The longest journey of a frequent traveler.

I'm sitting and steaming in the Bangkok airport and reflecting on my journey to Sydney, still not complete, that is taking me approximately 2/3 of the way across the globe.  I have had some interesting routings in my time but this one takes the cake for sure.  Due to an 11th hour change of venue for a big meeting, I will have gone from Boston to Sydney - the long way.  How long you ask?  Well, let's recap so far.

Thursday I dropped off my rental car after almost 3 weeks in Boston - 1 week more than planned but no complaints since that meant 1 more week to snuggle my amazing little nephews (one of whom has somehow grown fangs as his first top teeth, but that's another story).  Dropped the car off and got on a flight leaving at 2:30pm to Washington Dulles airport.  Got to Washington and waited for my flight from there to Zurich which was scheduled to leave at 5:00.  We got on the plane and waited a bit.  Pilot came on to tell us there was a fuel leak and we needed to deplane and wait for it to be fixed.  Being the optimist that I am, I figure - better to know while on the ground that you have a fuel leak, no?  After a couple hour delay, we were back on the plane and taking off.

I arrived in Zurich at 10:15 am local time (rather than 8am as planned).  Hopped on the 1hr 15 minute train journey to Luzern and arrived back at my apartment.  Got home after 12, showered, repacked, checked email, updated Facebook, watered the plant and then was off to catch the 4:10 train back to the airport.

By the way, did I mention that somehow on Thursday I managed to obtain approximately 12 (guessing here) mosquito bites on my left foot?  Precisely along where my shoe hits my foot so they are constantly being rubbed making me want to scratch myself bloody.  But I digress...

At Zurich after checking in for my flight to London I grab a beer and watch the flight screen nervously.  You see, I have about 2 hours to connect in London between terminals.  Yes, those of you who have flown through London are now shaking your heads and making little "tsk tsk" noises.  Let's just say it's a gamble at best to connect between terminals with less than 3 hours.

The flight gods continue to toy with me and my flight is delayed by 45 minutes.  We land in London at 8:30 and my flight leaves at 10 (gates close at 9:40).  Now I know I'm screwed.  I'm imaging my poor sister who has never flown internationally alone wandering around the Sydney airport tearful and clueless.  But I get incredibly lucky - bus to Terminal 3 is there and waiting, takes right off and then - get this - there is absolutely no one in security.  So I coast through that and briskly walk smugly towards my gate.  Except, it's not my gate.  I saw the routing but didn't double check the flight number.  Crap!!! I'm at the wrong gate.  Now my brisk walk becomes a kind of fast waddle/shuffle/walk/run and I arrive sweaty and panting at my correct gate just as they are boarding.  For the love of Larry, enough is enough.

My ticket says London - Sydney flight duration 23 hours.  So, I'm guessing we stop somewhere and we do - Bangkok.  We are a bit delayed out of London but here I am in Bangkok.  Looking at my blackberry, it seems to be 6am on Saturday Boston time.  So, I have now been on the road for 40 hours by my count and I still have another 12hr or so flight to Sydney.  I left Boston at 2pm on Thursday and I will arrive in Sydney at 6am on Sunday, local time.

As I feel in danger of feeling a bit sorry for myself I have to admit that I'm sitting in the British Airways Business Lounge and - wonder of wonders - they have showers here in Bangkok.  I popped out of writing this blog to take a much needed shower and now with a glass of ginger ale with ice I am feeling much more my positive self.  After all, before work starts in Australia (road trip of 5 cities in 5 days) I get a week of vacation in the South Island of New Zealand which has been at the top of my list since 2001 when I got to the North Island and kicked myself for not leaving time for the South. 

Lord of the Rings country here I come!!!  When I say I circled the globe to get there, I wasn't kidding:
Boston to Washington - 1.5 hrs
Washington to Zurich - 8 hours
Train and replacking - 6 hours
Zurich to London - 1.5 hours
London to Bangkok - 10.5 hours
Bangkok to Sydney - 13 hours
Sydney to Christchurch - 3.5 hours
38 hours in the air not including transit time or flight delays