The Journeys of 2 Parts -- the second journey

So, right after I arrive in Chicago from Orlando, I was suppose to turn around in less than 24 hours to get to Singapore to visit family. Part one of the flight was suppose to leave from O'Hare at about noon. Boarding process went smoothly and we were all sitting down and getting comfortable but we just sort of sat there for a really long time. Finally, the pilot came on the PA to say that they were having problems with the climate control system -- one of them isn't working. So, we sat and we sat and we sat and finally, at about 3PM, the pilot said that there was going to be a plane change. At that time, I was pretty sure that I was going to miss my connecting flight in Narita, Japan. We finally boarded the other plane at 4PM to depart. The climate control system on this flight is working but the video wasn't working in half the seats. That's the problem with the Boeing 777 -- you get your private screen but if the screen is broken then you're SOL -- no video entertainment for the entire duration of your flight.

As I alluded to earlier, most of the traveller on the flight missed their connecting flight and so we were all put up in the ANA Airport Hotel which was nice. They fed us dinner and breakfast the next day and it was nice to be able to take a shower. Part 2 of the journey -- the flight to Singapore the next day departed at about 10:30AM. It was an ANA (All Nippong Air) flight it was nice! The entertainment system was fully self controlled and it even included games. The food served was better than what I was used to on some of the US airlines. Arrived in Singapore at about 6:00PM. Pretty eventless but it was kinda disappointment to lose a complete day due to airline delays.

The Journeys of 2 Parts -- the first journey

I've meant to write this for a while now but, of course, things get in the way. What do I mean by the journeys of two parts? Well, just look outside your window -- it is probably snowing. Honestly, I've about had it with the white stuff this year. The first journey of two parts was on 1/31/2008. I was coming home to Chicago from a week-long seminar in Orlando. Of course, it was snowing like crazy in Chicago and so I ended up waiting hours in Orlando International Airport without knowing if I was ever going to leave the ground in Orlando. I was tempted to purchase a ticket with Southwest Airline and fly to Midway instead of O'Hare but Southwest was giving the same information -- delayed flight and no information about whether the flight was ever going to leave the ground in Orlando. I decided to save the money and wait it out on United. No point wasting the money, in my opinion. Well, we did finally take off -- at 7PM as opposed to the 5PM scheduled time. Well, we landed and all was well -- or so I thought -- until I got to see the road conditions on the shuttle to pick up my car. Oh my, that was a long AND TIRING drive home from the airport -- what would normally have taken about 45 minutes at 8PM at night took over 2 hours to accomplished. Needless to say -- I was tired and wired when I got home.