Mann on the Move: What time is it? What day is it?

So, I am still on my marathon travel schedule here in June but this time stateside and on the west coast. When last I wrote, I was crossing my fingers and toes that I was not going to have the same issue with China Eastern Airlines in Shanghai that I had when trying to depart Beijing....

No dice. In fact, it was worse in Shanghai. I admit it. I shed a tear or two in the Shanghai airport while the ticket agent basically said once again I did not have a ticket or a seat and this time the flight was sold out. I pretty much figured I was not getting on this plane and would not make the last stop of the trip. So frustrating.

I once again called American Express Travel and once again, while the service agent was very nice, there was really nothing that she could do to assist...which was frustrating since I was calling the help line they advertise. We had pretty much arranged to move me to the 4:10 PM flight out of Shanghai back to the states when my trusty translator pushed me through the standby list and I was issued a ticket! Score! Now with 30 minutes until departure I just had to clear immigrations, security, and make it to my gate - including riding a people mover. Let's just say that it is really awkward being the last - and I mean the last - person to get onto an airplane. But I made it. Excellent.

We checked into our hotel with 20 minutes to spare before the tradeshow began. Whew! I was going to survive China. I was so relieved and frankly at that point looking forward to my flights the next day that would take me home - even if I was only going to be at home briefly.

Not. So. Fast.

Me, a traveler who rarely, if ever, has digestive issues began to feel not so good during the tradeshow. Yep, all of a sudden my stomach was no longer excited to be traveling around China with me. Let's just say that my time at the tradeshow was cut short and the scheduled dinner was not a possibility. Dinner that night consisted of dry white toast and a carbonated beverage in an attempt to relieve my testy stomach. After all, I had like 17 hours of flying the next day broken up by two 8-hour layovers. I did not need a sensitive stomach with all that travel.

I broke down and took some Pepto tablets prior to my flights and for the most part, all went well. I evidently was on the first leg from Taipei to Tokyo with a fairly famous Asian pop singer - male - but I had no idea who he was. The funny part was when his handlers were trying to push by everyone so he could be the first off the plane and the flight attendants were having none of it and made sure that we all got off the plan in order of our seats.

I had an interesting layover in Tokyo - the lounge was nice and quiet until several families arrived with smaller kids - one oddly enough wearing bells on his tennis shoes. I ditched the club and went to the gate - this time already in my travel pajamas since I frankly did not really care. Faced with an 11 hour flight, a sensitive stomach, and a still-sore mouth from the food burns, all I really wanted to do on this leg was sleep - though I did have the obligatory American Airlines hot fudge sundae because they are simply just so good. I broke down and took a pain killer to take my mind off the mouth pains - seriously people never burn the roof of your mouth or face the painful consequences.

Magic of all magic...I slept on this flight. And when I say slept, I mean like 5 or so hours. I was flabbergasted when I awoke to see the flight attendants starting the breakfast service signaling that we were only 2 hours from Chicago. I felt...refreshed. I had never felt this good on an overseas flight before. What a wonder sleeping on these flights!

We landed in Chicago and I made it through immigrations, customs, bag recheck, terminal change, TSA security (thank you Pre Check!), and to the Admirals club shower in like 40 minutes. It was a travel miracle. I did change out of the travel pajamas and back into regular clothes after taking a shower and hit Nuts on Clark for the best popcorn on earth before my very last flight of the evening.

Meanwhile, here are some final pictures taken on the whirlwind China trip: