I have a poor impression of LA. From above, it appeared to be a sprawling tumor, engulfing all the land the eye could see and bedecked in an array of flourescent lights. On the ground, the sparkling facade proved to be a labyrinth of concrete, tarmac and stalling cars. Arriving in an empty terminal, I wandered about aimlessly, trying to work out which terminal to go to or where to collect my boarding pass. (The enthusiastic, though unfortunately useless, ticket agent in Albuquerque had been unable to describe to me the process of locating the US airways ticketing desk in LA.) So, I wandered about the lazy terminal, looking for some clue as to how to change terminals. All I found was a California Pizza Kitchen, and tempting though it was, I decided to find my way to the right place before allowing myself some dinner! So, after guiltily giving my only quarter to some young boys collecting to prevent gang violence, I found my way on to a shuttle bus. Obviously, there were no seats left on the bus, so I sat hunched in the luggage rack as we creeped through the hellish traffic. As per the bus driver's instructions, I got off at terminal 1, only to find that my US air flight was actually run by Asiana arlines. With this valuable information, I was soon misdirected to terminals 3, 7 and 6 before getting to the international departures terminal and getting in a 40 minute long queue to collect my boarding pass. If hell is on earth, it's at LAX.
I am in the midst of a somewhat surreal experience. I am sitting in a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in the Seoul airport and just paid 3,800 of I'm not sure which currency, I'm ashamed to say, for a cup of coffee. Nevertheless, this is a distinct improvement over the glamourous, but deserted, waiting lounge I've been puttering about in for the past hour. Airports are strange when empty. But it was nice to have an entire waiting area to myself. (A serious improvement over the lack of seating in LA.) Airports are quite strange when empty. Though, I have to say, Seoul certainly has style. I'm currently 'reading' Vogue in Korean (the 80s are big here) and looking out toward the Botega Veneta and Pucci stores. I'm supping this coffee slowly, as I fear it might be the last I consume in quite some time. It could use a spot more sugar though. Right, time to attempt to fanagle more sugar in Korean.
I may be regretting having chosen such a humis climate to study in. It's been 2 minutes in the airport and I feel disgusting. (Not having showered since Wednesday morning might have something to do with it, though.) I'm standing in limbo, between the plane I just left and the customs desk, trying to locate my lost luggage. (I have to clear customs with it, but I am guessing it's been left in LA, confirming my suspicion that LAX is, indeed, an unmentioned realm of the Inferno.) I have been assured by the Thai airways ticketing agent that my bag is not 'lost', as it is in the system - they just don't know where it is.
Ew. I have seen the grossest thing ever. A portly man with a shaved head. Not so bad, you'd think. But as he turned away, I saw a grotesque fold of skin on the back of his scalp, from which protruded a stomach-churning bristle of bushy black hair. Gross.
Why on earth are UGGs popular in Thailand? I've seen 7 pairs without moving from my seat.
1 comment:
You passed up on CPK - that's a crime in itself!
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