Upgrade

People like luxury...well most people do. That's why every type of tranportation has its higher-class seatings for the people who have more $$$. I used to travel back and forth betwen Taiwan and United States at least once a year before graduating from elementary school. In fact I think I have traveled roundtrip for more than 30 times!

Sometimes my family got enough mileage for an upgrade to business class, and that means horray for all of us! Since this year is the 50 year anniversary of China Airlines (中華航空), the mileage required for an upgrade was lowered...so my parents said why not and we're in for Dynasty Class.

Our flight was at 11:30pm on September 2 from Taoyuan International Airport. Since we live in Tainan, we have to travel down to Kaohsiung first and then take an airplane up to Taoyuan. This means two waiting period...and also two chances for VIP lounge...and our dinner problem is solved!

高雄小港機場華航貴賓室: very nice environment, less people so less noise, a little bit short on the variety of food, but overall a very enjoyable place.

桃園機場華航貴賓室: big resting areas, great food including various noodle soups, but did I just entered a 夜市? So many people walking around, taking food, talking on phones....這根本把好氣氛都毀了~

I guess it's better to come here during the morning, when there is no one sitting next to you, sneezing and coughing while going on facebook...and it was an uncomfortable situation during flu season @@

The Dynasty Class seats on the plane was a bit different from what I remembered. I didn't remember I could extend my legs completely without touching the front row before, and I'm sure my legs didn't grow shorter. But it was a change for the better. And yes, I kept taking pictures like crazy. The movie selection menu for our individual TV was outdated because this airplane was an older model, but it didn't prevent my from watching a lot of movies...eh...actually I watched only one movie: Running the Sahara (決戰沙哈拉), which was about three runners (one of them, 林義傑, is from Taiwan) that ran across the Saharan desert from St. Louis, Senegal to Cairo, Egypt in about 100 days.

I sort of felt guilty while watching them struggling to achieve the impossible while I was lying on a comfortable chair drinking apple juice. Their courage and perseverance could be discerned in their actions and I think this shows their character more than anything else. Going back to California means the end of a wonderful summer in Taiwan; it means the start of the ongoing advancement in learning. We need to exert the perseverance like those runners. At the end of the run, they've reach the oceans of Egypt and their reward comes with the sense of achievement and the cold ocean water. Our sense of achievement may have yet to come, but we should work towards it. 任何事都是先苦後甘啦.

這次回到美國後發現以後回台灣遊玩的機會不多了. 以後回台灣可能是找工作的時候了, 不過我也很期待這時刻的來臨.