Failure To Launch: Shanghai'd

     In my young but illustrious career as a traveler, I have run in to my fair share of delays, debacles, and dead-ends. But this time around, in the genesis of my journey to Oceania, I have reached a new level of travel futility and frustration.

      The itinerary was a relatively straightforward one, given the distance I planed on covering: flights from my hometown of Washington DC to New York, on to Shanghai, ending at my final destination of Melbourne was to be a lengthy but simple trip, with only 2 connections between me and the opposite side of the world. If only it had been that easy...

1 year's+ worth of Ian's possessions

      The first disaster came in the form of a canceled flight thanks to low visibility in and around New York. After attempting to board an alternate flight that also canceled almost immediately upon my arrival at the gate, it was clear that no planes would be flying into JFK airport in time to get me on my plane to Shanghai. I had the distinct pleasure of spending 3 hours on hold with various call centers before giving up for the day, optimistic that the following day would bring better luck.

It didn't.

Find out what misfortune awaits our hero around the next corner!

       This time I'd booked a very early morning flight to JFK to sort out my new tickets to Shanghai/Melbs, and while the flight went off without a hitch, I arrived in New York at 7:30 AM to find that the ticket counter that I had a bone to pick with would not be operational until 11. Being early never hurts, but it was certainly painful when I realized shortly after that the flight to Shanghai I had my eye on was delayed 3 hours. Why you ask? Poor visibility... Deja Vu. This delay provided me with the chance to sit around in JFK airport for 11 hours, suspecting the entire time that the delay would proooooobably keep me from successfully boarding the last leg of my already-extended journey to Oz. But there was nothing to do but get on the plane and hope for the best, so I tried to stay optimistic.

Anybody know how to perform the Toilet Heimlich?..

      Sitting in a chair for 15 straight hours is not what most would consider a rockin good time, though I'm generally a pretty low-maintenance dude, and can deal with things like that without too much self-pity. But a glance around the cabin and a short investigation of my seat situation yielded no good news: there were only a couple TVs visible from my seat which, it just so happened, could not recline even an inch beyond its full, upright position. Sooooooo entertainment and comfort were to be at a premium to say the least. The flight was made bearable by a couple free beers, frequent & edible food, and a seat companion - originally from Shanghai, educated in Pittsburgh and working in New York - who was on his way home for a visit and spoke excellent English. I conversed, slept, and ate my way through the ordeal and landed in Shanghai excited to hop on to the plane that would finally carry me to Australia.

Nope. 

That plane was already gone, as were most of the connecting flights of those who had scheduled one on my plane. So a rather large number of people passed through customs, retrieved their luggage from baggage claim, and were eventually whisked away to an aging but classy hotel about 25 minutes from the airport. The earliest flight to Melbourne the following day was not until 8:15PM, so it would be nearly a full day spent doing not much of anything on the outskirts of Shanghai waiting once more for a flight I'd hoped to be on a day earlier.

I suppose that's what you would call low visibility...

I walked around the extremely foggy early morning streets, ate free hotel food, and commiserated with fellow delay-ees until now, as I am soon to board the bus back to the airport where, barring any further calamity, I should be finally boarding that magical air tube that will usher me to the Land Down Under and adventures unknown. Hopefully my next transmission here will be one of success and excitement. I've got literally all of my fingers crossed.