10 Time Zones Later...

I don't think I have ever traveled so far or so long to get from point A to B.

Leaving LAX was bittersweet, but I kept ramming the fact in my head that I am only away for 3 months. Then home again, then away for more months... which didn't help all too much. Losing my phone in an LAX restroom also didn't help.

I had Norwegian seat-neighbors during my flight to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. They were elderly couple from Bergen, and super-cool. Every time they would get up to walk around the plane, I would, too, so that I wouldn't disturb them while they were sitting. When they asked about my final destination (which would be Moscow) they asked why. Besides their excitement for me visiting such country, they were curious to know my reasons. When you think about it, generally when you tell others that you are traveling to London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, and so on, they don't ask "why". I guess Moscow deserves that question, though. Well, all of Russia.

(By the way, I highly recommend watching the French film "The Intouchables." I watched it on the plane and it was probably the best in-flight movie I have ever seen.)

And I flew on a 747.

At Schiphol, I was melting in that airport. Just because it was drizzling outside didn't mean that they could crank up the heater. During my 4-hour layover I exited the terminal to re-check-in at the ticketing area. After I finally figured out what I had to do, I sat down waiting for the Aeroflot desk to open. A young lady sat beside me, and after exchanging some glances, we started to chat up. Interesting, but very nice Moroccan-Dutch girl. She's one of those conspiracy theory types. Her English was impeccable, but then again, I was in Holland. After she met with her family, it was about time for me to finally check-in with Aeroflot and make my way to the gate. But the gate and departure time moved so I virtually had to hike a kilometer or so to another gate.

Finally boarding the plane, I fell fast asleep. I only woke up for beverages and food. Then more sleep. I had only perhaps gotten an hour of sleep during the first leg of the trip. As we landed in Moscow, my heart was slightly racing. My heart, too, was tired, so it's excitement was a little dull. Standing in line for the passport check might as well been as long as my flight from Amsterdam to Moscow. There were 2 blobs of Chinese standing "in line" for the passport check. When I say "blobs", it is exactly that- they weren't standing in a straight line, they were just crowded around what should have been a line. After perhaps 45 minutes of torture, I got my luggage at the carousel and made my way out. I was already delayed because of the flight and the hoard of Chinese people by more than an hour. I immediately spotted my host- Sasha- and his friend by his side. I think I felt more relief than excitement at that point, but all feelings were good.

We had about half hour before the train departed for greater Moscow, so we took a coffee break (water in my case). Sasha called Boyfriend via Skype mobile, but I guess the connection wasn't the best. At least he knew I had arrived, more or less alive.

At that point, I was looking forward to sleeping more than anything else. After 18 hours of travel, it was time.