Happy Thanksgiving week! This week is definitely memorable for me and that is because it was on this week four years ago at exactly 5:41 PM on the 23rd of November when me and my son set foot in our new hometown on U.S. soil. It was two days before Thanksgiving when we arrived that year. Yes, it has been four years and I can’t really believe that it has been that long. Time surely flies when we’re having fun, huh? I was going to talk about something else today, but decided to look back and be nostalgic. I can’t help it. Being sappy is allowed from time to time, right? #harhar
It was mine and my son’s first international trip. My son was only 7-years-old that time and he had no clue where we were going nor how far we were traveling. But he was very excited. He was excited to ride in an airplane more than anything else. It wasn’t his first flight but you know kids. I was excited too but anxious at the same time.
We left my home town the day before our flight and stayed at a hotel in Manila for the night. Our flight to Japan was at 8:00 AM so we left the hotel at 5:00 AM so we’d have enough time to travel to NAIA and go through immigration and all. We were done an hour before our flight so we just stayed in the departure area and patiently waited for boarding.
The smooth flight from Manila to Japan took about three hours. And there I was, still looking fresh after a three hour trip.
What would you do to kill time in an airport? We checked everything that was in there that was waiting for us to explore. We went through this convenience store and looked at every little thing that they sell. There’s the hubs in stripes and there’s cutie little Yogi posing as my model. #cute
And we also browsed the airport. While Yogi was having fun, I had fun taking photos of him. See what he’s holding? We bought him a little airplane from the convenience store to play with. It’s a magnetic plane and we still have it hanging on the fridge.
Jet lag! And I was the only one who felt it. I didn’t even know it was jet lag at first. I felt dizzy and I felt like I was floating to the point of feeling like I was going to puke. Hubby had to buy me coffee at Starbucks thinking I only needed to warm my tummy. #wronganswer
We had to wait for another two hours until our next trip to our final destination which was Asheville, North Carolina, part of which was taken up by dealing with the immigration services. The jet lag kept me from taking photos. Dang it! And I would never forget that moment when we stepped out of the regional airport. I was welcomed with that icy cold breeze – something that I had never felt before seeing that I’m from a tropical country. #brrr
All in all, it was a 21 hour flight including the stopovers from Manila to Asheville. If I would add the flight from my hometown to Manila which was an hour and a half, then it was 22-1/2 hours. It may have been a tiring flight but it was an experience – a special experience – that I would forever cherish and keep looking back on.
How about you? What’s the longest flight you’ve ever taken?
What an adventure. My kids have been flying since they were little and always love it.
I flew to Paris many years ago, but I can’t recall how long the flight was anymore. Maybe that’s a good thing. 😉
I would love to go to Paris. It doesn’t matter how long the flight would be. (“,)
He must have been ecstatic! that is like a dream trip!
He was. It was a dream trip for the both of us, and I think for the hubs too because it was his first time to travel that far with a wifey and son-to-be in tow. (“,)
Gorgeous pictures! looks like so much fun!
Love all the photos! My little boy has never flown. I’m not sure if he’d like it or not. I personally, love to fly.
Awesome pics!!!! Looks like y’all had a fabulously fun time
I haven’t experienced having a long flight like that. It’s good to travel with the family. I hope we can also fly high someday.
It’s great to travel with family. I hope you can do it someday too.
Wow that is a long trip. I bet the jet lag was terrible. It looks like your son had a great time.
Absolutely terrible. Yes, he had a great time and didn’t have jet lag at all. Even the husband didn’t have jet lag. Me and only me. (“,)
My longest flight was from NC to Alaska. It was my first flight too. Welcome to NC
Thank you, Melissa. So you are from NC too. (“,)
That’s a really long 21 hour flight. It’s good that your son was patient enough for the whole duration.
He was. He never complained at all. He was totally a good boy. (“,)
I flew foment Capetown south Africa to London, Canada via London, UK. It was a 26 hour trip.
Wow! That one’s longer than ours. But I think I won’t mind traveling that many hours. It would be an adventure, for sure.
What a great adventure! It’s like a dream come true!
It was! (“,)
I love stopping through japan bc you can pick up different flavored kit kats.. it’s always a highlight for layovers there. i basically do the same thing and catch up on all my movies during international flights! 🙂
I know, right? They also have a lot of Hello Kitty stuff including cookies. (“,)
When we went to Sri Lanka, we had to take 2 flights and with a toddler it was something else! I’ll never forget that trip.
I can almost imagine. Good thing my son was a good boy the entire trip. (“,)
22.5 is definitely a long flight! The longest I had was last year traveling from Minneapolis to Koh Samui for my honeymoon, and that was 12 to Tokyo, 8 to Bangkok, and then another 1.5 to Koh Samui!
Your flight was almost as long as ours. Hope you had a fab honeymoon. (“,)
What a lovely anniversary to celebrate! I’ve never left Europe so my longest flight was probably from Ireland to Lanzarote and Ireland to Crete which both took about four and half hours.
Wow you beat me in the longest flight big time…and you had a child in tow! I bet you were exhausted!
My son was a good boy the entire trip. I didn’t sleep a wink the whole time and that was what made me exhausted, I think. And of course, the jet lag was awful.
THe longest flight I have ever taken was 5 hours! I can’t imagine being trapped on a airplane for that amount of time! I hope you like it in the U.S. and Asheville which is right up the road from me is a beautiful city that we love to visit often!
It is a beautiful city. So much smaller than my hometown city but I love it here. (“,)
Looks like your little boy really enjoyed the trip despite of the long hours of travel. Travelling would be the number 1 on my bucket list next year 🙂
He did enjoy it. I heard no complaints at all. (“,)
Jet lag can be so terrible. That is a really long trip. Your son is so adorable.
He is adorable. Thank you, Ann. (“,)
Happy Anniversary to you and your son! I couldn’t imagine having to be on a plane for that long!
Thank you, Carly. It was an adventure, nonetheless. The only problem was the jet lag. It was awful!
I think the longest flight I’ve ever been on was only 4-5 hours. I can’t imagine travelling for that long!
Yup a very long trip like that can give you a jet lag that lasts for like a month especially if it’s the first time. Happened to me six years ago. 🙂
Exactly! It was like a month of feeling like I was floating. Not to mention, my body was adjusting to the new time zone so I didn’t have a decent sleep until after two weeks.
I think it would be great fun to travel out of the country and see beautiful places. Maybe one day before I get to old I will get to do this.
Same here. (“,)
Looks like quite the adventure. My son flies often but I rarely do. He is 7 and is headed to Vegas for Spring Break while I chill here in Oklahoma.
Sounds cool! (“,)
Nakakamiss ang NAIA. I was seven months preggy when I left Pinas.
I’ve only flown three hours before and even that was too long! Glad your travels were safe.
Sounds like it was an adventure in itself. I have only taken an 8 hr flight and that was just in the states. Glad you made it safely. Thanks for sharing.
We were so glad too. It was a very smooth flight. (“,)
The longest flight I had to to fly was only like 6 hours but thats including stops from ATL to Chicago to Cali. I want to try an international trip soon so maybe I should prep for a longer one. Thanks for taking us on your nostalgic trip!
And thank you for taking the time to read it. (“,)
What a trip! Happy Anniversary 🙂 It sounds like your son did great on that exhaustive journey
Thank you. He did great. No complaint at all at all and he didn’t have any jet lag too. (“,)
Oh wow…that was a long flight. The longest I’ve been in the air before was 6 hours straight…and I could not imagine doing anything longer. But, it’s worth it to travel all over.
The longest I was ever on a plane was 10 1/2 hours, to the UK with a stopover in Scotland. I flew nearly 9 while pregnant and being sick constantly :/ Blech. Not fun.
It sucked so I can only imagine what yours was like, especially while having to sit around in an airport while jetlagged. Did you know that if you curl your bare toes on a carpet then it helps? Same as tracing the alphabet on a carpet with bare feet. It actually works!
Oh, I didn’t know that. Thank you for the tip. Will surely try that one next time. (“,)
I don’t remember my last plane trip but I think it was 10 hours a yera ago, but have a safe trip guys! enjoy and be happy.