Dream come true for me as due to business need, I finally have my chance to visit United States! It will be a longest flight by far for me, and I am pretty excited for that. Flight had been delayed for 2 hours from Penang, but luckily I still manage to catch up my connecting flight to Los Angeles from Hong Kong airport. However, I must say it was lucky that I was selected for random security check before boarding the flight, as they having a thorough check on my bag and they even asking me to take off my shoes for a complete scan through, so weird. No change to local Hong Kong time on my Fenix 3 since there is no GPS signal on the plane:
06:00PM - The sky are getting dark outside the window when the plane are now somewhere between Taiwan and Japan, close to Okinawa. Cabin light go off after dinner served so I trying to get some sleep. 08:00PM - Just manage to sleep for a while, checking the flight map and the plane is very close to Tokyo and Mount Fuji now. 10:00PM - Occasionally facing tough weather condition that cause the plane shake badly for quite some period of time. 01:30AM - It is now sunlight going through little gap of window shade that is not drag down completely, and we are just next to Alaksa now! 05:00AM - Landed safely at Los Angeles airport now!
I usually go for low cost airline when travelling on my own, so I felt so comfortable in actual to be in economical seat for Cathay Pacific airline.
Express meal before catching up connecting flight, Hong Kong Pork Tender Bone Stew rice, quite nice but salty a bit.
Awaiting for my longest flight by far, from Hong Kong to Los Angeles.
My tiny little space for the next 10+ hours of flight.
To another side of the world, for the first time!
Dinner of the night, forgot what is the food inside already.
So close to another bucket list, Alaska!
Finally, say hi to United States!
Immediately after landing, I follow the queue to catch the shuttle bus that drop us at Immigration counter. The queue for Kiosk was extremely long, and I only realize that visitor that taking L1 VISA must engage the Custom counter directly, without the need to use the Kiosk once it reach my turn. As per mentioned by my senior before, there is no direct baggage transfer for domestic connecting flight here in Los Angeles airport, hence I ensure I pick up my own luggage from the belt, and carry it by myself to domestic terminal at T5. Rushing all these time and start to feel dizzy, suppose is jet-lag symptom I suppose as I did not have much sleep while on the plane. Luckily it takes only an hour of time to reach Phoenix.
The amazing beautiful blue sky at Los Angeles airport.
Prove that I am really in Los Angeles now, there is a Magic Johnson shop here!
Finally, reach T5 on time and waiting for the boarding.
The Santa Monica beach in LA.
Welcome to the heart of Arizona, Phoenix!
tiny cabin during my American Airline domestic flight to Phoenix.
A superb full moon as seen from the Car Rental plaza.
Well, things seem not going to turn good yet as it was another terrible nightmare of experience with Hertz, as it took me and lots of other customers waiting for nearly 2 hours ++ waiting for our car. According to Hertz staff, the car return rate just too low that day which cause them not able to support all the booking that we did. They offer me to temporary get a compact car understanding that my reservation if for intermediate class, and ask me to come over again next 1-2 days for replacement again. What impress the me the most was the patience and politeness of customers that stuck here along with me for these long of time. If this happened in Malaysia, I am sure it was already an explosive argument with lots of fuck words.
My temporary car, Hyundai Accent.
Cute couple that I spend lot of time chatting with while we are waiting to get our cars.
With the WIFI connection I got from my colleagues which already hanging out at Temple downtown area, I manage to set Snellia Pizzeria on my MAPS.ME application as my destination as usual, and here we go! As expected, driving on the right is a huge different compare to what we always did in Malaysia, hence I just keep getting focus to stabilize and get use to it. Well, good new was I did not bang to anyone on opposite lane! Anyhow, I keep miss the intersection to turn into the right lane hence keep on going wrong direction hence it took me quite some time to finally reach the place. They done their dinner in actual when I reach, and they move on to El Hefe for some drink. Yeah, that was my first night here in United States, and I haven't even check in to my hotel yet.
Dos Equis XX Lager Special.
Long queue waiting to enter Al Hefe pub.
Very happening Tempe downtown area, with lots of teenagers from nearby University.
Finally reach my hotel, Homewood Suites by Hilton Phoenix Chandler Fashion Center at around 12 AM midnight, and proceed to unpack my stuff after check in was done. The room was superb spacious with its own mini kitchen (which I never utilize at all throughout my stay), workstation, sofa with small table, huge king size bed, and fully equipped bathroom. There was a friend of me that request me to bring her some Rojak sauce for her from Penang, and guess what, one of the box burst inside my luggage and spilled all over it. Luckily, most of it still covered in newspaper, and plastic bag, hence it only hit the corner of the luggage, well, still a great new among the bad.
It suppose to be a very tired day for me, but it might due to excitement and jet-lag, I only manage to rest like 1-2 hours. What I did for the early morning, is to use the towel in the bathroom to clean up my luggage, before heading out for Sunday outing plan.
My stay for quite some time to go.
Homewood Suites by Hilton.
Long walkway towards my room.
Mini kitchen and a fridge, that never got utilized at all.
My workstation for after office hour work.
Sofa, which I utilized as my cupboard.
A superb comfortable bed which I miss the most!
And also fully equipped bathroom, with a huge wardrobe.
Luckily the Rojak sauce just spilled to one corner of my luggage, else it will be catastrophic.
