounges sponsored by various banks. Major win.
1 comment:
Want Lucsious Lactose Free Chocoalte Chke-- Come To brooklyn, after you get home. We;ll Take you on a tour of all the Fabulous Ksoher Baeries where all the cakes are Lactose Free- or you can order one from the fantastic home baker i kno, who sells her cakes for Catered parties.- ----
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