I feel so old coz that's how long ago I graduated from college!!!!! AAARRRGHHH!!! But actually I was back in the States 8 years ago when I came for training in Chicago while I was with H. Now, with new company Philadelphia is where they're based at. I've never been to Philly, so it's nice.
Wish I had more time though, but because of on-going project I can't stay for long...just staying for 5 days before heading home. Also, I can't bear to be apart from Ash and the boys for any longer than that. I miss them...especially the tucking kids into bed part :-(. But will definitely get to spend quality time with Ms. Ketchup who is flying up from Bermuda and staying with me, and with Amai who has pretty much planned both our stay here. My time outside the training has been well taken care of!
If Ash and I ever plan to bring the kids over here it has to be within the next 5 yrs or so because I don't think my body can take the looooonnng (30+hours) journey and with small kids in tow! I really feel old, man! And this trip shouldn't have been so bad because I was travelling business...so the thot of going economy and with kids...damn scary!!
Immigration wasn't so bad. They were nice and friendly. But me and my luggage had to be disinfected before I could board the plane to Philly. Or at least it felt like I was being disinfected because I had to go thru this machine called Sentinel (so sci-fi) which sprayed me with some stuff, then my shoes along with my hand luggage went into the x-ray machine. Mind you I was a pro by this time because I went thru the same thing before I boarded the plane to US in Doha, except for the Sentinel part. After x-ray...they basically swab all my bags...that's why I said DISINFECTED! I guess they want to doubly sure that I wasn't a terrorist who had GSR (CSI buff u shud know this) because the whole process looks like a scene from CSI.
But you know after having to go so many levels of check and disinfection, the thing that is very glaring to me is the number of foreigners I see working in the airport! Which to me is very ironic given how strict they are with people coming into their country.
So, now I am thinking of walking over to that shopping mall I see below (the dome is a mall), and also checking out whether I can walk to place where my training is to be held at.
