#my flight to thailand is in 6 hours

[god-infected]

typical monday: feeling like im close enough to touch and be a part of the lives of other people yet im always standing outside

[mo0dy-succubus]

The Vacation

Word count: 4k

Minqi x reader, g!p yuqi, g!p reader, switch!reader,dom!yuqi, Praising, Degrading, small bit of daddy kink, Squirting, creampie, facial, brief mention of sexual protection, mile high club, semi public sex, public sex, pool sex, bathroom sex,threesome, poly relationship, smut, (like alot of smut), hand job,wall sex, drunk sex, blow job

These past few months you have been overwhelmed by work. You have been away from your partners due to touring yall still kept in touch and you visited their concert, but the stress was getting to you and your partners. "Hey why don't we go on a vacation?" Minnie said. "Ha! Where would we even go?" You say looking at her with curiosity. "Thailand!" Minnie shouted excited. "Oohh yes Thailand is so pretty" yuqu said her English flawless.

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"Yuqi-ah hurry up, we are gonna miss our flight because of you" Minnie said ready to leave and be out the door. "Wait I'm trying to find a place to put gigi". "Just hold her till we get to the airport!" You shouted already tired from waking up early. You and your partners minnie and yuqi planned out a trip to Thailand and to meet Minnie's family, knowing minnie is from Thailand she was very anxious on missing her flight. "Ok, let's go!" Yuqi said finally coming down stairs. "Haha took you long enough" you say grabbing your two suitcases and heading out. Despite yuqi being late and taking her sweet time yall caught your flight just in time.

You board the plane and take your seat by the window happy that you can see all of the beautiful land scape. You put your headphones on and rest your head on the neck pillow you had hoping to catch up on the sleep you missed. "Y/n unnie" yuqi whispers. Knowing yuqi very well you knew she would bother you and well enough you ended up sitting together for a 6 hour flight so you were thankful for your headphones, with minnie being only a few more rows up front from the both of you. "Y/n unnie!" She says as she removed your headphones. "What....What!! Yuqi I'm trying to relax" you say a little bit irritated from your lack of sleep. "We should fuck minnie unnie". "Yuqi-ah I'm not in the mood, if you are horny go to the bathroom and jerk off of something" you say putting your headphones on again closing your eyes . "First off" yuqi says removing your music making device again. "Why not. And second, bold of you to assume something so desperate like that when you are here beside me, don't you want to join the mile high club?" yuqi looks at you her big doe eyes.

You groan a bit exhausted. "I'll wait and pretend I'm using the bathroom but I'll leave the door unlocked" she said winking before getting up to go to "the bathroom". Despite being so tired she was just so tempting. You waited a minute or two before going after her preparing yourself. Next thing you know you are being fucked in a tiny bathroom. "Quickies are such my favorite activity" yuqi said grunting, your moans muffled by yuqis mouth. "Fuck baby~ you are so tight" yuqi says thrusting into your tight ass. "Yuqi please I need more!" You say your cock twitching in need."We are gonna fuck so hard while cause turbulence"Yuqi grabs your aching cock before stroking it."fuck~! Ahh yess" you moan out from pleasure overwhelming you."Look at this little slut, imagine if minnie just walked in on us right now what will she think,that you are a desperate whore that can go a few hours without a dick in their ass" yuqi said her words burned hot against your ear. You felt your orgasm slowly build soon reaching its peak. "Cum...I need to..." a mess of word falling out if your mouth. "That's it baby let that cock cum all over daddy's hand" yuqi says her words pushing you more and more to the edge. A gentle squeeze on your cock and you are already orgasming cumming all over your girlfriends hand.

"Oh my god..." you gasp out. Yuqi continues thrusting in your bit before grabbing a tissue and pulling out and spilling her seed all over it to minimize mess. You pouted a bit visibly upset for yuqi pulling out of you. "Aww don't worry baby soon in Thailand. If you agree to fuck minnie with me" she says. "Why do you want to fuck minne so bad. We are on vacation not on an episode of sex and the city." You say. "Ohhh but it can be.Come on you know minnie is gonna be stressed since she's back at home abd we are meeting her parents soooo why not?" You thought about it and it was quit convincing so you agreed. "Fine I'll do it, can we just get out of this bathroom now before anyone gets suspicious".You leave first then yuqi only a few minutes after continuing your flight.

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When you finally land night fell. Yall arrived late at your staying, being do exhausted yall crashed as soon as yall hit the bed.the next morning minnie wasted no time before showing you and yuqi her favorite places by the way to the resort. By time yall arrived back to the hotel suites it was already 4 pm. You flop on the bed tired from walking. "There is a night club only a few miles away we should go!" Minnie said. "Oh really when is it?" Yuqi says curious as soon as she heard the word club. "Late at night kinda we can go to dinner and then go there there is a really fancy Thai restaurant that I go to often with my parents, speaking of them that's exactly the people we are meeting tonight"  minnie says. Sure you've met Minnie's family and sure they were kind but It's like minne planned out to have a blast back in Thailand, she wouldn't stop talking about all the club invites and yacht parties. A "don't stop till ya drop" type party.

You groan at the thought of walking anymore. "Minnie, baby I love your family and I can't  wait to have dinner with them but If I take another step I might die can we please just nap,we've been walking non stop we literally JUST landed late at night " you ask desperate for rest. " I am pretty tired so we can sleep together, just, let me make a reservation for tonight's dinner and call my parentsabout the time" minnie says taking her phone and calling the place.

Yuqi flopped beside you with almost the same amount of exhaustion as you have on your own face. "I'm beat....don't have to tell me twice about resting" yuqi says cuddling yourself into her, you and yuqi both stay up a bit waiting for minnie to come to bed with yall. Minnie soon eventually came to bed showing a signs that everything worked out so far and slept with yall.

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By time yall all woke up it was 6:25 pm yall all rush to your suitcases picking out your best outfits and showered before going to dinner. All three of you arrived just in time to meet minnie mom and dad, they seemed so happy to have their little nicha back. Yall all greeted each other exchanging compliments and catching up on time.Dinner with Minnie's parents was great but it was a hard dinner so far.Minnie looked so hot in such a simple dress, that said dress showed off her attractive curves you could feel yourself growing in your pants. To avoid your sinful thoughts you tried to focus on dinner and chatting with minnie parents and having a good time but minnie cleavage was showing just right, and sitting near her drove you insane more and more by the second. You must have not been as sneaky as you thought because she caught you red handed.

She seemed to play along before snaking her hand down to your cock before rubbing it through your clothing. You bump your knee on the table out of reflex from the sudden touch. The shake causing the food dishes to make a loud cling. " y/n?? Are you ok" Minnie's mom asked concern for your possible bruised knee. "I'm fine Mrs yontarak! Dont worry" you say smiling to show that you are ok. "Oh I'm sure she's more then fine don't worry I'll take care of her" minnie says her eyes darkening and sultriness in her voice. Minnie mom smiled back before going back to eating dinner and chatting. You feel the zipper of you pants being slow let down before feeling minnie pull it out leaving you exposed underneath the table (God you hoped nobody would look underneath the table if they dropped their utensils) . You feel minnies hand move up and down your shaft coaxing out a soft moan from you but quite enough only for her to hear. You look at her with tears eyes from embarrassment. You knew she has to make me movement slow in order to not get caught. Minnie took her thumb rubbing it over your head scooping the beads of precum that formed on your tip before licking it off her thumb. Minnie continued stroking your cock going faster each time nobody was looking. God you were going insane, holding back your moans was such a stressful experience. Genuinely surprised nobody could hear the fapping noise from underneath the table. You were sweating hard underneath your shirt blushing profusely. "Y/n are you running a fever? your face is super red" minnie mom asked. You tried your best to form word that would turn into moans "I'm f-ine just hot and thirsty t-hat's all" you lift up your wine glass to make a  cheers with her mom taking a sip only to almost spill it when minnie gives a small squeeze on your cock. Her actions continued feeling you twitch more in her hand speeding up till you finally came screaming into the thick dinner napkin. Hot strings of cum shooting out onto the underside of the table painting stripes of white on Minnie's hand as well as the table cloth(thank god for that table cloth) "sorry I had to clear my throat" you say as an excuse for you moaning into a napkin. Minnie soon moved her hand from underneath the table and wiped your mess on her own napkin before getting up. "Y/n can you come to the bathroom with me? I need help with my dress" Minne said, too dazed from your orgasm, you nod and follow her knowing damn well her dress was fine.

Minnie drags you into the bathroom as yall share a sloppy kiss. "I saw how you were looking at me, you a such a dirty slut that you can't stop looking at me for even a second" minnie gasps as she unbuttoned your clothes. "Please I need your cock" minnie begged. You wasted no time thrusting into her. "Fucckk you are so tight and wet" you moan out. Minnie looks at you with pleading eyes. " you don't want the others to be worried huh? So I suggest that you be fast" minnie whispered. This little sentence drove you crazy. Thrusting your thick cock into minnie you grab her by the ass holding her against the wall. God anytime you were in minnie it felt like heaven, her wet warm pussy molded to your body everything, like she was made for you.

"Minnie...fuck...." the weight of minnie and having to stand was wearing you out thin and you needed to rest. "I- I...need to sit down....for a bit...." not wanting to pull out just yet you make your way the toilet seat and sit down. Not the cleanest decision ever in your life but it's better them nothing and much better then yesterday in an airplane bathroom. You let minnie take control and begin to let her ride you. With your hand free you pull down Minnie's top exposing her breast. You wasted no time leaving dark marks on her skin, bitting deep into her skin and soft tits. "Y/n fuckk~ not to many I still have to see my parents...". You ignore her request and begin kissing up her neck till you get to her soft lips. "God but this feels so good~ I'll deal with them later I guess.." she says in defeat. Minnie continued to ride you speeding up till she was going at an inhumane pace. "Minnie....s‐slow....slow down a bit.." you try to form a sentence without busting inside of your girlfriends cunt but in was impossible almost, the way how her pussy squeezed you just right drove you more to continue fucking her. "Min-minnie!!!" You yell out shrieking as you grab her hips before plunging yourself deeper into her warm sex before cumming right into her.

"Y/n NO!!" before minnie could say no you had already burst. Just as soon as you finished yuqi walked in. "Guys we are waiting for-" yuqi looks at the two of you and your act before smirking. "Really guy's without me the betrayal, hurry up so we can leave, we still have a club to go to, yall can bone each other there" yuqi says before leaving. Minnie gets up spiling a bit of your cum out as she got up. "Are you gonna be ok?" You ask. "It's fine, I like creampies anyway" minnie says winking before coming close to your ear and whispering. "I'm going to milk you so hard this vacation your cock will go numb" she backs up fixing her dress and leaving, you follow soon after cleaning yourself up a bit.

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Despite your absence from the end of dinner dinner with Minnie's parents was great. You and your girlfriends get to the club and yuqi immediately order shots for her and yall. "Wowww that's strong" you say your face cringing at the tequila shot. You turn to see minie and yuqi going at it with shots. No matter the alcohol, they just drank and drank. It wasn't any better when their favorite song played the dragged you along on the dance floor and dance but you had to admit the alcohol was getting to you also. The music was blaring but all you could focus on was the way how your girlfriend was grinding against you and yuqi both. "Oookkk yall are super drunk we need to go back to the hotel before you get sick" you say still somewhat sober or more sober then them at least. You turn around just to see the making out sloppily. "Y/n unnieeeee...I'm so fucking horny right now, you know alcohol makes me super horny" yuqi said leaning against you. " We can fuck when we get to the hotel yuqi let's go" minnie said with pure lust in her eyes " I'm so horny I feel like my ovary is going to pop" minnie said as yall exited the club.

By time yall got back it was 1:30 am. It was like as soon as you stepped in your room the air felt like it was thickened with lust. You and yuqi wasted not time attacking Minnie's body. Tearing off each other clothes like animals. Minnie let's out a soft moan as she feels yuqis warm body against hers. " lay back" yuqi whispers to minnie leaving her body to the both of yall. Yuqi slowly dips in-between Minnie's legs breathing against her bare skin. You take this time to softly caress and grope her softy tits. Minnie let's out a sharp moan feeling yuqi lick her wet folds. Yuqi pulled. "Let's both fuck her till she's only moaning our name like a brainwashed slut she is" yuqi said encouraging you a bit. "I wanted her ass first then we can switch" you say giving your cock a few strokes. "Fine by me" minnie says already drenched in arousal.Going one.Two. Three rounds. Good it was so hot the passion filling the room and bonds built stronger. Resting late in the night you all pass out.

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You squirm a bit in your shared bed waking up to stretch. You noticed the two sleeping next to you then noticed your lack of clothes. You hurried and scrambled out of bed to find a pair of new clothing. Yuqi wakes up soon after you and follows the same thing you did leaving minnie still asleep. Yuqi kisses minnie till she woke and dressed decently before ordering food for breakfast to fuel up for another day in Thailand. You all mostly spent the day shopping for clothing and souvenirs, and occasionally yuqi teasing you throughout the day. " I should by a new bikini I forgot to pack mine plus it is our last day in Thailand so why not I really wanted to go swim at the pool late at night". "Ooh we should do that, I'm going to miss this place so much" yuqi said beaming a bit. "Me too, I see why minnie loves it here the food is amazing" you say in response. "Ohh can we get lunch first before we swim I'm starving for some Thai food right now". Minnie laughs at your cuteness before yall tour around some more to grab a bite.

Finally yall were able to go to the pool, changing outfits you were racing yuqi to get in first(it was a tie). Splashing and diving underneath the water. "Ugh this is so nice" yuqi says. "I wonder what's been taking minnie so long" yuqi says looking around. "Maybe she's resting a bit since we just ate". "Oh please everyone knows that's just a myth, nobody is going to get stomach cramps from swimming after you eat" yuqi said with confidence. "How about I give you a cramp you slapsh her with water causing another play fight". "Did I miss something haha yall look ridiculous" minnie said. You and yuqi both stop what yall were doing and stared at minnie in her black bikini, it was simple yet so elegant and sexy . "Yall know it's not nice to stare" minnie says slowly stepping into the pool. "We're sorry it's just-". "Woww" yuqi says finishing your sentence. "Do you remember our plan" yuqi said whispering in your ear. "Yuqi-ah was last night not enough" you groan in protest. "Nope never, Pleaseee,". "Fine only for this week and that's it". "Yayy!".

"Minnie unnie" you say swimming to her "I forgot to put sunscreen on can you help me before it's too late" such a lame excuse but it was better than nothing. "Uh sure I should put some on too while I'm at it" yall both exit the pool and sit down on the ledge. You waited patiently for minnie to finish getting your back before you do her back. You put the cool substance on the palm of your hand before rubbing it in on her back trying to not let her top get in the way. "O-oh is my top in the way, here let me untie it so you can get it more easily" before you could say anything minnie untied her black bikini top covering her exposed chest. "Minnie unnie why are you covering your pretty tits~" you say whispering. "Nobody is here why be so cautious, unless you are scared of someone seeing how much of a slut you are for me and yuqi". Your words send a chill down Minnie's spine, she hesitantly lowered her arms leaving her chest exposed enough for you to sneak your hand to her chest and squeeze it. Minnie let out a soft moan as you continued your movement, you signaled for yuqi to come over and help. Yuqi swam in front of minnie before kissing her you soon tugged at minnie bottoms before she lifted them up allowing yuqi to slip them off. Yuqi then pulls minnie back into the water pinning her against the pool wall kissing her deeply.

You watch as you try to take your clothes off before joining them in the pool." Y/n aren't you gonna use protection first" yuqi teased indicating an unexpected pregnancy. "Whha why are you like this don't ruin the mood" you say blushing in embarrassment from her comment. Yuqi giggles before wasting not even a second before pushing her thick length into minnie causing her to moan out. You step out o the pool above minnie give you cock a few good strokes. "Please put your cock in my mouth I need you" Minnie pleaded. You grin at her desperation but rubbed your tip against her bottom lip. Minnie opens he mouth before Swallowing your cock whole. She wasted no time suckling on your sensitive tip. "Minnie fuck~..." you moan out.

Yuqi continues thrusting into her as best she could going faster each time. The pleasure from yuqi sent moan after moan from her mouth down to the base of your cock causing you to pulsate in her mouth. "Fuck Yuqi-ah don't stop I'm so close" minnie say taking your out her mouth before going right back to sucking you off. " I might be close to if you continue like this minnie" you say your eyebrows knitted with pleasure. Minnie began to massage your soft sac with her hands while looking at you attentively. You couldn't hold back you grabbed the back of her head and pushed down cumming all in her mouth. Minnie swallowed the hot seed in her mouth before smiling at you a bit. Yuqi pulled out forcing minnie and yuqi to be on the ledge of the pool. "Pool sex I so uncomfortable let's go by the pool stairs for more support" yuqi said. Minnie was now facing yuqi with her legs wrapped around her torso as yuqi continued to pound her. Minnie being close from earlier it didn't take her long before trapping yuqi at all angled and spraying all over her lap. "Shit that felt so good" minnie sighed out. It was now your turn to fuck minnie. You took the place of yuqi putting her in a more doggy style position with yuqi being sucked off by minnie this time. You began to slowly thrust, god her pussy was so hot and warm. You continue thrusting through her tight walls giving hard thrust in-between to give yuqi some more pleasure. "I'm close guys.." yuqi grunts a bit. "Wait I want both of yall to cum on my face" minnie says. You and yuqi look at each other then nod. You exit minnie and hover over her again jerking off to get to your peak. "We are gonna paint your face all white when we are done with you" you say hoping to amp the mood a bit. "Fuck yes please use me as your cum dump" minnie says sending you and yuqi into a frenzy. "I'm close on the count of three we cum" you say going faster focusing on yuqis movement.  Yuqi nods and begins counting down with you. "1". As minnie watched she opened her mouth for the fat load she was about to receive. "2". A bead of sweat ran down your temple ad you felt the building pleasure. "1!" . You and yuqi let your orgasm go all onto minnies face, on her eyelid, her tongue, even in her hair. Thick white stripes painted minnie like a pastry.

Your breath get heavy as you finished stumbling a bit. "Holy shit that was hot...." yuqi said blushing this was such a "good vacation I wish it didn't have to end". "Me too" you pouted at yuqi. "Do you think we made a mess?" You asked. " Haha probably this pool is probably going to need some extra chlorine." Yuqi said. "Yeah, can we go back to the hotel so we can clean up a bit,we need to leave early tomorrow for our flight"  minnie said trying to clear her eye. "Can't we just stay one more day?" Yuqi said. "We can always come back to Thailand Yuqi-ah". "Yeahh but it's so fun". "Next time Yuqi-ah" you smiled softly."Next time, but for now I'm ready to go back to korea" yuqi said laughing as yall headed back to the hotel room

[sunnyuto]

In you’ve ever thought that the policy we make here in the US doesn’t affect the entire planet, this week has chosen to prove you wrong.

KLM flight 1204 from Oslo, Norway to Amsterdam made an emergency landing in Sandefjord, Norway at about 7pm local time Saturday 12/28, roughly an hour after taking off. The aircraft experienced a hydraulic failure and ended up skidding off the runway and into the grass. Fortunately, none of the 182 passengers and crew were injured.

Jeju Air flight 2216 from Bangkok, Thailand to Muan International Airport in South Korea crashed shortly after 9am local time Sunday morning 12/29, approximately 6 hours after the KLM flight malfunction, killing 179 of the 181 people on board. The plane suffered a bird strike, which killed an engine, then reportedly had a fire start on board, was cleared to make an emergency landing in the wrong direction on the runway, its landing gear failed, it skidded into a concrete wall and exploded on impact. There is a video circulating, it is very difficult to watch.

Jeju Air flight 7C101 from Seoul, South Korea to Jeju Island returned to Seoul at about 7am local time Monday morning, approximately 20 minutes after takeoff and 22 hours after the 2216 crash, when its indicators signaled a landing gear issue. It fortunately landed safely and its passengers were transferred to an alternate flight, save for 21 people who cited safety concerns and chose not to be rebooked.

These three incidents all occurred on Boeing 737-800 planes within 28 hours of each other and two of them explicitly involved landing gear issues. It is a miracle that only one was deadly. I cannot even begin to imagine the feeling of racing toward your certain death at a speed of several hundred miles per hour knowing there’s nothing you can do, especially for the pilots who could see the wall coming and knew they didn’t have any way of slowing themselves down. It’s a horrifying atrocity and has led to the South Korean government rightfully grounding and inspecting all 737-800 planes.

Boeing is an American company that manufactures in America and is subject to American manufacturing and safety standards and regulated by the FAA. To my knowledge, none of the passengers or crew members on any of these flights were Americans. And yet here they are, having their lives irreparably affected and even destroyed by American policy. From the 179 victims on flight 2216, there are over 600 body parts that first responders are having to identify and match in order to return bodies to families. Some of them likely won’t ever be identified, such as the pilots who took the impact first and who were almost certainly completely obliterated.

Boeing has been the subject of over 200 whistleblower complaints and multiple lawsuits in 2024, alleging that they push quantity over quality, have ignored quality control errors and flags, and have let planes with known mechanical defects get shipped anyway. Two Boeing whistleblowers died this year within weeks of being publicly identified, and a third who was identified in early December says they fear for their life.

American policy is directly responsible for this. Capitalism is directly responsible for this. Deregulation and lack of oversight are directly responsible for this. Our government’s failure to hold corporations accountable is directly responsible for this.

[burirammin]

as someone who has gone to the thai gp, is it easy to get to buriram and the circuit without having a car? i want to go but i've never been to thailand and don't know much about it at all.

I would say it’s not the easiest but I’ll try to explain the route as in depth as I can. This is pure research as I went to Buriram by my own car (I do not recommend this method unless you plan on stopping for rest or going on a road trip as it takes 5-6 hours to get here from Bangkok)

I’m gonna hijack this ask and made it into a guide post (that I was supposed to write a long long time ago and will now thanks to you :))

K in Buriram 2024

Part 2 : Guide on how to get to the track without a private car

Here’s the basic.

The best way to get to Buriram and the circuit is by taking a domestic flight straight from Bangkok. You most likely will arrived in Bangkok at Suvarnabhumi airport (BKK) as it host majority of the city’s international flights but most of the domestic flights from Bangkok will take place at Don Mueang airport (DMK) so you will either have to take a taxi or a train there. I can offer more information on the train if needed but it's quite complicated so paying for the taxi might be a better choice.

Just a side note: in my experience the domestic flight are somewhat prone to having delays and gates change. I’ve been bit in the ass by this so many times so listen carefully to the announcements! (I personally avoid nok air like the plague but other airlines are fine)

The code for Buriram airport is BFV

Good news! During the race weekend, there is a free bus transport from Buriram airport to Buriram Castle (or chang arena/thunder castle which is basically the football stadium at the back of the circuit. This is also where you could watch a game for free if you hold the gp ticket). I’m not sure how it works but presume you will have to show the ticket to gain access to it. They’re all in service from 8:00-23:30.

Here is all the bus line available.

When you arrived at the castle aka. main entrance on the upper right (after you clear all the business with the ticket) you can now get to the circuit itself with another shuttle service.

Have you ever saw these colorful trucks in the background of the ThaiGP broadcast? well, what you saw were the circuit’s shuttle service or as we Thai called ‘ชัตเติลแต๋น (shuttle taan)’

They will either take you directly to your chosen stand or the nearest spot to each stand. For example they could take you directly to the brands/riders stand but you will have to walk further to reach the side stands surrounding turn 3. As for the grandstand, they will take you to the entrance of the commercial area and you will have to walk through the shops and exhibitions to reach it.

Get to the stand. Save your seating spot. andddd that was about it! Time to enjoy the race with some cool drinks and snacks in your hand :)))

[usafphantom2]

MACH 6 SOUND OF FREEDOM

During the Vietnam War, the word was out that the Vietnamese captured prisoners were being tortured. They were struggling to find a plan to rescue the POWs. Attempts to escape were met with beatings for the entire camp of prisoners of war if one person attempted to escape.

In May 1972, a new plan was installed telling the POWs that if they heard the sound of thunder that they were to escape and run down to the river where there would be Navy SEALs waiting to rescue them. There was disagreement among the inmates about whether to risk another escape. A senior POW convinced them it wasn’t right to make everyone in the camp suffer if they were captured during the flight. Without knowing that the POWs would not escape, the plan went forth.

The plan was for two SR-71 Blackbird spy planes to fly over the Hanoi Hilton.

The flight plan was to fly the SRs so close that their sonic booms would be only 30 seconds apart.

On May 2 and May 4, this happened. The rest of the story is from my father, Colonel Richard “Butch” Sheffield's unpublished book.

POW signal, May 2, 1972, SR-71 # 979, first of three aircraft. The first indication I had that we might fly a mission like this (where two SR-71s would crisscross over North Vietnam thirty seconds apart) was when one of the planners asked me at the OL( operation’s landing), “How close, in time, can you come over a point on the ground?” I told him, “As close as you want.” I don’t think he believed me because he said, “Can you come to the point within thirty seconds to two minutes?” I said, “Of course, we can control airspeed and reach the point at the time you want us to be at the point in space.”

We had this capability because we had insisted at Edwards’, in 1965, that we know the time to the next point, (time to go) something the computer experts and engineers at Edwards’ never thought about and never understood why we needed this information.

Flying the mission was easy. All we asked for was a destination point to be placed in the computer where they wanted us to be and the time to be there.

The mission planners told us to make it as close to thirty seconds as we could and they realized that would be very hard to do because we would be closing on each other at a combined speed of Mach six.

Bob Spencer and I, Richard “Butch” Sheffield we were the senior crew in the wing at the time, and Chief of the Standardization Division; were selected to lead both the missions and take off first. Darrel Cobb and Reg Blackwell were the spare crew and took off later to position themselves to replace either aircraft. Tom Pugh and Ron Rice took off about an hour later and met us over in Hanoi.

After refueling over Thailand, we climbed to altitude and headed north along the China border. Once we reach the speed where our inlets and spikes were programmed properly, we clicked our mike to single Cobb and Blackwell that we were OK and going on to the target. They flew a random course back to Kadena. About three days after we landed back at Kadena, the staff decided to look at Cobb and Blackwell’s film collected on the random course back to Kadena. A POW camp was found.

On May 4, 1972, we did it all over again with the same exact mission (SR-71 number 980, first of three).

The same results, but we shaved one-half second off the separation time to thirty-one and one-half seconds.

We came across Hanoi on a southerly heading at seventy-six-thousand feet at Mach 3.17; Pugh and Rice came across the same point, thirty-two seconds after us, at seventy-eight-thousand feet on a westerly heading.

The mission was a complete success. No one could believe that we came within two seconds of the mark.

I now know that it was to signal the POWs, the book, “Operation Thunderhead”, written by Navy SEAL Kevin Dockery confirms it.

I

I am proud of my father he participated in and helped in the planning of the mission of the Sound of Freedom. ~ written by Linda Sheffield Miller.

@Habubrats71 via Twitter

[sorchathered]

The past two weeks have read like a series of unfortunate events.

1. Got food poisoning in Thailand, spent my birthday in the emergency room.

2. Got sun poisoning the next day because the antibiotics they gave us caused sun sensitivity and no one at the hospital told us.

3. Violently sick the whole last week in Korea, fighting tooth and nail to get everything moved out and get back to the states.

4. Miss our flight from jfk to our final location because they booked our dog incorrectly so had to spend 7 hours in jfk with a dog and three grumpy kids. Finally get on our connecting flight and sit on the tarmac for TWO hours while we wait for other planes to take off.

5. Get in so late that we can’t rent a car, spend the night sleeping on the floor of the airport with all the kids and dog and get zero rest.

6. Finally get a car and house but the house they are giving us has no backyard and it’s apparently the only one they have until August. So now after living in an apartment with no yard for three years we have no backyard space for the kids to play. Yes that could be so much worse but I’m just grumpy and disgruntled about it.

7. Now I have the flu. Yay.

I need this month to end.

[nemobeatrice]

@fugio-week0

FuGio Week Day 6: Honeymoon - Honeymoon in Chiang Mai

Ao3

Quotev

Wattpad

The day after their wedding, Giorno and Fugo took a plane to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Mista had everything under control while they were gone, and Sheila assisted and guarded him.

Their flight was long, taking about 10 or 11 hours, which gave them time to rest. The plane landed, and it was morning, but they took a taxi to Na Nirand Restort to unpack. The room they resided in was small and cozy. There was also a safe to store their valuables.

“What shall we do?” Fugo asked.

“Perhaps we should eat first,” Giorno suggested. “Want to eat here?”

He nodded, and the two went to the restaurant inside the resort, eating outside since the weather was pleasant. It was quiet, too, except for the bugs screaming. The couple looked through the menu and then waited once a server took their order.

“I was thinking that we should head to Doi Inthanon National Park after this,” Giorno said, breaking the river’s trance on Fugo. “I couldn’t stand sitting around in that plane.”

“I was going to suggest that also since you like nature so much. I know we just got here, but this place feels so calming. I was worried there would be screaming children here.”

Their server came by, dropping off their fruity drinks and desserts. The stacks of food the restaurant gave them were tiny.

“Oh, this looks too adorable to eat.” Fugo eyed the carrot cake, strawberry cake, and tiny burger.

“Too beautiful to eat, but I’m hungry.” Giorno grabbed the small chopped fruits and ate them.

“Is this fruit sauce? What is this for? Hmm.” He poured the red sauce into the strawberry cake. “Oh wow.”

The blonds ate and finished their drinks, heading to the national park soon after. They followed the trail. It was rainy the day before, so the ground was soggy, and the planks were slippery. However, there was that fresh pine aroma lingering in the air. Birds chirped as they walked around.

“This place is stunning,” Giorno commented as they continued walking.

Fugo saw a green-tailed sunbird and took a picture with his camera, causing the bird to fly off. “I got a picture for you.” He showed the bird on his camera, causing them to take a step off the trail to stop.

“Such vibrant colors. You never see these birds in Naples.”

They continued walking.

“Do we even have birds like these at home? You’re more into nature than I am.”

“I’ve been too busy to focus on things like that. Maybe next time, I’ll find out. Oh, do you know that bird you took a picture of is a male? The females aren’t as colorful.”

Fugo giggled. “Are you an ornithologist now?”

“No, but I remember my mother talking about a scary bird she saw in Egypt. I wanted to know what type of bird it was, so I could scare her, but that no longer matters now. Come on. We’re almost to the top.”

They reached the top of the tallest point in Thailand and left a coin. On their way to the bottom, the weather shrouded the area in clouds, making it look mystical.

Since there was still time to kill, they headed to Wat Chedi Luang. There were many temple complexes, most built in the northern Thai style architecture from the Lanna Dynasty.

“Are you religious?” Fugo asked while they explored. “I can’t believe I never asked that before, even though we just married.”

“I’m just as religious as you are.” Giorno stopped to look at his map. “And yeah, I can’t believe I never asked that before too. There should be a golden temple around here, but—agh!” The clouds lifted, and the sun shined on Wat Phra Singh, blinding onlookers with light.

“Gees!” Fugo shrouded his eyes.

“It wasn’t that bright in the photos I’ve seen. Want to head inside?”

“Sure, but my eyes need to adjust to the brightness.”

Giorno held Fugo’s hand and took him inside. A big giant golden statue of Buddha greeted them.

“Wow.” Giorno looked at the other small golden statues. “Is this all made out of gold?”

“Don’t know.” Fugo shrugged. “When you told me we were heading to Chiang Mai, I searched a few things about this place. Someone in 1367 brought the statue from Sri Lanka to this place. The person had to have brought it in parts.”

Giorno's stomach growled.

“I knew those small snacks wouldn’t fill you up,” Fugo remarked. “Maybe we could head somewhere to eat.”

“Oh? Where are we headed to?”

“It’s a secret, but does khao soi sound good to you?”

-

The two walked a few blocks to a small restaurant in an alley, a spot most tourists would overlook. It was an outdoor dining area, plants decorated the walls, and a tin roof covered the place should it rain. The place wasn’t fancy either. Most of the chairs were plastic and didn’t match. But plenty of people sat and ate, and the aroma of beef and unknown spices filled their nostrils, tempting them to stand in line.

“How’d you find this place?” Giorno asked.

“Before we left, I searched for places to eat on Google Maps. I wasn’t picky.”

The line wasn’t too long or short, but they got in and waited. Plenty of food was on their menu, but the couple wanted to try some beef khao soi. After waiting and watching someone cook behind the counter, they received their big bowl. They sat down and ate with spoons and chopsticks. Fugo took the first bite, eating the beef.

“Oh, this is good. I’ve never had anything like this before,” Fugo commented.

Giorno took a bite and took a sip of the broth. “Creamy with a nutty taste. I think I saw someone put some coconut milk powder on it.”

“Spicy! Hot!”

“Can you handle it?”

Fugo sweated. “Y-yeah.”

Thankfully, they were hungry enough to empty the never-ending bowl.

“Want to head to the zoo?” Fugo asked.

“Yeah, which one are we heading to?”

“We could visit the tigers or the one with the elephants.”

Giorno thought deeply for a few seconds. “Let’s go see the elephants. I’ve never seen one except in pictures. Someone told me that elephants in Asia are different from the ones in Africa, and I’ve only seen the ones in Africa.”

The two left, taking a cab to the Elephant Pride Sanctuary. Once they went in, they saw people playing, petting, feeding, and washing the elephants.

“I thought they’d be a lot bigger, like the size of giants,” Giorno said.

“Same.”

The elephants were still big, just not in the way they thought.

“I’m going to get closer to one of them,” Giorno said.

They got close to one of them. Somebody handed Giorno a sugar cane, and he fed it to one of the elephants.

“Oh, I see the difference now,” he said. “It’s the ears. This one has smaller ears than the African ones and is hairy.”

“I noticed the two lumps on its head, too,” Fugo commented. “And some don’t have tusks. I think it’s the females that lack them.”

They continued talking around, learning about the elephants and the sanctuary. Afterward, they helped make medicine and changed their clothes somewhere to participate in the mud spa, where they gave the elephants treatment and washed them. The water was freezing, but they had fun and got muddied.

Daylight was dying, and Giorno and Fugo cleaned the mud off them, dried up, and left, heading to the night market.

-

The blonds were somewhere in a crowded street. Musicians played music in the middle of the streets, food stalls were everywhere, and vendors sold things for under $1. There were so many colorful lights.

The two bought things for their friends. Fugo found an article of black gothic-looking clothing that reminded him of Abbacchio and bought some incense for Sheila. Meanwhile, Giorno looked for some Trish would want. Giorno wanted to ask Fugo what month was Trish’s birthday so he could get her some jewelry with her birthstone, but he doubted he knew since Fugo didn’t think much of Trish. Perhaps this pink bracelet would make a fine gift. After buying it, he bumped into Fugo, but a jazzy song distracted them.

“Is that a Miles Davis song I hear?” Fugo asked. “That’s Bucciarati’s favorite musician. He would’ve loved it here.”

“Did you buy anything interesting?” Giorno asked. “I bought gifts for everyone back home but got this pink and gold fan for myself. I even bought a gift for you. The vendor told me this crystal necklace has some calming power, but I think she made that up so people could buy it.”

“I also bought things for everyone, including you and myself. I got you an elephant plushie and bought a whole bag of peanuts for us to snack on. I’m not hungry, and I doubt I’ll be because of that big bowl we had for lunch. What about you?”

“I’ve walked around a lot, but I’m not hungry. Shall we head back?”

“Yes, please. My legs are screaming. I need a rest.”

[umichenginabroad]

Visiting Vietnam Part 1 (Week 16)

As final exams approach, the University of New South Wales offers yet another study week of no classes allowing students to relax and study up for finals. For those of us here for just a single semester, however, this means another opportunity for a long trip! After a frenzy of examining ticket prices and receiving feedback from friends, we landed on Vietnam as our destination. Most of my roommates were all traveled-out and weren’t interested in a long trip just before the end of the semester, but that didn’t stop Shaunak, Charlotte, and I. Before I knew it, I was on a flight to Ho Chi Minh City, and then to Hanoi (after missing the first connection to Hanoi due to a line at customs that could probably wrap around the moon if fully extended). Our first day there was dedicated to settling in and making our way to Ha Giang, the northern province of Vietnam where we would be getting on motorbikes and biking around the mountains and villages for 3 days. Below is everything I recorded about those first few days in Vietnam:

First day in Vietnam!! We kicked off with a good start dropping our bags off at the hotel we had to cancel on the night before after missing our flight. On our search for an ATM, we found that crossing a street has never been so difficult. From bikes appearing behind you out of thin air to a never ending stream of traffic, it takes skill to know when to commit to crossing a street. I felt like the chicken from the game Crossy Road. It took us a few tries to learn that you just have to start walking and the cars/bikes will go around you. Overall, with a population of 100M people and land area the size of New Mexico, Vietnam is very full of hustle and bustle. This being our flex day, we walked around, came across a phenomenal lunch spot with endless dumplings and juices and duck for just $40 usd for the 3 of us, briefly visited the Ngoc Son Temple, went to see the train that passes right through a street of cafes, and went to the Imperial Citadel of Thang. While waiting for the train, I enjoyed a classic Vietnamese Egg Coffee made with condensed milk and an eggy foam on top. To say this was one of the best coffees I’ve ever had would be an understatement. For dinner, I had an incredible shrimp soup and chicken curry. Vietnam isn’t exactly known for its curries like Thailand, but I was still thoroughly satisfied. We then picked up our stuff and went to meet up with our tour group for the next three days doing the Ha Giang loop. I have literally no idea what to expect, but I’m currently on a sleeper bus on the way there so there’s no turning back. Sleeper buses appear to be a common form of transportation here to get around cities at night. Two birds, one stone!

^ Hanoi Train Street where a train passed right in front of us and I enjoyed an egg coffee. 

The hard part at this point was that nobody was telling us where we were going or what was going on. We kind of just trusted that it would all work out. I was in and out of sleep until about 2:30am when I was awakened to someone holding a phone inches away from my face with google translate open reading “You have arrived”. Just like that, we were herded off into some building (a hostel), we were shown to beds, and everyone passed out. This all might sound like good fun, but when you have no idea what the plan is, no cell service, and nobody to communicate with, your brain just can’t predict what’s about to happen. Especially at night when you’re disoriented. We were being led into the abyss. 

^ Me, Shaunak, and Charlotte at 2:30am after 6 hours on the sleeper bus.

The morning was a bit better. We finally met the owners of Road Kings, the company in charge of the motorbike tour. They got everyone fed with either pho or a banh mi (Vietnamese classics), explained to us on a big map where we would be traveling the next three days, and set us off with our motorbike drivers. 

^ A map of the Ha Giang province where we would be traveling for 3 days.

It took just 15 minutes on that bike to absolutely fall in love with Vietnam. The motorbike was a bit scary at first, but the wind blowing in my face and the incredible views made me feel more alive than ever. I can’t even express into words how beautiful this country is. My mouth dropped on that bike more times than I could count. This scenery might genuinely be the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Little green mountain humps digging deep into the horizon. Farms and crops growing all up rocky hills. Little villages following the valleys. I can’t wait for the next two days on the bikes. My butt and legs definitely hurt after some time, but boy was it worth it. We stopped several times at random outlooks (had some incredible coffees today including a silver coffee whatever that is) and then went to a waterfall which was a little overrun with people (from other bike tours) but it was also nice to see. We were then led to our hotel accomodation which was a lot nicer than any of us expected. The meals have also been great and in the form of several family-style dishes ranging from veggies to chicken to soups. We ended the night with some karaoke! Time to get some rest before breakfast at 8am.

^ An average meal on our trip. Two drinks and two coffees were included each day as well.

^ Two of my favorite lookouts.

^ Our first accommodation out on the road.

The next day was full of more incredible views as well as a stop at a river that leads into a cave where you can swim. I had never swam in a cave before, so the experience was definitely one to remember. We ended the day in Dong Van, a city and rural district of the Ha Giang province. We went out into the square of Don Van and it was all lit up and quite beautiful because of a holiday/festival that I think just ended. Lights around shops, signs, and streets seem to be a motif in the cities we’ve visited. We also tried this interesting drink that was made of boiled ginger with rice paper balls, but I couldn’t tell you what it was since getting information has been hard with no translators and limited cell service. 

^ Yet another incredible lookout.

^ My driver and I!

On our last day with the bikes, we visited the Vietnam-China border at the very northern tip of Vietnam and then had a looong drive back to Ha Giang. Time flew by on the motorbike with the constantly changing views, but the time took its toll on my lower body. The scheduled stops and stretch breaks were a godsend. Before we knew it, we were on the sleeper bus back to Hanoi. 

I can’t put into words how beautiful Ha Giang province is and how awesome the trip was. All I can say is that the words “wow” and “beautiful” were playing on repeat in my head. The sheer vastness of the mountains and valleys decorated with terraces, farms, villages, and more was all something I never want to forget. I will surely be back. 

My next post will cover our next day in Hanoi as well as two days in Ho Chi Minh City. Cheers!

David Bayer

Biomedical Engineering

University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia

[bangkokzavier]

Hello from Thailand.

We are registering for the competition today, which means we will be given our itineraries for the event. With that to come, here’s a summary of what has happened the last six days:

Day 1 (arrival):

After 26 hours of travel to actually get here, we finally got off the plane and got a chance to stand. We quickly got our luggage and passed through customs. Afterwards, we stepped out of the airport and felt the heat for the first time. Although we were only outside for a few seconds to get to our ride to the hotel, the heat was already overwhelming. The trip to the hotel was relatively swift. We went to our rooms on the 22nd floor and sat down for a bit. It was only noon by this point. We were, nevertheless, exhausted from the flight. The first thing we thought to do was look around. We walked down the streets in the heat and found a nice air-conditioned 7-11, where we purchased a few bags of potato chips and drinks in flavours we had never heard of and labels we couldn’t read. Then, we went back to the hotel room to relax. At around 5:00 in the afternoon, we all got together and ate dinner at the restaurant in the lobby of the hotel. It was mostly non-authentic food, which is to be expected from a hotel. We very quickly went to sleep in order to wake up at 6:30 the next day.

Day 2:

We woke up at 6:30 in the morning to make it to our tour of the Floating Market. After hopping in the nicely air-conditioned van, we were driven to what is called a Train Market. It is a heavily crowded market around train tracks, and throughout the day a slow moving train comes through. We were lucky enough to actually see the train. We had to gather on the sides of the rails mere inches away from the train as it passed. This was fairly exciting. After this, we made our way to the Floating Market. Here, you are driven around on a boat through channels of water with shops all around. Eventually, we got off of the boat and got to walk through the markets. We saw a bunch of neat stuff, mainly food from my perspective. We ate some pork and chicken on a stick from one vender, which I thought tasted fantastic. We had bowls of Tom Yum soup, which may have been a poor choice considering how hot it was that day. We ate coconut flavoured ice cream out of a coconut, which was refreshing. And to finish it off we had Coca-Cola from a glass bottle, which excited my father greatly. Something I didn’t enjoy about the market were the snakes. They had snakes that were several feet long just sitting on benches in the sun, and they even had people walking around with huge serpents around their necks. I detest snakes. For dinner that night, we went to an interesting open-air restaurant serving traditional northern Thai food. It was very tasty.

Day 3:

We woke up at 7:30 in the morning. This day was painfully hot. It was around 46 degrees out, which meant we were dying. We visited the King’s Residence among a few other temples and palaces. They were very cool to look at. On the streets we saw a few people taking rides on elephants which was neat. We rode in this small vehicle called a Tuk Tuk (pronounced as tök tök). Although it wasn’t air-conditioned, it was open to the street so we had plenty of air flow. That night we had a monsoon. It was raining so heavily, and yet we went out to eat. We ate underneath pop-up gazebo tents with people trying to hold them down from the storm. We had a cauldron of hot coals and a metal plate on top. There was broth on the plate that we cooked the meat in. It was fantastic despite the rain.

Day 4:

This was another day of visiting temples and palaces in the heat. We saw many large Buddha statues and lots of neat architecture. This day was pretty quick, so it was only considered a half-day of touring. Afterwards, we visited some jewelry shops and and went back to the hotel. We played chess and UNO in the lounge area of the hotel for a few hours before going out to eat. We ate from venders on the street. There were many stands for food ranging from fresh fruits, to cooked meats, to noodles. That night, we found a very cheap but tasty sushi stand and some coconut milk shake/smoothie type drinks. Despite having to sit on a curb to eat, the food was fantastic.

Day 5:

We had nothing planned this day, which was exactly what we wanted. It was getting tiring having to walk around for so many hours in the blazing heat. So, we spent some time at the hotel relaxing and sleeping in. We went to the pool for a while and played some more games in the lounge. This was nice and relaxing, and lead up to our visit to the Bangkok Chinatown. That night, we decided to eat at the Chinatown since it had so much to offer. It was difficult to choose just one place to eat, but we eventually found this Dim Sum restaurant that intrigued us. If you aren’t familiar with Dim Sum; it is ordering multiple small trays of food, in short. We ordered types of sushi, minced shrimp, dumplings, and buns. We enjoyed this a lot.

Day 6:

This was another free day. We walked around shopping malls and markets all day. There isn’t too much to say about this day. For dinner, it was just my father and I. We went to a small family owned Nepalese restaurant. We ordered multiple small dishes of cooked chicken, potatoes, dumplings, noodles, naan bread, and samosas. It was a very nice and cozy restaurant. We spent around two hours of our night there.

Day 7 (registration):

We are required to register between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm. All that this means is that we take a short trip to the conference center, give them our names and school, and they explain the next few days to us. With that in mind, we had a day to waste. We visited different shopping malls around the city and went on the Sky Train subway system to get around. After that we made our way back to the hotel and rested for a bit.

More to come.

[sofiahotelhuahin]

The Thailand-Burma Railway: From Hellfire And Back. || SofiaHotelHuahin

The "Death Railway" was constructed between 1941 and 1943 during World War Two with the intention of connecting Thailand and Myanmar (Burma) by rail so that Japanese forces, who had recently invaded Thailand, could move troops, equipment, and weapons into Myanmar and push the allied forces back into India and beyond.

I had learned about the history of the Death Railway in school, but I didn't fully understand it until I watched The Railway Man, a movie starring Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman, on a flight last year. The history and train nerd in me knew I had to go visit it when I first landed in Thailand a week ago.

The Thailand-Burma Railway is used for travel.

The Death Railway itself begins in Nong Pladuk, some 50 kilometers to the west of Bangkok, where it connects to the express highway running from Bangkok to Singapore.  It slowly meanders from Nong Pladuk to Kanchanaburi, the location of the famed Bridge Over the River Kwai, through dust bowl suburbia. The panorama gradually improves once the train over the fabled bridge and river, with jungle, mountains, and the twisting river to the left.  As it prepares to creak over the pack of cards wooden bridge, also known as the Wampo Viaduct, the train slows to a stop.

How to Get There, How to Get There Fast, and Where to Stay

The first choice would be to spend a day traveling from Bangkok to tour the Thailand Burma Railway. You may see the complete route by taking the first train from Bangkok to Nam Tok, visiting Hellfire Pass there (you'll need to take a Song-Thaew or taxi from Nam Tok), and then returning to Bangkok the same day by taking the afternoon train. It takes roughly four and a half hours to go from Bangkok to Nam Tok.

This alternative involves taking a long day's worth of trains (9 hours if you travel both ways) and leaves you with no free time to visit Kanchanaburi. If you only have one day, I'd recommend going with this option. If you have more time, I would suggest switching to...

The second option is to travel to Kanchanaburi by train from Bangkok Noi and stay there for one or two nights. Take the early-morning train from Bangkok Noi to Kanchanaburi on the first day. Here you can find accommodations in Kanchanaburi. I slept at the reasonably priced VN Guesthouse on the river, which offers stunning views from the restaurant and some rooms that are floating on the water, which is incredibly soothing. Explore Kanchanaburi in the afternoon of day one, go take pictures of the Bridge over the River Kwai, stroll through the war cemetery, and head to the Death Railway Museum in the city.

Take the morning train from Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok on day two, where you can tour Hellfire Pass (as per the one-day itinerary) before taking the train back to Kanchanaburi or, if you're not staying an extra night, to Bangkok. This, in my opinion, was the best method for traveling on the Thailand–Burma Railway.

To aid in additional preparation for this journey, the ever-helpful Man in Seat 61 has a wealth of information and train schedules.

Discover why spending a trip here is a once-in-a-lifetime experience by selecting from the top Thailand hotels. Find out everything you need to know about the hotel before booking it for your trip.

To reach us out in offline mode do not forget to visit

Sofia Hotel Huahin        

100 / 3 - 6 Poonsuk Road Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand 77110

Email: sofiahuahin@gmail.com

Visit Our website — https://sofiahotelhuahin.com/

[wherethehelliselle]

My mandel and I made it to the Tokyo airport! Flight here as pretty good for a 12+ hour flight. Miraculously the seat next to me was empty so I could curl up in a little ball and sleep. I slept for 9 hours! BH my back is holding up so far 🙏

My layover here is 6 hours long, and I have an hour left before boarding. I’ve been entertaining myself by using a bidet for the first time, admiring vending machines that serve both cold and room temperature drinks, and getting some delicious sushi (safe to say it’s the best airport sushi I’ve ever had).

Just one 7 hour flight to go and I’ll be in Thailand!

[sondepoch]

Day 10

10 Days (Jumin Han x Reader)

You didn't expect to find yourself locked in an engagement to Chairman Han, but with your own mother forcing you into it, you have no way of denying her. But as time continues and things change, you begin to develop affections for your fiance's son: Jumin Han. But the sad truth is that there's nothing either of you can do to stop the marriage, and you only have these 10 days before your future becomes reality. 10 days with Jumin Han.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10 | ✔

MASTERLIST

Jumin's hand never leaves yours.

Not in the morning, when the two of you bathe together for the final time. Not when you check your phones, to learn the details of the wedding. Not when you leave the penthouse, kissing Elizabeth goodbye. Not when you board his private jet, beginning your journey to the private beach in Thailand, where the wedding is supposed to be held. And not now, as the two of you gaze out of the window into the endless expanse of clouds,

You open your mouth to make a comment about the pristineness of Jumin's jet, but before you can say anything, you're both interrupted by the pilot's voice over the speakers.

"Mr. Han, ma'am, I apologize for the inconvenience, but there's been a bomb threat delivered to one of the cities we're supposed to be flying over. All flight units passing through have been instructed to land immediately and wait until Air Traffic Control can process our new flight routes."

"Don't worry about it," Jumin responds, pressing a button as he speaks. "Tell us when it's safe to exit the jet."

"Yes, sir."

When the exchange is over, though, you're left gaping at Jumin, struck by his utter calmness to the whole situation. The man looks almost indifferent.

"What's wrong?" He asks you, eyes raised in concern.

"Jumin, your pilot said someone made a bomb threat to an entire city. Doesn't that scare you?" The very thought leaves your stomach with an uneasy feeling.

"Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be fine."

"Are you kidding?" Your tone is incredulous. "We might be fine, but think about all those people! They could die today!"

Jumin's neutral expression breaks when he sees your bottom lip quivering, a sudden swarm of emotion hitting you when you think about the prospect of death and pain.

"Don't worry," He mumbles, squeezing your hand. "No one will be harmed. I promise you. Don't let yourself be upset by this."

"How can you be certain?" You ask, glancing out the window. The jet is descending—you can feel it in the change in pressure—and the blanket of clouds you previously saw is no longer visible.

Jumin is silent, opting to not answer your question.

Only then do you notice his suspicious behavior. "Jumin," You say, eyes narrowing as you turn to face him. "How are you so certain that nothing will come to fruition of this bomb threat?"

The man averts his eyes from your hard gaze, sheepishly staring forward while he confesses the truth. "I may have...called in a favor from Luciel."

"Oh my god," You mumble, resisting an urge to facepalm. "You had Luciel threaten an entire city? To postpone this wedding for, what, one more hour?"

"No," Jumin responds quickly, meeting your eyes once more. "That wasn't my reasoning."

"Then, why?"

Jumin is silent, reaching over your body and closing the window cover so that you can't see outside anymore. "You'll see when we exit the jet."

You cross your arms in a huff, your frown deepening when you realize that you and Jumin are no longer holding hands. A part of you can't believe that Jumin, of all people—Luciel's involvement is unsurprising—would go to such dramatic lengths to achieve something. Air Traffic Control will have control of the situation quickly enough, and the two of you only be nothing but inconvenienced with the delay this will cause in arriving at the wedding, so why?

You allow Jumin to guide you out of the jet after the pilot confirms that it's okay, the man subtly slipping his hand back in yours as he slides open the door to the plane.

You gasp.

"Jumin..." You murmur, momentarily unable to think of anything to say other than his name. If you thought yesterday's revamping of the living room was amazing, then this is something else entirely.

Unable to hold yourself back, you pull Jumin's arm forward, leading him out of the jet. "It's beautiful, Jumin. It's beautiful."

You tilt your head right, then left, then forward, then right again—utterly unsure of what to look at when there's so much beauty to take in.

The plane has landed in a field, no trees in sight for as far as your eye can see, and every inch of the ground is covered in color, covered in lovely flowers that beam brightly beneath the afternoon sun.

At your feet, over a hundred daisies surround you. Then further on, there's a patch of anemones, and then asters, and then magnolias, and you can't even identify some of the petalled plants as they stand proudly in bold pinks, bright yellows, rich purples, deep reds, and every shade in between.

"It's amazing," You murmur. "I've never..."

You suddenly remember a conversation you had with Jumin, just three days ago, where you casually mentioned to him that all you've seen of the world has been city life. Your quiet yearning to see a beautiful field like this had been subtle, the two of you moving on from the conversation as quickly as it had been brought up, but Jumin remembered.

"I love you," You murmur, turning around to face Jumin. You already know the words as he repeats them back to you, pulling you in for a tight embrace followed by a loving kiss, but the moment is too sweet to pass by.

"How do you always manage to be so wonderful?" You ask, giggling lightly as the two of you begin walking away from the jet, venturing further out in this field of flowers. You bend down every so often, fingers ghosting over the petals but never plucking them: appreciating but never stealing.

"When you told me you'd never seen a field like this, I thought that it was one of the few tragedies in your life that I could amend." Jumin squeezes your palm, prompting you to stop and face him. "Your smile right now is more beautiful than all these flowers."

You lean up and kiss him again, smiling as the sun beats down on you. You don't even care that in four hours, you'll be on a beach in Thailand committing yourself to Chairman Han until death do you part. Right now, in this field, you and Jumin are untouchable. There's no one to tell you no. No one to pull you apart. No one to deny the most genuine affection you've ever felt.

Here, with only the plants to judge you, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

In this field of flowers, you can love Jumin freely.

You smile, feeling the sensation of a daffodil rub against your ankle.

"Was a bomb threat really necessary, though?" You ask with an amused smile. "Couldn't you have just asked your pilot to stop here?"

Jumin shakes his head. "Not quite. This is an unregistered landing spot—that's why the natural beauty here has been preserved so well. The only conditions where a plane would be instructed to land here is, well, in the case of something as serious as a bomb threat." Jumin smiles, lifting a hand to cup your cheek. "Few others have laid their eyes on this field, my love. All this beauty is for you."

You smile at Jumin, kissing him even deeper.

In his pocket, his phone vibrates twice: a message from the pilot, saying that the jet has been cleared for takeoff with an alternate route to your destination.

But Jumin doesn't head back immediately. He stays rooted to the spot, hands on your waist, leaning his forehead against yours while a cool breeze wraps around you both.

"I'm sorry I couldn't have given you more happiness," He murmurs, eyes still closed as he stands unmoving and tall.

"No, Jumin." You bring a hand up to cup his cheek, sensing that this is the goodbye he's been waiting for so long to give you. The most beautiful goodbye of them all—surrounded by flowers and fluffy clouds and a blue sky and a bright sun and all things lovely. "You've given me all the happiness I need."

You lean your head upward, a slight movement that barely requires any effort from you, and capture Jumin's lips in the softest kiss you've shared yet. His lips are a ghost on yours, already fading away with the knowledge of your futures pressing down on you both, and all you can feel is the wind as it blissfully dances around your bodies before it slowly, very slowly, comes between your figures and separates you: nature's gentle pull, letting you both know that it's time to part.

You take the man's hand in yours, walking slowly back to the jet, all too aware that you just had your final kiss with Jumin Han. Neither of you have said the word "Goodbye," but there's no need.

The goodbye was the kiss, the warmth, the love. Fleeting in the moment, but eternally longlasting in your memories.

You can't bring yourself to pull your hand away from Jumin's as you two sit down in a comfortable silence once more, suddenly acutely aware that, by clutching his hand, all you're doing is clinging to the memory of the love you're slowly being torn from.

But it doesn't matter.

Your fingers remain interlaced for the next four hours, all the way until the jet has landed on the beach Chairman Han selected for the wedding. Your eyes instantly dart to the large white tent nearby, just a few hundred feet away from where the jet landed, and you lead Jumin there—refusing to let him leave your side until the very end.

"Mother?" You ask, upon entry. But the tent is bare. A small note on a table instructs you to prepare yourself for the ceremony that, according to your phone, is in less than an hour. Will meet you there. Don't pull any funny business. Dress in what we've provided.

You sigh, wordlessly showing the note to Jumin. Of course you wouldn't even be provided with a proper wedding dresser—this whole wedding is exclusively for legal purposes, anyway. You should be surprised that you're not just signing documents.

The whole changing process is rather underwhelming. Your dress is gorgeous, no doubt, so stunning that when Jumin helps you into it, he's temporarily frozen in place by how utterly glamorous you look, the white fabric showing the perfect mix of skin and design. But you can't bring yourself to love the dress, or the shoes, or the jewelry that's been laid out for you. It's all for Chairman Han, when you want it to be for Jumin.

The beginning of the end, if you will.

In the distance, the two of you hear voices.

"It seems that they've arrived," Jumin notes, creeping open the flap of the tent to reveal what looks like your mother, Chairman Han, and a minister, all standing far in the distance. The setup is far from extravagant, but the setting sun in the background adds an element of serenity that you almost resent.

"They can wait," You mumble, wrapping a cover over your dress while trying to figure out what to do for your makeup.

You don't want to look pretty.

No, you want to look ugly.

You want your eyeliner to be shaky and uneven, your foundation unnecessarily thick, and your lipstick four shades too dark for your skin tone. You want your hair to stick up unnaturally as it does every so often, and to ruin all your natural beauty with the sea of makeup and hair products laid out in front of you.

You don't want Chairman Han to have the privilege of a beautiful bride.

But the more time you spend in this tent, preparing yourself, the more time you have to savor the last few moments you have with Jumin.

So you take your time, fingers working slowly as they go through the makeup routine you perfected years ago. You move at a leisurely pace, holding your hands steady as they work, preparing yourself not for the wedding with Chairman Han, but for the final walk you'll be making down the beach with Jumin.

He stares at you the whole time as you get ready, calmly taking in everything you do. You can tell that he's memorizing the deftness of your fingers, the crane of your neck, the posture of your shoulders, as you continue. And you go so slow that, from the corner of your eye, you're able to take in the last of the details about him, too: the rhythm to the rise and fall of his chest, the stiffness with which he readjusts his sleeve cuffs every so often, the bob of his neck as he swallows whenever you switch beauty products.

For once, time doesn't rush the moment forward. It's a quiet mercy, unnoticeable to most, but you can feel it in the slowness of the breeze and the lagging tranquility of the waves as they crash.

It's a final moment of peace.

You step back from the mirror, finally finished with the last of your makeup and hair. Slipping your white gloves on and the sheet protecting your wedding dress off, Jumin comes over to you the moment you're done, his hand resting tenderly on your hip as he faces the mirror with you.

He's imagining you as his bride, you know.

Why, in your head, you're doing the exact same thing—the man already dressed like the ideal groom in his elegant three-piece suit.

The two of you really do look perfect together.

But the moment does not last. It never lasts. In the distance, a seagull cries three times, pulling you both from your thoughts.

You turn around, gently clasping Jumin's gloved hands in your own.

"You look exquisite," He murmurs, softly caressing your fingertips. His eyes are filled with love, his grey affection being all you can see as you stare up into the eyes you've grown to love so much.

You feel an urge to lean up in your heels and kiss the man, but you force yourself to suppress it. The current moment isn't meant to be happy for either of you, and you won't allow yourself to forget that truth. The fates have spoken, and your destinies have been written. Along different paths.

Not a single tear slips down either of your cheeks as you prepare to step away from each other for the final time. There are no tears left to shed, nowhere for them to come from. Your hearts are gone, cold and abandoned in the flowery field of peace Jumin brought you to, only to be remembered in your fading memories of each other.

Jumin kisses your gloved fingers, lips ghosting over each of the knuckles as he gazes down at you. Doubtless, he knows as much as you do that the moment you leave this tent, you no longer belong to him.

His gaze shifts to the flap of the entrance, a gentle breeze opening it like nature's whisper that the time has come. The man looks at you, wordlessly offering his arm.

There's only one path forward.

MASTERLIST

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10 | ✔

Word count: 2.5k

Notes: Wow. I can't believe it's over! This series has been such a pleasure to write, and I want to thank everyone who's supported me by reading this. If I'm being honest, I think I planned on making this chapter a bit more angsty...but I'm content with the way I ended things. Their love wasn't perfect, but it was beautiful - and I think that's what made the journey so passionate.

Comment & Like

Thank you for reading <3

I do not own the rights to Mystic Messenger or any of the characters within it.

[rovervisa]

Myanmar

Myanmar (Burma) Tourism

Tourism in Myanmar( Burma) : Visa requirements, currency, flights, navigation, and the best tourist destinations to

visit

in 2021 (with photos) . Myanmar's captivating beauty has an indefinable aspect that makes you fall in love with its towering mountains, beautiful beaches, tranquil islands, mesmerizing lakes, and amazing food. Myanmar Tourism welcomes you to experience a fusion of cultures and traditions that has resulted in a fantastic view of wonder. You will be struck by the kind and inviting character of the inhabitants, which may help you realize Myanmar's attractiveness, thanks to its profound culture and friendliness.

Visa process to Myanmar (Burma)

Visitors from all over the world have been coming to the nation since it opened its doors to tourism in 2011. The procedure of

visiting

, on the other hand, has been much easier since the introduction of electronic visas in 2014, which can be obtained from the comfort of one's own home as long as one has access to the internet. Filling out the online visa application form should take no more than 10 to 20 minutes.

For Indian citizens, a visa to Myanmar can be obtained for either tourist or business. These visas are only good for one entry and are valid for 90 days. The maximum number of days a tourist electronic visa bearer can remain in Myanmar is 28, but electronic business visa holders can stay for up to 70 days.Documents required for E-VisaFor Indian nationals, the following is a list of Myanmar visa requirements:

⦿ Page from the bio section of a passport that has been scanned

⦿ A color image taken during the last three months.

⦿ There must be at least one blank passport page for the visa stamp.

⦿ Indian passports must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of arrival into Myanmar.

⦿ A valid credit or debit card is required.

⦿ Email address that is valid

In case of mistakes, applicants should double-

check

the information given as well as the attached needed papers, since they might delay the visa application process or possibly result in the application being refused entirely. Is the Myanmar visa cost non-refundable for Indian citizens?The Myanmar visa cost for Indians is non-refundable in the event of refusal or cancellation.Documents Required for Tourist Visa⦿ Flight ticket has been booked (onward / return)

⦿ Hotel reservation confirmation

⦿ A personal cover letter indicating the duration of the stayNoteIf you are

visiting

Myanmar with children under the age of seven who are endorsed on a parent's passport, they are permitted to go to Myanmar on their parent's approved e-visa as long as the parent fills out the minor's part of the online application form on their own.Information and Requirements for the Visa Section⦿ Hours for Visa Applications (Monday to Friday) morning   (10 to 11:00 a.m.)

⦿ Hours of Visa Collection (Monday to Friday) Evening (04:00 to 05:00 pm)

⦿ Processing time is usually two  business days.Visa fees ⦿ Fee for a tourist visa is 40 USD (RS 2800 /-) for a stay of 28 days.

⦿ Fee for a business visa (single entry): 50 USD - RS. 3500/- Duration of stay: 70 days ( may request a stay extension in accordance with the laws and regulations )

⦿ Business visa fee (multiple) -200 USD - RS. 14000/- duration of stay 3 months( may request a stay extension in accordance with the laws and regulations )

⦿ Business visa fee (multiple) -400 USD - RS. 28000/- stay period 6 months( In line with the rules and regulations, may request a stay extension)

⦿ Business visa fee (multiple) -600 USD - RS. 42000/- length of stay 1 year( In line with the rules and regulations, may request a stay extension)Ports of entry for tourists with electronic visasOnly registered hotels, inns, motels, guest homes, and resorts are allowed to stay. In addition, applicants must identify the port of entry via which they would enter Myanmar as electronic visa holders.

The following are the eight ports of entry for tourists with electronic visas visiting Myanmar:⦿ Rihkhawdar Land Border Checkpoint⦿ Tamu Land Border Checkpoint⦿ Kawthaung Land Border Checkpoint⦿ Myawaddy Land Border Checkpoint⦿ Tachileik Land Border Checkpoint⦿ Yangon International Airport⦿ NAy Pyi Taw International Airport⦿ Mandalay International AirportIs Indian passport holders can obtain a Myanmar visa on arrival ?Only a few countries including India are now eligible for a Myanmar visa on arrival.

For Indians, obtaining a Myanmar visa on arrival is as simple as waiting in line at the airport and paying the visa cost. The visa will be stamped on an empty page of the passport once it has been completed. The Myanmar visa on arrival allows the applicant to stay in the country for a maximum of 30 days.

For Indian nationals, obtaining a Myanmar visa on arrival is a fine option, however applying for an electronic Myanmar visa is a much

easier

and faster option.Keep in MindThe Myanmar visa does not allow Indian passport holders to travel into Myanmar's Restricted Areas.

Applicants should expect approval within three business days after submitting the online application form, completing the Myanmar visa criteria for Indian citizens, and paying the visa cost. The approved visa will be emailed to the applicant, who should then

print

it and bring it with them to the airport when they arrive.

Currency in Myanmar

The Myanmar Kyat (MMK) is the currency of Myanmar's Republic of the Union, formerly known as Burma. 100 pyas are subdivided from one kyat. However, because a pya is such a little sum of money, it is rarely utilized. The money is represented by the letter "K" in writing. The Myanmar kyat has dominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 5000, and 10,000 kyats. Coins are issued in denominations of 5, 10, 50, and 100 kyats. The Myanmar Kyat is approximately 22 Indian Rupees.Currency ExchangeWhen buying at small stores, market stalls, or using cabs, the Kyats are the only money accepted. Apart from Kyats, most shops, hotels, and airline counters take US Dollars. You will receive your change in kyat if you make a payment in US dollars. As a result, make sure you have these two currencies in your wallet, or at the very least US dollars, for easier transactions. You have the option of exchanging your money for Kyats at approved money changers or major bank branches while in Yangon.

Flights to Myanmar from India

Myanmar has a number of international airports, making it easy for travelers to visit this interesting country. Traveling from New Delhi, you may take a trip to Naypyidaw, Myanmar's capital. Yangon, on the other hand, is the city that most tourists

visit

. From Delhi, there are more than 120 flights each week to Yangon.

Air India, Myanmar Airways International, and Myanmar National Airlines are the airlines that fly from India to Myanmar. Thai Airways, AirAsia, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, China Eastern, SilkAir, Thai AirAsia, China Southern, Emirates, Thai Smile, Tigerair, Bangkok Airways, Air China, and Biman Bangladesh Airlines are among the other airlines that fly to Myanmar.

Is any direct flights from India to Myanmar ?

Air India and Myanmar Airways International both fly direct to Myanmar.What is the cheapest way to get from India to Myanmar?Flying from India to Myanmar is the cheapest option, costing between 9,000 to 20,000 rupees and taking 5 hours and 34 minutes.What is the distance between India and Myanmar?India and Myanmar are distanced by 1901 kilometers.

Best places to visit in Myanmar ( Burma )

Myanmar (previously Burma) is a Southeast Asian country bordering India, Bangladesh, China, Laos, and Thailand, with more than 100 ethnic groups. The country's largest city, Yangon (formerly Rangoon), is home to bustling markets, several parks and lakes, and the gilded Shwedagon Pagoda, which houses Buddhist relics and dates from the 6th century.

Myanmar is an incredibly beautiful nation. Myanmar's beautiful surroundings are extremely amazing, with beautiful water and white sand beaches, misty mountains, tangled jungles, majestic Inle Lake, the huge Irrawaddy River, rough peaks, and lush lowlands.

BaganBagan, in contrast to Yangon, is a lovely location where time seems to have stopped. Bagan welcomes you via the crossing with huge Buddist Paya created in the 11th century, which is filled with over 2,500 pagodas and temples. It is also regarded as one of the most magnificent ancient capitals of the Burma Kingdom.

Enjoy a hauntingly stunning sunset trip on the Irrawaddy River, followed by a fascinating traditional workshop. Bagan is my favorite spot to

visit

in Myanmar because it offers infinite photo opportunities, including a spectacular sunrise with hot air balloons.

YangonYangon (formerly Rangoon) is Myanmar's largest city and the one that has transformed the most since the country's doors opened to foreigners. All around the city, boutique hotels, rooftop bars, and gourmet restaurants are currently rising. It is also the most favorite location for foreigners because it is a commercial hub and home to the country's major international airport.

Spend an evening touring around the Shwedagon Pagoda, not only because it is illuminated so wonderfully at night, but also because you won't be scalded by the afternoon sun on your bare feet on the street.

Inle lakeIf you're looking for a peaceful vacation in Shan State while surrounded in a distinct lake culture, Inle is the place to be. This country's second largest lake is home to a beautiful floating garden where Inthar fisherman practice a unique one-leg rowing technique.

Inle Lake, roughly 210 miles west of Bagan, is likely Myanmar's second most popular tourist site. The men who paddle fishing boats with their feet are well-known around the lake. Although it is currently largely performed as a tourist attraction, it is still a delicate balancing act. If you take any photos, expect to offer them a little tip.

MandalayMandalay is highlighted in many Myanmar tours due to its reputation as Burma's former capital. The holy Maha Muni gilded Buddha statue, the beautiful Ubein bridge, the never-completed Mingun, and Sagaing Hill are all must-sees in Mandalay. Mandalay is also a meeting point for several northern regional cultures.

You can only imagine how beautiful Mandalay would have been when the mighty Shwenandaw Monastery glimmered with its gold leaf coverings, and it's easy to

see

why the name of this mysterious temple-topped town in central Myanmar has inspired poems and lines by perhaps Asia's most prolific English eulogizer-Rudyard Kipling.

Kalaw When visiting Myanmar, Kalaw is a must-see destination. The mountain hill station, which is bordered by pine forests, tea plantations, and British Era palaces, has cold weather. Untouched by technology or western influences, this land resembles something out of a fairy tale.

Kalaw has a wide variety of hiking paths. Local tour operators have promoted the treks to help international visitors have a better understanding of the lives of the Padaung and Pa-o hill tribes.

NgapaliNgapali is Myanmar's best world-class beach, stretching over 17 kilometers of sandy coastline and making it one of the top places to

visit

in Myanmar.

Ngapali has it everything, whether you're looking for a relaxing seaside resort or want to participate in some watersports. Ngapali is the country's only beach with a wide range of luxury hotels and a superb restaurant overlooking the Andaman Sea.

There are ocean adventures for scuba diving and island visits, as well as bicycling rides to huge viewing sites that pass through rice fields and local towns. A trip to Thandwe town may make you feel delighted and interested if you want some local interaction.

Hpa AnHpa An offers an excellent supply of amazement rice fields and beautiful sceneries, as well as a crazy amount of caverns, tucked away from all the busy places in south Myanmar.Hike up Mt. Zwe Ka Bin, see the world's largest lying Buddha, shop at local markets, or travel to the sacred mountains. Hpa An is also an excellent location for a walk with few  visitors.

With the completion of the Greater Mekong Subregion East-West Corridor expected by the end of 2015, when improvements to the road between Mae Sot in Thailand and Mawlamyine are expected to be completed, Hpa-an will have a lot of

opportunities

to export to Thailand, and the town and surrounding area will likely boom.

Transportation in Myanmar

Many sections of Myanmar are closed to foreign tourists, notably border areas and places where the government is at odds with ethnic minority groups – such as large swaths of Shan and Kachin states – or need permissions that might take weeks to get. Furthermore, these restrictions and criteria are subject to change at any time. In late 2012, parts of Rakhine state, for example, shuttered and reopened many times.

Cars and motorcycleMyanmar's roads are rough in comparison. Also, international guests are concerned about the outdated and uncomfortable cars. However, if you have your own private drive and travel with a modern motorbike or select an air-conditioned vehicle over a crowded bus, automobile and motorcycle travel are still attractive modes of transportation in Myanmar that provide a fantastic experience.TrainIn Myanmar, train travel may not be as comfortable or quick as bus travel. However, in Myanmar, it is still a practical mode of transportation for getting about the nation. Myanmar's railway system usually contains routes from Bagan to Yangon through Taungoo and Kyaukpadaung; Mandalay to Lashio; Yangon to Mawlamyine via Bago, Kyaiktiyo, and Mottawa; Pyinmana to Kyaukpadaung; Thazi to Shwenyaung; and Yangon to Pyay.Myanmar Hot Air BallooningNothing compares to seeing the entire gorgeous scenery of this centuries-old land from the air. Hot air balloon rides in Myanmar, notably at Pindaya, InLe Lake, and Bagan, are becoming increasingly popular. With this sort of transportation experience, you can get more fantastic things than you can think when visiting this nation of religion.

The enjoyment of viewing the sights from a hot air balloon is incomparable. Travel to Bagan, a region of magnificent beauty, diverse culture, and architecture, for a hot air balloon trip and aerial views of Bagan's historic monuments. This will undoubtedly be a highlight of your Myanmar trip.Taxis In Myanmar, taxis are Japanese saloons or estate cars, and there are a large number of them on the road. If you don't want to take one of those Japanese saloons or estate vehicles, another option is to take one of the "blue taxis," which are little pickup trucks with two small benches in the back. Each travel will have a varied fee depending on the distance travelled. Almost wherever you go, you can take a taxi. Taking a taxi from restaurants, hotels, and shopping centers, on the other hand, is more expensive than other options.

If you intend to travel across Myanmar by vehicle, it is recommended that you rent a contemporary vehicle with air conditioning and a private driver to provide optimum comfort and flexibility.BusFor long-distance travel in Myanmar, the bus is the most common mode of transport. Taking a bus to go around cities and observe local people's everyday life is one of the most attractive things to do. When

visiting

Myanmar, a native bus trip is a great way to have a unique experience in this nation of centuries-old stupas.

Local bus:

This is the most basic variety, with no air conditioning and small seats. Those buses aren't as luxurious as the A/C and VIP buses.

Air-conditioned bus:

The most common mode of transportation is the air-conditioned bus. Those buses provide nighttime travel.

VIP bus:

For a lengthy travel, VIP buses are usually a good option. Large seats, air conditioning, a blanket, drink, a personal seatback, numerous restroom stops, and good service are all available on VIP Myanmar buses.BoatOn Burma trips, travelling by boat is enjoyable. On the road, you have the option of taking a bus, cycling, or walking alone. If you're being moved on the water's surface, though, a boat is one of the most popular forms of travel. It's practical as well as fascinating.

Slow and fast boats are frequently used to classify boat journeys into two categories. Slow boats are the most cost-effective method to travel on the water, and they also provide overnight accommodations for longer excursions; rapid boats, on the other hand, are considerably more expensive than slow boats, but they allow you to go

swift

ly and comfortably.

Top10 Recommended Hotels in Yangon, Myanmar with address

1. Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon40 Natmauk Road, Tamwe Township, 11211 Yangon, Myanmar 2. Hotel Esperado No. 23, Kan Yeik Thar Road, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township, 11221 Yangon, Myanmar3. BEST WESTERN Chinatown Hotel 127-137, Anawrahta Road, Corner of Lanmdaw Street, Yangon downtown, 00127 Yangon, Myanmar4. Merchant Art Boutique Hotel 67/71, YarTarShae Lan Thit, Bahan Township, Bahan, 11221 Yangon, Myanmar5. Sedona Hotel Yangon No. 1, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Yankin Township, 11181 Yangon, Myanmar6. PARKROYAL Yangon 33 Alan Pya Phaya Road, Dagon Township, Yangon downtown, 11181 Yangon, Myanmar7. Sule Shangri-La Yangon 223 Sule Road, Yangon downtown, 11181 Yangon, Myanmar8. Rose Garden Hotel 171 , upper pansodan road, 11211 Yangon, Myanmar9. Savoy Hotel 129, Dhammazedi Road, Bahan, 11181 Yangon, Myanmar10. Inya Lake Hotel37, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Mayangone Township, Mayangone Township, 11181 Yangon, Myanmar

[reynoldsrap4949]

The year of COVID

Just a year ago I was flying to Taiwan, planning to meet my sister in Thailand, wondering 

“Were we flying into the face a pandemic?”

On January 26, Taiwan suspended all air travel to and from China, and put in place quarantine measures for passengers who flew from China. I landed the next day, planning a 6 days stay before flying on to Thailand. There were just 6 Corona virus cases in both Taiwan and Thailand.

Taiwan,is an island with 23 million inhabitants, 8 million living in the densely populated metropolis of Taipai. On arrival everyone was masked. Adults, children, in the airport, on the Metro, busses, and indoor public places. I spoke no Chinese, the Taiwanese little English. I had packed masks so followed the Taiwanese lead and MASKED UP. Shops, transit, museums, restaurants were all open.  Alcohol sanitizer featured prominently by entryways. People did not gather in my hotel lobby. They ate quietly in restaurants and noodle houses. Parks, gardens, open spaces saw unmasked faces. Chinese New Year was quiet. 

I united with my sister in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Sunny skies, a more rural setting, open air restaurants, warm people, smoke from rice field burns. Rare masks were worn except Chinese tourists. More masks on bad air quality days. Thai massages, night markets, temples, elephant sanctuaries, travel in tuk-tuks and benches in crowded trucks. Little talk of Corona here.

A flight south to Surat Thani, off the grid and into Khao Sok National Park. Wild elephants, gibbons, hornbills. An international group gathered for Thai Yoga Massage Training. Had anyone of us been an unwitting asymptomatic carrier, this group could have spread the virus around the world as we returned home. 

Two nights again in Taiwan before my flight home  March 1. I am still debating my vote for the  Primary Election. Airport security was heavier than on arrival six weeks before, passports checked to confirm no travel through China. Masks again everywhere. Some Asian travelers MASKED UP through the 14 hour flight home. 

Beyond Customs, San Francisco airport was mostly maskless, as were people out and about.    

I planned to voluntarily quarantine in our guest bedroom at home  to protect family and community from any potential Corona Virus exposure. 

Day 13 of my quarantine, I MASKED UP and went to Harvest for groceries. Nobody else wore a mask. I felt self conscious, wondering if shoppers thought I was sick. I felt the need to explain my mask to a friend. 

My self-imposed quarantine ended March 15.

 California became the first state to order a lockdown on March 20.  

U.S. government masking recommendations were confusing. Ft Bragg streets were empty. Hotels were closed. Soon beach parking was blocked. Slowly locals began MASKING UP.  The Corona Virus numbers grew. 

By the end of March, the U.S (331 million people) had 59,502 cases (18/100,000) and 804 deaths from Coronavirus.  With 23 million people, Taiwan had 235 cases (1/100,000) and 2 deaths. Thailand with 70 million people had 934 cases (1.3 per 100,000) and 4 deaths. Mendocino County with 88,000 people had only 3 cases and no deaths.

Taiwan and Thailand were doing somethings right. If a congested city like Taipei stayed open with relatively low numbers, I bought into their idea of masking up. Taiwan had experience with  a SARs epidemic in 2002-4. 

As U.S. cases climbed, evidence mounted—- Masks prevented transmission. Ever more people wore masks in public. Unfortunately many thought the epidemic was a hoax, that masks were inconvenient, looked silly. Some communities complied with MASKING more than others. 

Essential workers could not avoid crowded essential work and homes, public transportation. Corona spread. Minorities, health care providers, nursing homes, church and other large gatherings were hard hit. 

As of early Feb 5, 2021 California (39 million people) has reported 3.38 million cases,(8,667/100,000) and  8558 deaths total. Mendocino County (88,000 people) 3,513 cases or  4337/100,000 and 39 deaths, the North Coast (16,148 people) 366 cases or 2267/100,000.  

Thailand 33 cases/100,000.

Taiwan to date —923 cases TOTAL!!!! That is4 cases and less than 1 death per 100,000.  Taiwan acted early, tested, contact traced and isolated cases. They have universal health care. Citizens trust their government to put health first. Borders were closed to travelers without testing and quarantine but the economy never closed down. Might we benefit from studying their pandemic plan and management?

 #COVID-19 #Coronavirus #Taiwan #Mendocino

[catsworldlytravels]

Gooooooood morning Vietnam

It’s actually over 3 years since I went to Vietnam, better late than never in writing up about it! This trip was March 2017.

I had a direct flight from London to Hanoi with Vietnam Airlines, an extremely reasonable flight price of around £450 return if I remember rightly. After a 12+ hour flight, I landed at 4.30am local time, and after swiftly clearing immigration (British citizens didn’t – at time of travel – require a visa for stays under 15 days) I had quite a long wait for my bag as it was basically the last one round the carousel – always a slightly worrying time! I’d arranged a transfer to my hotel in central Hanoi, and after arriving at the hotel at around 6.30am I took myself off to bed. Top tip, especially when travelling somewhere where accommodation is cheap by western standards – if you are arriving somewhere first thing in the morning, book a hotel room for the previous night so you can check in and either get some kip for a few hours, or freshen up before you start exploring. The hotel I was staying in was approx £30 per night which was worth every penny to be able to crash for a few hours.

As it turned out, I was absolutely knackered, the product of being in a job I didn’t enjoy (part of the reason I’d gone on sabbatical the year before), and at the time I’d actually just been successful in interviewing for another job in the same company which I would start shortly after returning from this trip. Much less stress and a better work/life balance, but that isn’t the topic of this blog, and as such I pretty much slept through the entire day. Fortunately I’d arrived a day early to join the trip so I didn’t miss out on that much, and it gave my body clock a chance to adjust.

After a long sleep, I awoke refreshed on the second day and after breakfasting in the hotel, I set off exploring Hanoi. One thing I had been warned about prior to this trip was that attempting to cross the street in Hanoi would be an interesting experience, certainly if you waited as you would in the U.K. for a break in the traffic, I’d still be stuck on the wrong side of the street now! It is a little unnerving basically having to walk out into traffic but, unbelievably, it works. Most people in Vietnam ride scooters as the taxes on (usually imported) cars are prohibitively expensive, and they are used to adjusting their speeds for pedestrians. After building up confidence to cross the street, I made my way to Hoan Kiam Lake and walked around it, enjoying the early morning sights including the locals enjoying some early morning yoga/meditation along the shores.

Hoan Kiam Lake, Hanoi

After some more wandering to a temple and to the market, I headed back to my hotel for some much needed air-con. After a short break from the heat, I ventured back outside and grabbed lunch – a delicious Bánh Mì from Banh Mi 25, one of the top-rated places for Bánh Mì in Hanoi. Bánh Mì are a delicious fusion sandwich, a baguette-style bread roll filled with pate, grilled meat, cucumber and pickled veg, and an absolute bargain with a Bánh Mì and bottle of water costing the equivalent of 75p!

In the afternoon I walked to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum complex and around the botanical gardens before retreating back to the hotel. In the evening I met the rest of the group (a G Adventures trip) and we headed out for dinner.

An early start the next morning as we headed to Halong Bay. It was a 4 hour drive punctuated by a stop at a project which creates employment for disabled people by teaching them crafts and needlework which is then sold. A very interesting idea.

We arrived at Halong Bay and boarded our overnight junk boat in time for lunch. As we set sail through the bay, the limestone karsts that we passed through reminded me a little bit of Milford Sound. I’ve since also been to Khao Sok in Thailand which was very reminiscent of Halong Bay. We sailed through the bay in the afternoon, stopping off in a couple of places including Ti Top Island where we climbed up 400 steps to take in the views.

Halong Bay

We had dinner on the boat, all freshly made on board and plate after plate of delicious food was served up. After enjoying the stars with a couple of drinks, I retreated to bed. Another early start the following morning with breakfast at 7am before we visited a Sung Sot Cave, the largest cave in Halong Bay, which had this amazing, wave-like ceiling.

Sung Sot Cave, Halong Bay

We then headed back to land and late morning got off the boat and headed on the 4 hour journey back to Hanoi. We were taking the overnight train south to Hue but had a few hours spare before then, so I went on a street food tour. If you haven’t already gathered, I absolutely loved the food in Vietnam. I think it’s the best food I’ve had anywhere, and certainly the cheapest. We wandered the streets of Hanoi, sampling lots of delicious food before ending up in Hanoi Food Culture where we had the Vietnamese speciality of egg coffee (or egg chocolate in my case as I’m not a coffee drinker)

Egg chocolate – an alternate version of the Vietnamese speciality egg coffee

We boarded the train in the evening, around 9pm. We were travelling in first class which comprised of 4-berth bunks with shared toilets/squats at the ends of the carriages. Second class was 6-berth bunks, followed by soft seats and hard seats (as you might recall from the Top Gear Vietnam special). I took a top bunk. The journey itself was very loud and the train was very shaky, and I don’t remember sleeping too much. The overnight train I’ve since been on in Thailand was a much more comfortable ride.

We arrived in Hue at 10.30am the next morning. It was noticeably hotter and more humid. Despite arriving early, we were able to check in to our hotel where I promptly showered before heading out for a quick wander before we went on our included trips in the afternoon. I ventured for a walk along the Perfume River before retreating to the air con ahead of our afternoon tours. Firstly we went to the Tien Mu Pagoda:

Tien Mu Pagoda, Hue

We then went to the main attraction in Hue, the Imperial Citadel. An imposing collection of buildings, and much, much larger than I imagined. The citadel was built in the early 1800s and was targeted during the Vietnam War. You can see the bullet holes from the Vietnam War in some of the walls.

Imperial citadel, Hue

We also squeezed in a visit to the Royal Tombs on an busy sightseeing afternoon.

At the Royal Tombs, Hue

The next morning I did a motorbike tour (as backseat passenger!) – an absolute must-do in a country where motorbikes/scooters are the primary form of transport. We were taken out to the countryside outside of Hue, seeing rice fields, monasteries and a colosseum where elephants and tigers once fought. We had an included vegetarian lunch at the monastery which was, once again, absolutely delicious.

Colosseum; Biker pose; River views

We arrived back in Hue after lunch and then headed south over the Hai Van Pass towards Hoi An. Unfortunately it was a bit cloudier than ideal which didn’t make for the best photos, but we still saw some great views.

Views on the drive to Hoi An.

We arrived in Hoi An in the late afternoon. Our guide took us on a brief orientation tour as we had 3 nights here to explore. We bumped into Jack Whitehall and his dad filming their Netflix travel series whilst we were wandering down tailors row – an unexpected sight! Hoi An is famous for getting cheap tailoring which can be ready in as little as 24 hours, but I didn’t partake on this occasion.

The following day we had an included excursion in the morning to Planeterra’s project here, Oodles of Noodles. This project taught local kids both the skills of cooking in a professional environment, as well as some English language. We learned to make rice pancakes, and then enjoyed a delicious bowl of noodles for lunch:

Lunch at Oodles of Noodles, Hoi An

We had a free afternoon where I enjoyed walking around Hoi An old town. Sincerely the prettiest place I’ve ever been.

Sights of Hoi An, the prettiest place I’ve ever been

The next day was a free day. The weather was a bit dodgy, grey with the occasionally downpour but still very warm, so after a relaxing morning at the hotel, I went for a hot stone massage in the afternoon. £20 for a 90 minute massage was an absolute bargain, even if I was a bit sore the following day! In the evening we enjoyed a walk (and some bargains) in the night markets.

The next morning was an early start for a flight from nearby Danang to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), formerly Saigon. Even hotter and more sticky than Hue. After checking in to the hotel mid morning, and then going for lunch to have pho (finally!), we then had a free afternoon. Ho Chi Minh City has some pretty spectacular architecture, including many remnants of the French colonial era:

Notre Dame Cathedral, HCMC; City Hall; The Post Office, HCMC

The following day we had an included trip out to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a network of tunnels built by the Viet Cong outside of Saigon during the Vietnam War. It was fascinating to learn about the guerilla tactics used by the Viet Cong, and amazing to see the size of the tunnels, which were utterly minuscule.

Cu Chi Tunnels, barely big enough for a body to fit through

We came back to HCMC for lunch and then had a free afternoon. I decided to go to the War Remnants museum which is is a sobering affair. Be warned – there are some very graphic pictures of the effects of the chemical warfare. It was also horrifying to learn that people still live with the effects having been exposed at the time, but also because some of the effects can be passed on to offspring. A sobering reminder of the legacy of war, and well worth a visit.

That evening was our final group dinner before I left the following day. More delicious food, this time Vietnamese barbecue.

Vietnamese BBQ – cook your own dinner!

I had most of the next day free before an evening flight back to London via Hanoi. It was extremely hot and sticky again, and after a walk in the morning to the Reunification Palace and a failed attempt to find the Jade Emperor Pagoda, I retreated back to the hotel and air con and a shower before heading to the airport in the late afternoon.

So, what were my impressions of Vietnam? Genuinely part of the reason I went was after I’d seen the Top Gear Vietnam show, it looked a beautiful and fascinating country. A few people I’d met on my previous travels had also been and talked about what a wonderful country it is. And it certainly was. Everyone was friendly, I didn’t feel afraid walking around by myself, a solo female traveller (albeit on a group tour). It was very cheap – obviously I’d paid for the trip and accommodation/transport beforehand, and so all I had to buy whilst there was food, drinks, excursions and souvenirs. I was there for 10 days and spent less than £150 – and that included a $40 motorbike trip and a £20 massage. The absolute best food I’ve had anywhere I’ve been either before or since (with Peru close behind). And a fascinating, and devastating, recent history. Would absolutely recommend, and when I do go back again to South East Asia, I wouldn’t think twice about going back.

from WordPress https://catsgreatadventure.wordpress.com/2020/07/25/gooooooood-morning-vietnam/

[hysteriaas]

i was tagged by the amazing @stormwitch-privateer to do this tag 🥰 so thank you!!

rules: answer 20 questions and tag 20 people you want to get to know better.

1) nicknames: lia

2) zodiac sign: virgooo

3) height: 5’1 and a half : /

4) hogwarts house: slytherin baby hiss hiss

5) last thing i googled: “how many bits did pac-man run on?”

6) favorite musicians: i really don’t have a designated favorite musician. i just like music if it’s good lol

7) song stuck in my head: the less i know is better by tame imapala

8) following: 315 (i just started following a bunch of blogs recently and my dash is still dead :/)

followers: 198 (small ik but i love all of them)

do you get asks: i use to get random bursts of asks on my slightly bigger blog but to be honest i never really get asks (hint hint send me asks).

amount of sleep: 6-7 hours of sleep (8 when is the weekends :) )

lucky number: 2,4,7,13 (ik that seems like a lot)

what are you wearing: pajama pants and a sweatshirt

dream job: like a humanitarian job where i travel around and help people and save the world from like climate change but i can also take extravagant side vacations in like florence or thailand (i really really want a job like this but unfortunately i don’t think it exists)

dream trip: i want to go to italy, preferably alone or with a friend idk and just have an aesthetic vacation where i eat a fruit breakfast by the water and i walk though the city meeting people and then i go to prague :)

instruments: none, I couldn’t even play the kazoo if I tried (not trying to discriminate against my kazoo players though) I wish i knew how to play the piano :(

languages: english and tamil

favorite songs: don’t judge my music i’ll cry :) : needs - verzache, electric feels - mgmt, mr brightside - the killers, sweater weather - nbdh, sober up - ajr, buttercup - jack stauber

five random facts:

° i like doing dramatic makeup looks but i haven’t been doing it lately :/

° one time i missed my connecting flight and i was stranded in paris for a day and honestly it was amazing.

° i use to be a dog person and now i’m all like cats wooo, but i like both i guess

° hot humid weather doesn’t faze me. i do really good in it actually and i prefer it to other climates (i am horrible with cold weather and cold weather to me is like 50 F)

° i just began watching queer eye and I LOVE IT AHHHHHHHH

tagging: @ferniea @sulisaints @un-empressed @shiencystuff @sxfik @doloresthemanequin