Steve and Jemjahn go to Thailand, 2003
5. Jem's Old Home in the Village
10. Impressions of the Village
22. Thai People, My Impressions
2. Flight to Bangkok
The flight from Augusta to Atlanta is only 30 minutes. It’s followed by one of the longest flights in commercial aviation, from Atlanta to Seoul, 7131 miles.
That’s a non-stop flight of 15 hours. It hurts even to think about it.
Fortunately, we flew Korean Airlines, one of the unknown treasures of the skies. Or maybe not unknown; the 747 was full. If your seats are in the wide middle section, God have pity.
But their prices are low, their food is excellent, and their stewardesses are the best ever. As Jem puts it: “They are young and pretty and always smiling. And thin. I can get around them in the aisle. Not like the American stewardesses, who are old and grouchy and fat.”
She's too harsh on our own stewardesses but I’ll second her observation of Korean Air's. The airline must have a factory in Korea somewhere, stamping them out, each one about 25 years old, 5 feet 6, attractive, intelligent, slender, patient, and who when you ask them for another glass of juice smile warmly at the opportunity to make your flight more comfortable.
And at
the end of the flight, when you
struggle just to walk down the aisle to the latrine (excuse me,
lavatory), you see there a stewardess who looks as fresh - with hair,
makeup and uniform ready for a photo shoot, as perky as she was 15 hours
ago. And you find a bathroom, just used by hundreds of people, cleaner
than my own at home.
Well, OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration. But not the stewardesses. They are truly classy.
In Seoul, a 3-hour layover. Then another 6-hour flight to Bangkok, most of which we thankfully slept through.