This is Deb, Doug's little sister and we need help and prayer!

That is what I was thinking the title of my next post would have to be as I sat in the detention area of Singapore customs and immigration office.

Deb and I had ventured out and decided it would be a lovely day to go to Johor Bahru, Malaysia which is right across the causeway from the Woodlands (suburb) area.

Deb had asked at work some questions on the best way to get there and the directions she received were splendid. All was going well. We got to the customs area and were in a very long line which moved very quickly. Deb was in front of me in line and she was processed quickly and told to proceed. I was next in line and went up to the counter with much anticipation the process would go just as smoothly. But this was not to be my luck.

When I got to the counter they looked over my passport and all looked in order but they asked me for my Disembark/Embarkation form for visitors which I had received upon my arrival at the airport. I had nothing. I did not remember them giving me one at 12:25am after a 27 hour trip. This was a problem. I was asked to step up in the area the customs officer was sitting in and wait for another officer to come and get me. Nervous? Yes.

I then heard Deb's voice very casually say "I will just meet you outside" and poof, she was gone like the size 29 jeans I wore in the 80's........without a trace.

I waited in this area for what seemed like an eternity until another customs officer came to "collect" me and take me to a "holding area." When this officer came and collected me he had with him what appeared to me to be his collection for the day of some pretty shady looking people, none of whom looked like me, the innocent middle aged American.

We were ushered into this holding area and told to sit and be quite until our name was called. This seemed to be a very, very long wait.

Finally my name was called and I went up to the desk. The officer looked me up and down, looked at my picture, looked at me again and then began asking some questions:
1) Is your name Douglas?
Yes it is.

2) You have lost weight is that correct?
Why, thank you, yes I have. (Okay someone noticed!)

3) You have a different hairstyle from your picture is this
normal in your society?
Yes it is.

4) When did you arrive in Singapore and where and at
what time and by what method?

After the questions were asked I was asked if I wanted to amend my answers to which I said no. I was then asked to be seated until told to come forward. It was not too long until I heard my name and I went forward. The officer explained to me how important it was to be aware of the handouts given at each checkpoint and to keep them with my passport until leaving the country. I apologized for my mistake and assured her it would not happen again and I was released to go into Malaysia.

Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty I was free at last.

I then hurried out the door down the stairs to hunt for Deb who I knew was probably sweating bullets, probably crying and shaking uncontrollably with fear written across her face.

Nope. Cool as a cucumber and not a bit worried. Seems she knew all would be well and was just enjoying the island heat while she waited for her big brother to be released! Go figure!

So on we went for our adventure into JB.....................

Singapore at Last

I am in Singapore!

I can barely believe it but it is true. Such an adventure getting here. One flight canceled and re booked on a different airline. The food on board. The long, long, long, long, long, long, long flights!

But I arrived safely and on time in Singapore at 25 minutes after midnight early Friday morning here ( Thursday afternoon in the states?).

It is beautiful here. We have done and are doing so much already so this will be a quick post and I will catch up on Monday or Tuesday with pictures as well.

Some observations of note:
1) I am of average height here! Love that.

2) The little "bow" that many people do when asking you questions or giving you answers.

3) Geraldine, the tour guide who approached us on the MRT.

4) Food, food and more food everywhere.

5) The MRT (subway) and how you can get anywhere and everywhere quickly and inexpensively.

6) The cost of food in the grocery stores. You will freak a the cost. If you know about Hamburger Helper in the states you know you can get it for 99 cents on sale. Here $7.80!

7) I am of average height here and tower over many people.

8) Shopping, shopping and more shopping everywhere.

9) Seeing Deb. So exciting so wonderful.

10) ANA airlines tiny itty bitty teeny little seats.

11) Hagen Daz pint ice cream $15.80.

12) Languages and dialects.

13) Skyping with Gloria the night I arrived. What a hoot you were Gloria, Deb and I are still laughing, thank you.

14) I am of average height here.

More to come....................

More later with pics.........so many stories already.

Who knew????!!!!

Who knew?

Not me. This is actually happening. Just about 10 hours from now the plane (first of 3) takes off and I am on my way.

Hope everyone has a super Thanksgiving. Please have some turkey and dressing (lots of dressing) for me. I will be 30,000 feet above ground and totally miss the event.

Who knew this day would actually get here........and........Tah Da...here it is..........................................

Check list

Packing. Done.

Well, sort of. I have the big bag which will be checked all packed and then I remembered, the stuff I left at the office. You know the box with the big pink sign saying "Don't forget to take this home," yeah that one. So this will not be completed until Tuesday night. Oh well. I will still have 12 hours!

Large carry on. Done. Really. Not kidding here. Done. Finished. No more. Okay, don't tell anyone but I am sure I will need to add to this bag. I just know there will be more to put in there. Darn!

Perfect bag (see previous post) not yet done but everything is laid out and that will be fun for that last minute rush.

Worried? Not about the trip.

I am however worried about my Mother and her companion, Wick. Wick is in the hospital and things are looking serious. Any prayers and good thoughts you would like to send to the two of them would be very welcome.

It is always difficult to be far away from those you love when difficult things are going on. Leaving on a trip when this is happening which takes you half way around the world is equally as difficult.

I am sure all will be okay. Mom and Wick have Rick, Wick's son and Mary, my sister to support them. So prayers for Rick and Mary would be welcome as well.

Deb is already half way around the world and I worry how difficult this is for her. Wick has been as close as a father to her and I know her heart is breaking being away from him. Please pray for her as well.

Back to the packing lists. I wonder if this will be my last post before arriving?

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

2 days and counting and...............

2 days and counting and checking my lists and packing and unpacking so I can repack and then rearranging the packed bags.

How can this long awaited trip be only 2 days and a few hours away? When I first booked the trip it seemed like it might never get here and now, POOF, here it is.

It did not occur to me I had booked the flight on the busiest flying day of the year, the day before Thanksgiving! What was I thinking? I was thinking "I can not wait to get to Singapore," that is what I was thinking.

This is really happening and it is about to happen, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, TICK TOCK!

YIPPEE! (okay that was for my inner child!)

Less than one (1) week to go!

Less than one week to go. I can barely contain my excitement.

I have new lists. Great lists. Exciting lists! You know the kind, don't forget to pack your under ware, take the sunscreen, turn off the lights, those kind of lists.

Having list makes me feel "in control."

So with one week left I am feeling very much in control. I plan to be packed and ready to go before I retire for the evening on Saturday night. This way I can just relax and enjoy all the excitement as the hours tick by and the day gets here.

My sister Gloria will be taking me to the airport Wednesday morning. I am so happy to be able to spend those last minutes with her before all of the lines and security checks. (Thanks Michelle for offering to get up before the crack of dawn to transport me.)

I love to travel and just about every part of the traveling experience is great for me. However those last few minutes before you get out of the car and check your luggage are so exciting it is nice to be able to have Gloria to share them with. I am sure I will be flying high as a kite so she will have her hands full but we are sure to laugh the whole way to DIA.

Less than one week, did I mention that?

Planning, Planning and more Planning.

I make lists.

Lots and lots of lists.

I am going on a long voyage and it makes sense that I would make lists. So I have.

This weekend I thought it would be a good time to organize these lists. But wait........where are the lists? Where did I file them? Computer? File folder? Large stack of papers by my easy chair?

No, not a single sheet of paper with a list on it exist in my world. Did someone come into my home and steal only one thing.......my lists? How could they have known the importance of those lists? How could they have found them?

Frustration and amazement abound at this moment.

How do I survive without my lists? Less than 3 weeks from now I will be in Singapore and all of the things on my lists must be done, completed and successfully so!

So I am making new lists and I have a very special place to keep these lists..........

...............................
..........................................
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............................................................ In my new "PERFECT BAG" of course!!!

Planning.........so many choices. Two big side trips from Singapore are planned. One to Kuala Lumpur and another to Bali, yes BALI!!!

So many choices for hotel, airline, activities, events, transportation. I love this. This is fun. This is what I love doing....planning, planning and re-planning again.

3 weeks.

Can not wait!

3 weeks and counting down...........

It was suggested to me by a seasoned "world traveler" (tjeltachatter.blogspot.com) that I might want to blog about all of the preparations for my trip. Interesting thought. I think I will give it a go......and here goes......

Today I am amazed that in three weeks time I will have already landed in Singapore and my "trip of a lifetime" will begin.

Today, after weeks of shopping and two previous bad choices, I bought a new small carry-on bag for the trip.

I now feel I have a real life understanding of the stress my mom and sisters have gone through in picking a purse. My goodness the options that are out there! Size was the most important for me as this will be the carry-on I keep with me at my seat. I will have my I-Pod's, books to read, magazines, a note pad and pen, Lara Bar's (If you have not picked any of these up I highly recommend you do so now!), my new extra slim digital camera (another purchase for this trip) and various other things one might need while traveling by air for 24 hours.

My list of various other things: Eye shades, pillow for neck, pillow for lumbar support,

The big surprise this bag has is a little zippered side flap that once unzipped forms a perfect holder for a bottle of water (AquaFina, of course!).

There is a flap on the back of the bag with a zipper at the bottom, yes bottom, of the flap that when unzipped allows you to slip it over the handle of your larger luggage handle so you don't have to have it on your shoulder all of the time.

So to all of the ladies out there who have the daunting task of purse shopping.......I feel your pain. The choices, the colors, the material, the lining, the closures, the zippers, the interior, the exterior, the strap, the handle, the look, the feel, the price, the size and so much more. I understand that look of total rapture you feel when you hold in your hands that perfect bag. At that moment you just know in your heart of hearts that this is the one! This is thee bag! Thee bag that will change your life! I salute you all. I am in awe of your dedication to the cause.

I will immediately update the blog should the bag actually change my life!

United Airlines 777-200 the plane that will take me to Singapore.

Saturday November 1st, 2008

I said I would never do this.

I meant it. Well at the time I said it I meant it anyway.

This blogging thing is an interesting idea. Share your thoughts on-line for the entire world to see? Well that may be going a bit too far, I mean it is doubtful the "entire" world will be tuning in to view my little blog!

That said, with the thought of traveling half a world away for 5 entire weeks, this blogging thing intrigues me. To be able to have an on-going document of my time in a land I had never thought I would have the chance to visit makes it worth plowing through my preconceived ideas of what a blog is/was.

So here it is. I hope you enjoy this, my memory log of what I hope will prove to be "a trip of a lifetime."

The trip begins Wednesday November 26th......just 25 more days!