Hong Kong: Luck and Cathay

I knew the overall trip was going to take around 27 hours, and I came prepared: audiobooks checked out into Overdrive from the library, thriller print book, crossword puzzles, snacks, Lonely Planet mini book on Kuala Lumpur, and some knitting.  Also, to ward off and potential bad luck with my luggage not making it, a spare outfit.

Due to some ridiculous rush hour traffic on the way to the airport (how do people live like that?!) Orny and I decided to forego stopping in Robinson for dinner, but instead grab something at the airport after I check my bags.  Amazingly, both bags were within the allowed weight requirements (one just barely), and check in proceeded smoothly, despite some confusion and long checking from the agent around my work visa (no return trip).

We had a decent enough meal, said our goodbyes, and Orny watched as I went through security and finally started on my way.

My first flight was to Boston, and I lucked out in having no one sitting next to me.  Uneventful quick flight.  I then had a 3.5 hour layover, which went fairly quickly (2 crosswords and delving into the KL book).

Here, again, the gate agent was confused by my travel status, and took a very long time verifying my work visa status, but eventually all came out well and I got to board my Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong.

I always say that if I win the lottery, the only true extreme extravagance I know I want is to be able to fly first class.  Walking by the intricate sleep pods up in first class certainly confirmed that desire!

However, I was lucky to be able to fly "economy plus" (aka business?) class on this longest leg of my trip, so knew it would be next best thing.  Turned out, not only did I have a seat at the front of the section - where I could literally rest my legs on the wall in front of me, but I also lucked out again in having no one next to me.  Sweet!  

After takeoff I grabbed my backpack from the overhead, so want bothered by not having space to stow it in front of me.

As Orny and Dad had led me to believe, Cathay is really nice - I got a nice warm towel before takeoff and veggie landing, the food was decent, the seats reasonably comfy (there was even a mini recliner piece that you can pull out for your legs), and they had a nice blanket and pillow on every seat, and even have out a little pouch with an eye mask, ear plugs, and socks.  (The eye mask had an inexplicably short strap, or I have an inexplicably big head, so I was glad to have brought my own eye mask... But still).

I slept a fair bit on this flight, and the 15.5 hours passed surprisingly painlessly.  Between sleeping, 2 more crosswords and my book, I didn't miss the screen, which I couldn't easily figure out how too pull out in my first row seat.

Hong Kong airport is huge, cavernous, and chock full of a ridiculous number of luxury goods stores.  It's 6am here, and people were already milling outside some of these, waiting to get in as spill as they open.

Now, fingers crossed that my luck holds up for the last last of this flight!