The trip to Burlington or Out of Asia

We got another early start on our last day in Asia with a 6 am wake-up call. The complimentary buffet breakfast provided by Mabuhay Manor hit the spot. (And it was set up in an enclosed room so no worry about more bug bites.) The cab ride to the airport was interesting as Manila seems to come alive early (much earlier than we’d seen in Tokyo). At 6:30 am, the streets were teeming with people going to work. There’s a strange sense of third-world here with tension high as life is tough. Even the cab driver seemed nervous and locked his doors when we stopped at lights.
The line-up for check-in was long and it took us almost 45 minutes to reach the counter. I can’t remember ever going through so many security checks on the way to our departure gate. The JAL flight to Tokyo was uneventful except for the realization that the space provided for each passenger (especially leg room) is not based on a North American model. Even as transit passengers, we had to go through security again at Narita before proceeding to the American Airlines departure counter. Fortunately, our bags have been checked through to LA.
Landed in LA early in the morning, made our way to the Travelodge LAX and tried to stay awake until a reasonable hour that night. With all the time zones we’ve crossed, we’ve been on the go for almost twenty hours but we built in the overnight in LA to help us adjust to this time change and we need to stay awake for a while longer. We had thought (in the planning phase) that we might take the complimentary shuttle to Manhattan Beach to kill some time but it was surprisingly cool in LA and we didn’t bother. I hadn’t thought I’d need my jacket until we landed in Toronto on Saturday night.
Security at the LA airport the next morning was a bit of a problem. Because it was cool in LA and we were expecting it to be even cooler in Toronto, I had dressed in long pants and jacket. I hadn’t worn the long pants since Cambodia and didn’t think to check the pockets. All my carry-on gear went through the scanner without a problem but, when I stepped through the portal, the alarms sounded. Oops, I’d forgotten I was wearing a belt this time. Second time through the portal and again the alarms sounded. Double oops. I’d switched out batteries in my camera while we were visiting the temple ruins at Angkor and the old batteries were in a side pocket of my pants. (I’d wondered where those extra batteries were.) Third time was a charm.
The West Jet flight to Toronto went smoothly and we were on the ground by 8:45 pm. It was surprisingly warm in Toronto (much warmer than LA). There was very little Saturday night traffic during the limo ride to Burlington and we were home by 10 pm. The first order of business is to visit the grocery store so there’ll be some food to eat when we wake up in the morning.
And now we’re home again after two long travel days. Coming east is always harder as we adjust to the time change. And then there’s the mild depression that sets in at the end of any adventure. Lots to catch up on but no energy or enthusiasm for the tasks. It’ll take us a few days to settle in but, inevitably, life’s routines will take over and we’ll fall back into familiar patterns. At least until the next trip. But that probably won’t be until June when we head to Atlanta to spend some time with our grandchildren. In the meantime, we’ll relish the memories of this amazing trip.