Going Home

I spent my last couple of days in Bangkok, trolling around for books and videos I could take back to practice my Thai with. A friend of mine took me out for one last night on the town. The next day we made a quick trip back to Bang Pa-in so I could say goodbye to my other friend.

I had another 14 hour layover in Seoul, Korea. But this time I knew enough to ask the airline for the free hotel stay. I sent an email home from the hotel:

For the record. Felipe, you got cheated out of a really kick-ass hotel in Korea. Asiana airlines put me on a shuttle-bus that drove me into Seoul, and put me into a 10th-floor corner suite at the Olympia Hotel. I've got 2-bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room and a panoramic view. I'm sitting in the living room typing this email on the complementary computer they provide with free high-speed internet.

Scott

What little I saw of South Korea was beautiful and very modern. I hope to go back someday and spend a lot more time there.

There was another brief stopover in San Francisco and then I was homeward bound. This was when things got a bit frustrating. My bags were turned inside out three times before everyone decided to let me go. American customs had three officers spend half an hour identifying everything I was carrying. Then airport security wanted to see everything in my carry-on before letting me on my next plane. Finally I got to Vancouver and a Canadian customs officer spent another twenty minutes on my bags.

In all fairness it was only the American search I minded. I've been through American customs many times and they've consistently been the most arrogant bastards I've met. They treat you like a criminal.