Treated Like Royalty

I recently took a trip to an Asian country for a wedding. I've met the groom a few times, but I was really going because I'm friends with his sister. She's been telling me about "home" for many years, and we've always tossed around the idea of me visiting. This seemed like the perfect opportunity, since there would be lots of wedding-related festivities and other out-of-towners, so I bought it ticket and took a week-plus off work.

My friend's brother is a politician who is apparently fairly well-connected, so I stepped off the plane to someone in uniform holding up my name at the end of the jetway (post-security). He led me to the politician, who remembered me from visits to the states and greeted me kindly. I sat in the President's Lounge (literally) with him, sipping ice water and waiting for my friend's plane, while someone waited in the customs line and retrieved my suitcase from baggage claim. Once my friend arrived, we climbed into an SUV that was waiting in a "no parking area" right outside the airport, and we were whisked off to her mother's house.

At the house, as at every meal I had on vacation, we were served a feast. Dish after dish...steamed fish, grilled fish, giant prawns, mango salsa, dried fish, various types of rice, and (oddly) spaghetti alla carbonara. Maybe the Italian food was served in case I was a spoiled American brat. I had only a little and dug into the other food, so after that night, I never saw anything on the table that didn't look like a local specialty.

After a few days in the big city, we flew off to an island on a chartered flight. Sun, sand, mojitos, spectacular service at the hotel, and fun times with the stag party of 30 guys, several of whom I had met previously. Two of them (one of whom I had met briefly in the past) were kind enough to pay for my plane ticket! The only disappointment was the day I thought they were going to spear-fish our lunch, but instead they just bought it fresh from the market. It still tasted great!

The wedding itself was beautiful. Late afternoon sun slanted in through the partially open church, the bride and groom both looked wonderful, and the wedding guests made a special point to speak English when I was around. I met a couple that lives a mile from me at home; they're the parents to two people I know in the States. Small world, huh?

The next few days were mostly family time, and by the end, I felt like I was part of it. As I was leaving, my friend's mother pressed a bracelet on me with religious icons. It's very attractive and has become part of my standard flight attire (with the yoga pants and warm socks). I've flown safely so far.

I met up with my friend tonight for the first time back in the States and was invited back for a longer visit in the summer of 2009. Hooray!