Well here I am back on the road to VN. Oh the joys of sitting peasant class! Although I did get lounge access today and there is power at my seat on the plane so I can keep working while in the air. I must say my enthusiasm for long trips abroad has been deminishing! What is it that they say? Be careful what you wish for?

I think i’m getting old. With every trip I feel like I’m getting a little more jaded and a little more grumpy.

As I am traveling alone I am spending a lot of time people watching. I was observing at JFK the various personalities of the people sitting near my gate; presumably they’re getting on my flight. The next gate down is a flight for Alitalia. The vast majority of the ones sitting near my gate were Asian and the vast majority of those sitting near the other gate are of European decent. They seem to be rather different physically but they all seem to fit into the few basic groups. There’s the young family with children under the age of 3 whom you pray not to have to sit next to. The couple looks stressed and on their faces the look of dread of having to get into this confined space with their children who were already bouncing off the walls. There is a mother feeding her kid hawaiin chocolates – what is she thinking? please god, don’t let me sit next to her.

Then there’s the classic dude, commonly known as Euro trash. You know, the hipster. The guy with slightly tight black jeans, black shirt and black velvet smoking jacket (I kid you not) strutting around on his cell phone, waiving his arms a bit. Trying to pretend to be quiet but not. Because he’s “important” you know. Saw that guy in a couple of different colors. As in Korean, black, white etc.

Then the older American couple, probably retired. You know, he’s wearing cackies that with a collared shirt and plaid sweater. His wife (presumably) in her decorative sweater and pants that are little too tight and a little too short. Did i mention the fanny packs?

Then there’s the group who don’t travel too often and who feel the need to rush the gate as soon as the boarding call is made. Why? because if they don’t someone will magically take their seat!

Then there are those who don’t travel too often but just often enough to make them feel like they are high falootin’ jet settin’ world travelers. They look at the “peasants” sitting in peasant class with disdain. They wonder why it is they have to stand in this line and it’s because THEY ARE amoung the peasants. Cause they ain’t sitting in the front where they think they belong. What creaps!

During my three hour layover in Korea, I am wondered which group I fall into and I realized ‘Ohhmagawd! I’m one of THEM!” I’m one of those creaps! oiy. not good.

I’m coming to realize the only solution to this is clearly private jet. Yeah baby.

Anybody want to buy exclusive rights to images from Vietnam?… for about 1M each? I do give volume discounts. Just ask.

15 hours down, 5  more to go! I’m ready to put my head on a nice pillow.