The original plan was to catch the Patriot Express from Seattle to Japan and another military flight from there to Singapore. We did not anticipate how much gear Marines carry with them or how many families were traveling on EML (Environmental Morale Leave). There were at least twenty people ahead of us when it was announced that the flight had reached maximum weight.
The good news was that we were able to spend a day in Seattle. A clear and sunny day in December, so rare that when Elysia was stationed in Bremerton she sometimes was given the day off for “sunshine liberty”. We headed to the waterfront Marriott and cashed in points for a room.
Twenty four hours in Seattle and bought nearly 12 pounds of salmon at Pike Place Market, showed our daughter the Space Needle, and rode the monorail. Shopped. And walked up a hill to our old neighborhood.
So much for the plans to show our daughter were we lived in 2000. The building was razed for a new light rail station under construction. In THIS PHOTO you can see our second floor apartment, the one closest to the camera, being demolished last March.
Given how many people did not get on the military flight we suspected there was little chance of our getting on the next flight. An hour of searching for fares and we sucked it up and bought one-way tickets back to Singapore via Vancounver and Hong Kong. Our first flight left at 11pm.
Our daughter often bides her time making up songs in Mandarin and English, although she often asks us if we know how to say something in Spanish or Malay. I was thinking about this as we approached the immigration desk in Vancouver, hoping she would not start “speaking Canadian.” After a day of her wearing her Canada tourist shirt — thanks, Neal! — a few days before, I taught her two key phrases: “Eh?” and “What’s that aboot?” Now I was filled with regret. Even though I am sure the Canadians would be very polite about it.
Twenty four hours later we arrived in Singapore. It felt like we were at home and when the taxi drove on the left side of the road it did not feel strange at all. A torrential downpour greeted us as we arrived at the house. A typical day.
We passed out at 4 p.m. on Saturday and were woken up by our daughter at 3:30 a.m. demanding dinner.
It is going to be a rough couple of days getting past the 16-hour jet lag.
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Clearly, you don’t know Marines. LOL at the marine-gear bit above. I would have thought Noel’s office at the Navy Yard would have better prepared you for this.
Heather, I figured that was just Noel. I had no idea that iPod-compatible ski parkas were standard issue for all Marines!