November 1-2

Caught up on sleep and began exercise program walking in pool 20 minutes swimming 10 and hitting hot and cold tubs and steam bath.  Now heading out for SIM card for phone and lunch and meeting Susan for drinks or dinner.  Deciding what to do for weekend and national holiday (not sure what in Tuesday).  Here are a couple more photos some may have seen.

Facility Background:
Looks like most of my activities can be right at the apartment at the Pan Pacific Orchard Services Suites.  We have a nice 40 yard plus pool that is four feet deep with a gentle current flowing thru it.  At one end is a non heated jacuzzi and at the other is a stationary water bike and in water treadmill.  The pool is semi covered and today it is overcast with a gentle breeze.
Inside is a nice hydrotherapy spa room with hot and cold plunge areas, showers and two steam rooms.  There is also a large workout room with treadmills bikes weights etc.
On the same level is a  breakfast area that serves a free full breakfast until 10:30 and attached is a large mall with Starbucks and many restaurants.

Oh yeah two nice steam rooms that reminded me of weigh in days in the 1980s for tne Donovan-Hollingsworth-Rowland weight loss contests and a room full of machinery which is not familiar to me although I was told I should try it! Looking a bit overcast but need to venture out for a Sim car for phone.  Monsoon season starts end of November thru January so better locate my raincoat

October 30th- in the air and Finland

“Woken up” for breakfast if I even slept.  Lie flat beds were comfortable although a bit small and so many settings to adjust.  One good thing is that my regular breathing machine just plugged in and fit nicely on the seat divider so glad I didn’t spend 900 dollars on a “portable” one!  I did need the adapter I bought and halfway thru the night it stopped working. But fortunately when I changed the plug to another outlet it worked again.   Found out from the flight attendant sitting next to me that the reason Air Italy was flying this route for Finnair was that a couple weeks ago one of the cranes for washing windows poked a hole in the fuselage so the Finnair plane is being repaired so a bit hard to review Finnair’s service.  I’m not scheduled back on Finnair until April 2.  The Air Italy crew was very nice and attentive serving only 18 of us business class elite. The attendant told me it was snowing in Helsinki yesterday.   Another attendant just gave me the names of some squares to walk thru in Helsinki during my 14 hour layover so we will see if Try that!
Morning update:  Instead so far I stopped by the Finnair Lounge.  Very nice although no sauna since they are undergoing renovations.  Since I wasn’t sure if I’d slept much on the plane I availed myself of one of the two “Go Sleep” sleeping pods.  It even accompanied my breathing machine but had to be a bit Houdini like to squeeze in there and especially when taking my shirt off and putting it back in inside the pod before emerging after about 3 hours.  Now the Lounge is jammed so either off to the other lounge that has showers or into town.   Although I may not do that since the Air Italy guy told me it was freezing and nothing to do.  Jen and Meg I hope your pods are a bit bigger in Sydney Australia over New Years although I think you could tolerate them better than I did. If anyone wants out if this exciting blog please let me know!
Was going to hit the city but forgot to move my watch forward 7 hours as it is on airplane mode. So leave in 5 hours and walked from gate 55 to 22 for a shower (or Bill and Lisa is it Douche) at the other Finnair Club.

The Journey Begins- Oct. 29th

Made it to Chicago ok and then American and Finnair wanted me to have a passport to stay over 90 days since my return is April 2, but finally accepted my dependent pass.  Now after “minor mechanical problem” and waiting to take off about 45 minutes late.  Luckily I have 14 hour layover in Helsinki.  Trying Finnair (operated by Air Italy) famous blueberry juice. May chase it with champagne before trying to sleep.  Good size cabins although I’m near to a crew member but looks full.