The Emirates Air Experience

 

"The cherry blossoms had just begun to open when I left Portland this afternoon. I caught sight of them only as I walked to the train station on the way to the airport. Had I chosen to drive, I may not have seen them at all.   

"12:30 pm. It was a wonderful time to depart. Not like the hurried goodbyes in the pre-dawn hours of a morning flight, or the slow, sad partings of an evening flight, when you are already tired of saying goodbye countless times all day. 

"A mid-afternoon flight gives you just enough time to rise naturally, eat a light breakfast, talk and relax as though nothing particular was occurring that day. The hours pass uneventfully. You languidly make your way to the airport with no sense of time. Before you are fully aware of it, you’ve boarded a plane and now your fate is in god and the pilot's hands. 

"When I travel alone, all my idiosyncrasies manifest into observable features. For example, I find that when I am alone I can seldom fully comprehend something unless I say it out load. So there I am in the Seattle airport, reading aloud the sign that says, 'Emirates Airlines is located in terminal S' as though it were my second language. As though I was reading it aloud to an illiterate person.

It's going to be a long day."

-  Excerpt from my Travel Diary, March 17, 2013.

Photo courtesy of Emma Red of 557

If you are flying to Dubai, Emirates is the way to go. For what I paid, I had a non-stop 15-hour flight form Seattle to Dubai on the 4th safest airlines in the world. I can not imagine spending 15 hours on any other plane. Also, it's not like I had to splurge to get this ticket. For only $200 more I avoided 3 layovers on United, or 12-hour layovers in Amsterdam on KLM. I left at a comfortable 2:30 pm and arrived at a breezy 7:00 pm Dubai time.

Of course, Emirates airlines is famous for its first class cabin, which features fully enclosed cubicles for each passenger, and a standing bar. If I were going to splurge on a first-class ticket, I would want to do it on Emirates. However, that time has not yet come for me, and I'm still blogging from economy class.

My experience on Emirates was really on par with my flight on Korean Air or Cathay Pacific. However, there are a few things that sets Emirates apart from its competitors. They are sort of small  details that you probably only notice 13 hours into a 15-hour flight, when you are sleep-deprived and crazy, but I appreciate them nonetheless. 

1. Artificial Daylight

The lighting of the cabin mimics the rising and setting of the sun. At twilight, there is a faint orange glow to the cabin, which is very relaxing compared to the usual florescent lighting in most other airlines.

artificial dusk on the plane

At "night" the cabin darkens and fake constellations are visible. I tried to see of I could spot any patterns (I was pretty bored) but from what I can tell they did not make too much of an attempt to imitate the real night sky.

I know it's cheesy but <3

2. A food menu

It might sound crazy but I don't always get a menu on international flights. I have memories of United airlines flight attendants saying "Chicken or Beef?" "Tori or niku?" on a flight from Japan. I swear Tori and Niku where probably the only two Japanese words they knew. 

3. Free booze

You won't find this on any American airline carriers! But from what I have heard the other top airlines like Singapore Airlines all offer free booze, but I realize that the last time I flew one of these airlines I was under 21! This time around, I was sure to take advantage of this.

Here was a picture of my food. It was actually quite tasty, but I have since decided that I just can't stomach plane food. I would starve myself for 15 hours just to have Panda Express at the airport. However, if you are one of those people who can eat on a plane without throwing up, Emirates has pretty decent food. 

4. Baby Bassinet

See that basket-looking attachment to the wall? Somebody's baby is in there. This particular baby actually belonged to an Iranian couple sitting next to me. This is awesome because that 7-week old baby slept peacefully the entire flight, as opposed to having a parent awkwardly hold him for 15 hours. If I travel with a tiny baby, I'm going to fly Emirates so I get a bassinet.

5. Entertainment

15-hours was my longest flight so far, and I got bored as hell. I'm giving Emirates credit because they tried to entertain me, but there is only so much they can do for a nauseated flight-insomniac like me. On the flight to Dubai alone I watched Looper, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Les Miserables, Anna Karenina, Life of Pi, and a really low-budget horror movie.

There were a lot of other great things that I did not get the chance to photograph:

6. Air Freshener in the restrooms.

7. Hot towels given to you before the flight takes off.

8. The diverse air crew. Our flight crew spoke Arabic, English, Urdu, Japanese, Vietnamese, French, Italian, German, and Czech. Not surprisingly, not of of the flight crew on my plane from Seattle to Dubai was either American or Emirati. 

That's Dubai for you.   

Here's a question I get all the time. 

When you fly from the U.S. to Dubai, do you fly over Europe, or Asia? 

Answer: Neither. 

From Seattle we flew straight up over the north pole. Makes for a bumpy ride, but supposedly it is shorter...

The Light of Day

It's finally starting to get sunny so I'm kicking off the season with this floral dress. I bought it at Goodwill years ago but haven't photographed it yet.

When I got it, it was floor length, long sleeved, and about a size 2. I thought I would cut up the fabric to make a top or pants, but decided to leave it as a dress. Just cut off the sleeves, took some fabric from the bottom and make it larger on the sides. Turned out well I believe.

Faux Leather Jacket: Urban Outfitters

Dress: Goodwill, reconstructed

Shoes: Target

Black Clutch: Self-made,  Spring 2013

It's still winter in freakin' Portland

Well, it's April and still dipping below 40 degrees here. I'm glad I got to wear this scarf at least once before it gets warm but damn, I am ready for spring. 

Jacket: Vintage

Scarf: Nishat Linen

Denim: H&M

Shoes: Target

Bag: Louis Vuitton Vernis Alma

Pakistan and Dubai: The Packing Challenge

Going to West Asia this spring? Leave the tank top and shorts at home.

This trip has been a packing challenge like none other. For this trip I must pack clothing for two very different countries, and very different occasions. I must look ultra fabulous in fashion-crazed Dubai, but not too flashy for the streets of Karachi. I must also have two formal outfits for an extravagant wedding, but the rest of the days I want to be Über-casual. I also need clothes that are suited for hot weather, but are modest and do not show my shoulders or legs (it's the law!).

How do I achieve all of these goals without hauling two large suitcases with me?
In fact, I might even have to do the ol' suitcase within a suitcase trick. 


Here is what I am bringing:

Luggage: 

• 1 large suitcase 
• 1 small suitcase
• 1 laptop case
• 1 handbag
• 1 tiny purse

Clothes:

• Formal attire for the wedding in Pakistan (2 saris, 1 shalwar kameez)
• Casual attire for Pakistan (3 shalwar kameez)
• Casual attire for Dubai  (2 silk blouses and 1 pair of leggings)
• Formal attire for clubbing in Dubai (2 dresses)
• Swimwear for Dubai (2 one-piece swimsuits)
• Pajamas (3 sets)
• Gym clothes for working out in Dubai (2 sets)
• 1 towel
• 3 Pairs of Shoes (1 pair of Sseko sandals, to be worn with everything, 1 pair of heels for the club, and 1 pair of gym shoes)

Accessories:

• Jewelry for the wedding
• 2 pairs of sunglasses
• 1 wig (for the wedding or clubbing)

Electronics:

• laptop and charger
• external hard drive
• camera and charger
• iPhone and charger

Gifts:

• Chocolate boxes for my host families in Pakistan
• Girl scout cookies for my friend in Dubai

Yep, I could definitely use a lesson in how to pack lightly.

 

Pakistan: Thoughts before I go

When I was eighteen, I attended fashion school in Los Angeles. One of my favorite professors was a middle-aged ex-hippy who had worked in QC (Quality Control) for a large company before retiring to teach at our college. In patternmaking class, she would often entertain us with stories of her QC days. Her company produced cheap T-shirts for large retailers, and she was sent all over the world to inspect the factories they hired to churn out product for them.

One day the question came up as to the best and worst places she had traveled for business. 

Her favorite: Dubai. Her least favorite: Karachi. 

The memory of this day emerged two weeks before I left for Dubai and Karachi. 

In some kind of weird prophecy, I will be visiting the best and worst of my former professor’s QC days. Oh what would I tell her if we were still in contact to this day….

Honestly, Dubai has been on my bucket list since before I even had a bucket list. When I began to get jaded with my job in fashion, I spent some time at the office day-dreaming of where I would go I had the guts to quit my job and travel the world. I decided to make a small list and cost it out. Dubai was at the top of that list. For some reason or another I had in me the wild desire to live luxuriously for only a week in this desert oasis. I still have a copy of my notes from those day-dreaming days, and I had priced my airfare at $1,400, which was exactly what I paid for my ticket this year. 
Now that is a prophecy.

On the other hand, Pakistan, I must admit, was never on my bucket list. Even when I extended my list to include practically every country in the world, Pakistan just didn’t make the cut. Not surprising, considering what the media portrays here in the states. 
However, when I was invited to a wedding in Hyderabad, Pakistan, I jumped at the opportunity to attend. 

Why?

Because I’m crazy with wanderlust.

Because I want to test my limits. I want to go so far out of my comfort zone that the zone no longer exists. I want to question my judgment. I want other people to question my judgment. 

And then I want to surprise them, impress them, inspire them.
No judgments, no fear.  

When the Embassy Said Yes

Some time ago, I blogged on the process of applying for a tourist visa to Pakistan. Since then, I thought it prudent to keep my Pakistan trip on the down-low until after I returned safely to American. I mean, I’m sure none of the ten people who actually read this blog are forwarding my information to the Taliban, but I suppose you can’t be too careful.

Well, at this time I want to briefly relive the joyous moment when the embassy said yes.

My visa was approved in an unexpectedly short amount of time, ONE DAY  – to be exact, and then I could finally say the phrase “I’m going to Pakistan” without the awkward preface of, “well my visa hasn’t been approved but…”

Although, my declaration was soon replaced by another awkward preface. 

"Holy shit. I am really going to Pakistan."

Surprisingly (or perhaps, not surprisingly), once everything was  finalized I no longer had ay doubts about the trip. Somehow, having to go through this formal process alleviated my concerns about safety.

I had not been able to find any information about Pakistan through travel bloggers. All of the usual blogs I follow do not cover Pakistan, and after must Google searching, I have come across only a handful of thorough and candid accounts.

One such portrait of Pakistan, by journalist Amy Heardy, made me want to turn around and run the other way. Security guards, food poisoning, anti-American slanders at what is supposed to be a multicultural party. And she was on a business trip for crying out loud. I’m not sure what to think about all that. For someone who teaches her journalism students not to interject their own bias into reporting, her blog is sure riddled with bias. But on the other hand, this is her personal memoir, (how can it not be biased?) and I appreciate her honesty in sharing her experiences. After all, she is one of the only Western women blogging her travels about Pakistan.

Recently women have come under a lot of heat for travelingalone, so I want my journey to inspire readers. I hope one day that my modest presence on candidanimal becomes a resource for someone looking to go where relatively few young, American females have gone.

Earth tones

I just can't get enough of this Taupe jacket my mom made. Taupe goes with EVERYTHING. Even gray. 

Knit jacket: mom 

Shirt: thrifted 

Pants: H&M 

Boots: Target

Din Tai Fung: from East to West

This past year I was honored with the opportunity to visit the notorious dumpling restaurant Din Tai Fung in both Taiwan and the United States.

Din Tai Fung is actually the first restaurant I went to in Taipei. I heard awful stories of the 1-2 hour long waits and crowds, but my savvy friend called ahead and made reservations at 11:00 for lunch. When we arrived, we were practically the only ones there! Granted, this was not the original Din Tai Fung, where supposedly you cannot make reservations. This was the branch at the Taipei 101, which was very uncrowded on a Friday morning.

On the opposite side of the world, Din Tai Fung in Seattle was a mess. Din Tai Fung in Seattle is actually located in a mall in Bellevue, which had a line out the door by the time we arrived at noon on a Friday. Most of the customers were employees of Microsoft on their lunch breaks. Not a fun crowd, let me say.
Fortunately, the staff told people their wait would be 45 minutes, but they started calling names after 20 minutes. Most of the people in front of us on the list were walking around the mall, so because we were standing there we got in fast!

Staff outside the Taipei Din Tai Fung

Din Tai Fung in Seattle. Check out those happy fellows on the left.

Both Din Tai Fungs were very similar in looks and in quality. The chain has really maintained consistency and image. I was expecting that they would offer radically different foods, or that the Seattle branch would not be as good as the  Taipei branch, but you know.....
they were just about the same.

With their mascot in Taipei

Same guy in Seattle.

In Taiwan there were large glass windows where you could see the dumplings being made with scientific precision. Because the restaurant was not crowded, I got to photograph from my seat. 

 View from the restaurant in Taipei


Seattle, on the other hand, was ridiculously crowded. I felt embarrassed walking around the restaurant photographing people. I did manage to snap one quick discreet photo.

View from the restaurant in Seattle



The food at both restaurants was really top notch. I seem to remember that Taipei had a different variety of foods, but all the staples were there.
One of my favorite menu items is the pot stickers, which are so crispy that they serve them to you face down, with their oily burnt  crispness on top.

 From Taipei

 From Seattle



Of course, it would not be Din Tai Fung if it didn't have dumplings. In both places I found the dumpling taste and quality to be superb.

From Taipei

 From Seattle


The way to eat the dumplings is to put in on a spoon, then take a small bite, and the dumpling will release its juice. Then you eat the rest of the dumpling in the spoon full of its juice. If you want to add vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and chili (like I do), that increases the flavor.



This is a picture of the shrimp Shumai which we also had in Seattle. Now, I hate shrimp and I still managed to eat half of these because they were so good.

I thought Din Tai Fung would be all about dumplings, but actually the menu is quite diverse, and everything is delicious. Taiwan has a high standard when it comes to food. No wonder this place is so popular. 

Here are some other amazing foods I had at the Din Tai Fung in Taipei:

 The best damn pork fried rice I've ever had

 Bean Curd

Chinese greens

What I ate in Copenhagen

Copenhagen was a delicious way to end our 2-week trip around Scandinavia. After enjoying some tasty meals in Reykjavik, I was a bit let down in Oslo and Stockholm (with the exception of some amazing salmon sushi in Oslo and a Thai buffet in Stockholm). Thinking Copenhagen wouldn't have much to offer, I abandoned the idea of a food list, and instead just decided to eat whatever was cheap and convenient. I was pleasantly surprised. 

Food wise, Copenhagen felt cheaper that Oslo and Stockholm, and seemed to have a wider variety of foods on the high and low end. We went cheap most of the time, but splurged a bit on one lavish dinner and some classy lunches.

1. Food I wished I had but didn't:  homemade smørrebrød picnic, that's the way to go!
2. Food I had but wished I didn't:  shrimp smørrebrød, but I don't like shrimp anyway.
3. What should have been on the list: crepes and pastries
4. Biggest surprise: I did not have any Asian food the whole time!(No lies - I missed it).
5. Most delicious meal: Hands down, the pappardelle with black truffles from Ultimo restaurant in Tivoli Gardens.

Here are my best food memories:

Ice cream cones form Tivoli Gardens, one dipped in crushed candy, and the other dipped in chocolate. Seriously the best ice cream I've ever had. 

A Nutella waffle with bananas, from a waffle cart. 

Crepe with caramel ice cream.

Hotel breakfast buffet, with a latte machine, meat, cheese, and of course, muesli! 

Hot dog from a street cart. Wasn't quite as good as Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, but it made us happy for a moment. 

The most amazing meal ever. Pappardelle in truffle oil with shaved black truffles and Parmesan cheese, from the Italian restaurant in Tivoli Gardens.  This was a big splurge for us. I think the bottle of water we purchased was $15 USD alone.  Don't ask me how much the pasta was....

One of our more gourmet lunches. Nachos with salsa and guacamole...Danish style.

A three-style smørrebrød sampler. One with bacon, ham, and blue cheese. The other with shrimp (no thanks) and the last one with sauerkraut and chicken.

A delicious sandwich from the cafe in the Louisiana Museum. This was a prosciutto
 mozzarella sandwich .

A chocolate strawberry pastry from the cafe in Louisiana.

Another sandwich from the cafe at Louisiana. Everything in this place was so photogenic. They must have known that tourists would get hungry after the hour-long train ride  to get to the museum from Copenhagen. Still, it is totally worth visiting if you are anywhere in Denmark. 

Another chance at spring

Orange Silk Blouse: Michael Kors via thrift store

Pants: H&M

Gloves: vintage

Clutch: Faux Leather, Spring 2013