Tuesday, August 09, 2011

I don't even remember typing this!

Friday just started on the West Coast but I'm already into it 17 hours. So by my calculation, this is going to be one long 40 hour day!

Wake up in Shanghai, dodge a typhoon, take a break in Japan, 9 hours of quality trans-pacific blogging, breakfast in Portland, puddle jumper to Boise, long shower, a welcome home meal of mac and cheese, hit the pool, debrief with Deb, stay busy, apologize to the cats for being gone so long, (fighting to stay awake by now), start watching a movie... Fall asleep.

This part of the trip is the hardest for me, by far. With no gas left in my tank there's still this long journey between me and home. Knowing the different stages of fatigue as they pile on throughout the trip only serve to make them more acute. Something you want to avoid but can't, unless of course I want to live in China from now on.

It's now 8 hours later. Eight hours in a chair. I've tried to sleep (as I always do) with little success. I may doze for 15 minutes but that's all I'm good for on a plane. Most everyone around me maintains some impossible pretzel shape and sleep as they have for the last 6 hours. I watch and try to learn "the trick" but to no avail.

The flight attendants learn quickly who the 'broken' ones are and make little trips, offering snacks and water to the few glowing screens in the darkened cabin. Soon they'll turn the lights on and offer a breakfast. I want to eat but will just pick at it.

No comments: