Before going into the subject of this blog, I thought that I would give you some numbers that will show the extent of my travel activities. I did not log my first few flights because I was not sure that my plans for the future would materialize. When I was accepted into the Canadian Air Force, I began to log all flights, and have done so to this day. As the aircraft starts the take off run, I note the time, then also note the time when the wheels touch the pavement...or in some cases, gravel. The type and make of the plane,airline flight number, if applicable, and if possible, the identification number is noted. I have logged 1230 flights, in 70 types of aircraft, several helicopters and one hot air balloon.
The total flight hours is 2230, or 93 days.!
About five years ago, the Thailand Army took over the government, and has been in charge since that time. An election was held last year, fixed in the military's favor, and after several months, the ballots showed that...guess what...the party led by the same General of the last four years won!. Generals head most Departments, and the constitution was amended so that anyone with opposing views was deemed to be critical of the king, and subject to up to 15 years in jail...military brass do not like criticism.
Soon after the Coupe five years ago, the "government", required Google to allow the military to run Thailand Google, or shut down. The military took over.
All computers and laptops, etc, have an Internet Protocol Number, and this number can be used to track computers at any time they are in use. The I. P. number sequence is different for regions similar to telephone numbers. I found that frequently, when I would try to log on to the internet, I would be asked " Google Thailand wants to know your location...Allow....or Deny". The first time, I said to Deny, and could not get on the web. After moving in the country, When I tried to go on the web, I allowed, but still often could not get online, even though several other persons could do so..as we were in the hotel lobby.....they were Thai. I even had smut material put on this blog, but only in the manager location where I could link to the sites, but you people would not see that link.
A computer shop told me it could only get there by the Google Thailand managers.
Smut is "officially illegal", in Thailand, so I must assume it was an attempt to trap me. As soon as I departed Thailand, all the false information disappeared. To avoid any entrapment, I packed my laptop in my checked luggage, so, at departure inspection...no computer. This is why I was unable to do any updates in Thailand...unable to get on line for any amount of time...often cut off after two lines.
Friday 7 February 2020
Tuesday 4 February 2020
Ottawa, February 4, 2020
I am now back home, and recovering from one very long trip. I arrived here at 09;30 February 03, after spending an unscheduled night in New York , (actually across the river in New Jersey, just off the Newark airport). This delay was caused by the Ottawa airport being fogged in, and no expectation of that changing until the next morning. I had been up and going for 40 hours by the time I arrived home.
All in all, the entire trip went very well, with the exception of the internet service in Thailand. I will discuss that later. On the outbound journey, I cleared Security and United States Customs and Immigration here at Ottawa airport, and was in secure travel status all the way to Bangkok; This included a bus transfer from arrival terminal A in Newark to departure terminal C , a stopover and change of planes in Tokyo, and then clearing arrival procedures in Bangkok. On the return, my flight arrived in Newark about 4;15 in the afternoon, February 2, and it was 6;45 before I cleared Customs and Immigration. There were around 700 passengers from several flights in the lineups, and for most of the time, only three Customs Officers. As with most North American airports now, one has to use a machine to self check in and answer questions before taking a print out and seeing the officer. I also then had to claim my checked luggage, take it to a special area, and place it back on a belt from where it was taken to my aircraft, since I had nothing of value to declare. I then took an elevated rail system, called a Sky Train, and went from Terminal C to Terminal A, go through two different security checks, then go to my departure lounge. I had packed my laptop in my checked luggage to speed up my security checks.
In Tokyo, one Canadian was quite chatty, telling one and all of the great time he had in Southern China for several weeks, and that he had just flown in from there to return home to Ottawa. He was on my flight, and upon arrival in Newark was four ahead of me in the lineup. He was apprehended by security after answering about two questions, and was not seen again. He may have been the person who made the news that night as the "first Canadian arrested at the Northern Boarder, for trying to enter the U.S. after having recently visiting China", as the tv stated.
Our flight was to depart at 10;15 P.M., and all boarding and checks were completed, and the aircraft doors were shut....we waited for 15 minutes without starting the engines, then the Captain announced that we would be waiting for another half hour as Ottawa was fogged in, and they would decide then on further action.In 15 minutes, we were informed that the flight would not go, all checked luggage would stay on board, and we would depart at six in the morning...same boarding passes would used.
Inside the terminal, we were given hotel and meal vouchers, and asked to be back at 04;00!!!.
It was 1145 P.M. when we got to the hotel..by shuttle bus. I just refreshed, relaxed and read a newspaper, then back to the airport at 2;30...security, etc and from then on, everything was fine.
Customs and Immigration went quickly, we were the only arriving international flight at that time.
A bus, then the train, and another bus and I was home.09;30.
I must state that in the several times that I have had flight delays, or similar problems, United Airlines have been absolutely fantastic in solving the problems.
I will do another page on February 6.
All in all, the entire trip went very well, with the exception of the internet service in Thailand. I will discuss that later. On the outbound journey, I cleared Security and United States Customs and Immigration here at Ottawa airport, and was in secure travel status all the way to Bangkok; This included a bus transfer from arrival terminal A in Newark to departure terminal C , a stopover and change of planes in Tokyo, and then clearing arrival procedures in Bangkok. On the return, my flight arrived in Newark about 4;15 in the afternoon, February 2, and it was 6;45 before I cleared Customs and Immigration. There were around 700 passengers from several flights in the lineups, and for most of the time, only three Customs Officers. As with most North American airports now, one has to use a machine to self check in and answer questions before taking a print out and seeing the officer. I also then had to claim my checked luggage, take it to a special area, and place it back on a belt from where it was taken to my aircraft, since I had nothing of value to declare. I then took an elevated rail system, called a Sky Train, and went from Terminal C to Terminal A, go through two different security checks, then go to my departure lounge. I had packed my laptop in my checked luggage to speed up my security checks.
In Tokyo, one Canadian was quite chatty, telling one and all of the great time he had in Southern China for several weeks, and that he had just flown in from there to return home to Ottawa. He was on my flight, and upon arrival in Newark was four ahead of me in the lineup. He was apprehended by security after answering about two questions, and was not seen again. He may have been the person who made the news that night as the "first Canadian arrested at the Northern Boarder, for trying to enter the U.S. after having recently visiting China", as the tv stated.
Our flight was to depart at 10;15 P.M., and all boarding and checks were completed, and the aircraft doors were shut....we waited for 15 minutes without starting the engines, then the Captain announced that we would be waiting for another half hour as Ottawa was fogged in, and they would decide then on further action.In 15 minutes, we were informed that the flight would not go, all checked luggage would stay on board, and we would depart at six in the morning...same boarding passes would used.
Inside the terminal, we were given hotel and meal vouchers, and asked to be back at 04;00!!!.
It was 1145 P.M. when we got to the hotel..by shuttle bus. I just refreshed, relaxed and read a newspaper, then back to the airport at 2;30...security, etc and from then on, everything was fine.
Customs and Immigration went quickly, we were the only arriving international flight at that time.
A bus, then the train, and another bus and I was home.09;30.
I must state that in the several times that I have had flight delays, or similar problems, United Airlines have been absolutely fantastic in solving the problems.
I will do another page on February 6.
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