11:18 PM CST
My "Groundhog Day"
You know that movie Groundhog Day? The one about the guy who has to relive Groundhog Day every day until he gets it right? Well, that guy was me on the 19th, but unlike the movie, I wasn't able to do a single worthwhile thing with either of my January 19th's except watch plane movies and pay way too much for airport food.
My first flight took off from Hanoi, Viet Nam at 12:20 AM on January 19 and arrived in Seoul at 6:30 AM (Korea time). After a 5 1/2 hour layover in Seoul, I left for the states at noon on the 19th.
The flight from Seoul to Chicago was 12 hours, arriving in Chicago before I left at 9:30 AM on January 19th (yes...again...).
Then, after weaving my way through customs and getting a few dirty looks and funny questions as to why I had gone to Viet Nam "of all places," I hopped a sputtering puddle-jumper for the 26 minute flight to Madison, Wisconsin, arriving at 1:00 pm, still on January 19.
So, to all appearances, it only took 11 hours to get halfway around the world. I wish! In truth, the flight plus layovers was 26 hours. I'd gotten up at 8 AM the day before and didn't go to bed until about 11 PM after I got home (in a futile attempt to prevent major jet lag), so in essence, I'd been awake for 52 hours (I don't sleep well on planes). I then passed out in my own bed at my parents' house for the most blissful 16 hours of sleep I've had in a month and finally, finally! woke up on January 20th.
