This just in...

http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/threat-change-passenger_guidance.shtm

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/224307/1/.html

In light of this, Praise God that we came one day early! Can't imagine the hassle if we were caught in this restriction at the airport... So! I've landed in NY and right now, in the Hampton Inn @ Queens blogging in my hotel room while my parents are getting over jetlag. Weather here's great! Cooler version of SG. Went down for a complimentary brekkie just now and found myself sitting with this middle aged african-american lady. We'll just use "AA" for short. Apparently, they're at Hampton hosting a Pentacostal Conference till Sun! (Who wld have guessed right! Haha!). So yup, ratio of AAs to whites, 5:1. Saw 1 asian which makes my family no.2.

First encounter with America and I spent the 10min breakfast conversation explaining that SG's an independant nation, neighbouring M'sia, Indo'sia, definitely not part of China. Anyway!

The flight was hmm... physically challenging I must say (it's been sometime since I've sat for 20 over hours in a middle window seat). Now I really appreciated the flight from SG-HK! Had the aisle seat with my parents, plenty of leg-room, watched "She's the Man". Total 3 1/2 hrs. HK, transfer - 40mins.

Spent the time roaming HK airport (really bustling place) and boarded CX888 to Vancouver - 11 1/2hrs. Gruelling flight sitting away from mama papa, sandwiched in b/w a China woman and a New Yorker lady by the window. Somehow the passengers around us were mostly asian (Hkongers or China-nese) and travelling in family groups. No offense but they had a lot to say in Canto. First 2 hours were spent on land, some delay due to something. So I got aquainted with my seat people. From take off, the first 5 hours were alright, watched like one movie after another to while away time (MI3, Take the Lead, Ice Age 2...). Next few hours the children started wailing and Ms New York on my right got really irritated.

No hoo-haas or anything but she kept 'tsking' away, glaring, and finally asked for ear plugs haha! Anyway, by the time we arrived in Vancouver at 1240pm, I was aching from head to toe. Neck ache la, headache la, back ache la, leg ache la... Blame it on my height but ya... the seats in Cathay aren't exactly "long-legs friendly". A good note to take when I'm flying back to SG.

Dear papa gave me a gd "sor ka jiak" while in transit @ Vancouver. Vancouver to NY - 8hrs. The flight got really turbulent towards the end... quite scary, had that 'this is it' feeling and people were throwing up all around! Didn't stomach much more of food from then on haha just to keep the rest of the food I've already consumed down where it belongs.

Traffic jam started on the plane upon safe landing in NY and didn't ended in our hotel. Waited for like 30mins before we cld get up and get out to customs. Customs - 20mins - fingerprints, photo I.D., questions questions, baggage collection - 30 mins, taxi - 10mins. By the time we arrived @ Hampton Inn it was 1am and boy were we tired. All of us crashed on the bed.

Reckon today will be spent re-packing in view of the new regulations for our flight on the 15th. Tomorrow, I suppose, touring will begin... =)