It’s a long flight to Bangkok, there’s no way around it. It is almost on the opposite side of the globe. It’s not quite as long as a flight to Africa, or India, or Australia, but it’s close. It’s a 2 hour 20 minute flight from SLC to SFO, a 3 hour layover in SFO, a 14 hour flight from SFO to HKG, a 3 hour layover in HKG, and a 3 hour 20 minute flight from HKG to BKK. It’s a long long day! And during this “day”, we pass through 13 time zones and the international date line. We miraculously land close to 2 days after we leave. You will have no sense of time or place; your body will be completely out of whack.

But there are ways to make this flight, if not completely enjoyable, at least tolerable. You have to do three things: bring the right things for the flight, wear the right things during the flight, and do the right thing during the flight. Continue reading How to Survive the (Gulp!) 24+ Hour Flight to Thailand →

Here are some miscellaneous important things to remember before departure:

• We will meet at Salt Lake City International Airport Terminal 1 (Alaska Airlines) at 4:45 AM on Monday, May 14. Make sure you are there AT 4:45! We will meet on the first floor, by the check-in counter. We will check in and go through security as a group. 
• Pack one back to check (less than 50 lbs., less than 62 inches combined height, length and width). You can also have one bag (and a personal item) to carry on. Make sure this is small (less than 15 lbs, and no bigger than 22″x14″x9″).
• I’ve created a checklist of things to bring. USE IT!!! You can also modify mine, but I highly recommend you literally check things off as you pack.
• When we go up to the second village, we won’t be able to bring our main bag with us, because we have to ride in the back of pickups, and we don’t have room. You’ll have to pack light using your carry on. Or you can share bags with someone else.
• Make sure you have identification on the bag. A sticker or some other mark can differentiate your bag from others for easy retrieval.
• Make sure you don’t forget your passport!
• I have some suggestions on making the long flight a bit more comfortable here.
• Make sure you have your assignment completed before the deadline! Failure to complete it will result in a 0. Also make sure you’ve started the pre-trip portion of your journal before Sunday!
• Please go over the recent blog post for orientation details. In particular, read over the posts on baggage, personal items to bring, clothing, clothing for women, money, electronic items, additional items, paperwork, and a first aid kit. Again, I have a checklist to help you stay organized. Here are the highlights for each post:
  • Bring about 7-9 days worth of clothes. Focus on versatile pieces. Make sure you have at least one outfit that you can “dress up” for more formal occasions.
  • Call your credit/debit card companies, so that they know there will be legitimate charges/withdrawals in Thailand. Otherwise, they will mark it stolen, and you won’t be able to use it.
  • The critical personal items to bring are sunscreen (high SPF), insect repellant, any prescription medications/eyeglass prescriptions, and anything else that you are particular about. Otherwise, you can get anything in Bangkok.
  • Don’t bring cash. Bring an ATM card with a memorized PIN (and enough money in the account!) You should also bring a credit card for emergencies (preferably NOT an American Express), a driver’s license and your Westminster ID. Leave everything else at home.
  • Make two copies of everything you bring (passport, IDs, etc.) Leave one copy with someone at home, and bring the other copy with you. Make sure you make copies of the back as well. It’s also a good idea to upload copies on a password-protected Cloud drive (like Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud Drive, etc.) Most are free, and it’s a good way to backup important documents.
  • Make sure your family and friends have your Thai phone number, as well as the faculty’s. Also, make sure they have instructions on how to call you.
• Put your US phone on Airplane mode as soon as we take off from SF, and LEAVE IT ON AIRPLANE MODE FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP!
• Please bring a small first aid kit. I have a post about this here.
• Safety issues are covered here. Health issues are covered here. Notes on motion sickness are covered here.
• I will download photos onto my laptop and external drive, so don’t worry about not having enough memory cards for your camera.
• Make sure your assignments are completed before we leave.

I think that’s it for now. If you have any questions or comments, please call me, email me, or stop by my office. See you on Monday!