travel - Haughtypenguin Blog

Semi Live Blog

12/18/2025 520am it begins

On the way to ORD. Slumming it in first (we got upgraded) of course its the shortest leg of the trip.

Vivi and Juju were in Taiwan already this summer, but we all didn’t get to go. We opted to do a winter trip to avoid the excess heat and humidity.

My first winter in Taiwan was a slap in the face. I remember wandering around looking at the shops stocked with heavy winter clothes, and locals wearing jackets. It was still hot! At that time I’ve only been in Taiwan during the summer. I was wondering what the deal was. Maybe it was just a way to participate in what “winter” is like. Well I was putzing around in a t-shirt and shorts one day. Day started out nice and warm but the temp precipitously dropped. Who knew it got cold in Taiwan. Ill be ready this time!

On another note, we recently ventured in to the travel phase of our lives. Everytime we would walk pass those snazzy cubicle seats in the United Polaris 1st/business class, or the United Polaris Lounges, I always lamented. Thinking never for me:-(

We then discovered having those premium credit cards/co-branded cards can get you perks to make traveling much more comfortable.

A great place to learn to “hack travel” is at ThePointsguy.com

We currently have the Chase United Club Card, (ill save that for another post) that gets us in the the United Lounges. Definitely a plus to have during layovers instead of sitting on the ground or standing at a crowded gate.

1130 am Pacific Time @SFO awaiting departure for Taiwan.

The complementary beverages are a bonus too.

So apparently the current US administration announced they will sell Taiwan. $11.1 billion dollars worth of arms.

https://www.threads.com/@globeviewnews/post/DSY5LXNE8LF?xmt=AQF0JW2fJtTt8pupj6t4oQ4aCEwjP1slcwo6sozhHxVdLviiyy3q6F_bULnR8tjE3JlA6-8Y&slof=1

There may be a chance the CCP will take over Taiwan while we are there. I wonder if that means I won’t be able to get back:(

Back to the topic, if you are at SFO, United Lounges at F terminal is better than G. Bigger and hot food.

Overall a little dated.

Bathrooms are nice and private

As the fam goes get food, this little Asian boy plops right down in vivi’s seat. He stares at me. I stare at him. I figure he’d relize I’m not with his group/family and he would run off. After about a minute he runs off when his mom calls him over. I guess maybe he thinks all Asians do look alike?

Polaris Lounge. One day I will be admitted…

Polaris: I’ve always wanted to get my own little cubby tp lay flat for a 14 hr trip to Taiwan. Alas no credit card or status would get us there this year. (I suppose we could have paid $10k plus a seat)

Its not Polaris but it will get us there

12/18/25 155p pacific time. And we are off.

433 p pacific time. (7p eastern?) 11hrs left…the flight attendant questioned vivi if I was her dad, because it seemed like a random Asian guy was taking a picture of her.

And we are here. After >24 hr total time traveling.

So my paternal grandmother is the last grandparent I have. I believe she turned 104 this year. Her health has been declining for the past few years, but my Uncle and especially Aunts have been taking amazing care of her. Despite having active gangrene in her ~~foot~~ feet for the past 3 months, she is still kicking (figuratively obviously). The surgeons deemed her too high risk for amputation, and I wouldn’t wish her to go through that painful process anyway. I believe she is currently under palliative care. Maybe hospice. Wasn’t my decision to make either way. I’m glad to have this opportunity to fly out to see her.

Currently I await the flight out. I don’t often fly solo. I like having a travel companion.

The above picture was when Vivi and I went out for my maternal Grandmother a funeral in Phoenix. Though it was sad reason we had to travel, it was memorable traveling with just me and Viv. I definitely do NOT miss the amount of crap we had to take (car seats, extra clothes in case of emergencies).

I didn’t take a picture of the massive line at the security checkpoint, but I can say getting TSA Precheck is worth it! The regular line was all the way out to the checkin counter (@CMH).

I’ve ben chillin (that’s for clement) on the plane for 3 hrs or so now. One of the things I do enjoy is access to the movies.

So my grandmother is fairly remarkable. Aside from the fact she is 104 (I may have some of the details wrong about these stories), but she grew up in a small town in China. She fled to Taiwan with my grandfather and her 2 children my big aunt and my dad) during the Japanese occupation. My grandfather was a law professor, so they woukd have been targeted. In Taiwan she raised a total of four children, and eventually immigrated to the US, where she primarily lived in San Jose, Ca. She would take turns staying with each family member in the states.

Oh, landed!

I’ll update this as the travel continues.

Tag: travel

Taiwan Winter 2025: Day 0-1

Morning out in Tamsui for breakfast

To SFO and back: Visiting the Grand Matriarch -Live Blog