B.C. (TRANSLATED THAT MEANS "BEFORE CHINA")

LATE AFTERNOON ON WEDNESDAY:  You know that I am all for new experiences, but this trip portends to be the most unusual ever. Although we left on time (and maybe a few minutes early from Minneapolis), we are now on a return to Seattle.

It seems that someone is quite ill. We were one hour past Seattle when the captain announced that, upon consultation with the medical people in Pittsburgh, we would returning to Seattle for the sake of one of the passengers. Well, if I was in medical trouble, I would want to be dropped off at the nearest hospital also.

When I talked with one of the flight attendants, she said that re-booking or rescheduling would not take place until we were in the air once again. We would drop the man off in Seattle, replenish the oxygen supplies, and then head out. Don’t know if that means we need to refuel or not. But, once we were on our way again to Narita (Tokyo), the folks there would arrange the scheduling so that when we arrived in Narita, all would be scheduled for us. I have no idea at this time what that means for me. My layover in Narita was less than two hours, and we are going to be using up more than two hours in our return to Seattle.

The captain just announced that we are 30 minutes from Seattle so the flight attendants were to prepare the cabin for arrival. To be continued…..see below "Midnight...."

While all of this is going on, there is a woman with several kids about four rows behind me. She is trying to make them sleep. Threatening words, loud words, strict-sounding words only make the kids more adamant about now doing what the caregiver wants them to do. Makes for uncomfortablity.

It’s still light outside although I have no idea what time it is. We have eaten; I’ve watched two movies; and the plane was moving west, until….

So, we’ll go with the flow knowing that everything will work out well. At least I am appreciative that we did not hit some huge air pocket where we suddenly dropped 1000 or more feet. And that makes me happy.

MIDNIGHT (JAPAN TIME):  There were no flights leaving Tokyo Narita when we arrived, so we were booked at the Radisson Narita. The bussed us here (almost 1/2 hour), fed us a buffet supper and provided a room (smells heavily like smoke). 

Tomorrow a 6 am breakfast and then we are bussed back to the airport to catch a 9:30 am Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong, arriving at 1:25 in the afternoon. Should work out fine. At least the whole event should help alleviate my jet lag.

SHOTS TAKEN ALONG MY "MEALS ON WHEELS" ROUTE ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON