I dislike international travel. Very much.
That being said, I love airports. This was no different. Airports tend to be little cultural centers and it was fun to be able to look around each airport that we were in. There's really not much to say about the L.A. airport. It was a typical airport, although on the way home, the terminal was a bit small and didn't offer much in terms of entertainment for people who's flights got delayed. Also, going out, there was a frozen yogurt stand right around the corner from our gate but they were literally, I kid you not, out of frozen yogurt. Completely out. It was awful.
Narita was probably my favorite, mostly because that was where we spent most of our time (again, not counting the delay in LAX). On our way out, I walked around with my best friend and watched part of a kimono lesson (there was literally a space in the airport that was set aside to teach people traditional Japanese customs, from tea to kimonos). It was also interesting to see all the makeup stores. In general, it felt like being in a mall, only with gates and announcements coming in over the intercom. Also, if you think Americans are obsessed with beauty, you've never met Asians. If Americans are obsessed, Asians are fanatical and it shows in their advertisements and posters. On the way back, my bosom friend (hah reference) and I went souvenir shopping. We didn't get much, but the joy is in the looking.
The Bangkok airport was no less interesting. We were too tired to really note anything until customs, when we were standing in line and literally the only thing you could see were the posters and banners that were both welcoming and warning of Buddha land. The bathrooms had upright toilets and I couldn't have been more grateful for that. The other thing worth mentioning is the fact that there was a 7-11 in the airport. It feels like all of Bangkok lives on 7-11 with how common they are. On the way back, we spent a bit of time souvenir shopping and there was the best little store with the softest plush animals.
Of course, our darling little Sunport has to be mentioned as well. It's always fun going to the airport when you're leaving, just because you know you're going somewhere and I, at least, get a thrill just from that. But words cannot describe how relieved I was to get back to our quaint little airport. Again, I feel like airports are cultural hubs and if I ever doubt myself, I just have to go look at our Sunport. In my mind, it practically screams New Mexico. All the little souvenir shops have something turquoise or other distinctly New Mexican flavored items. Most airports have t-shirts that scream love for that place -- those are not what catch my attention in our airport (mostly because there aren't a lot of t-shirts being sold). At the same time, our airport is just... different. The color scheme is closer to turquoise and beige as opposed to the stark white of most other airports. There really isn't a lot going on, but there's enough to keep a person occupied for a little while. I always love flying back into Sunport because as soon as I step foot in the airport, I know I'm home.
In case I wasn't clear at the beginning, I love airports.
I hate international travel. I have long legs, which makes for uncomfortable seating. I also hate sitting for long periods of time. And airplane food is the worst. Something else I learned is that one can only listen to Les Miserables so many times in a row before it starts getting really depressing really fast. The movies are all right, but when combined with the long periods of sitting, it gets really old really fast. I dislike planes and this only cemented that fact. Passports, customs forms... it was an experience, filling out paperwork in Thailand and L.A. Also, getting through customs. That was... exciting. It was different and I wasn't exactly appreciative of the experience at the time.
Just thinking about now is making me borderline uncomfortable, actually. I really don't like being constrained to one seat/position. It's uncomfortable and I value my freedom of movement. I did enjoy being a human pillow, so there's that.
If I could, I would do the international travel without the plane bit. But since I can't, and I did enjoy the trip, I suppose the plane is just a necessary evil.
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