The 24hr rally booking an urgent trip overseas

When the big puzzle pieces fall into place and specifically with the right timing, we have to jump or rally to make sure we accept the blessing.

For DengLang and AngMoh, this has been a theme for the past 3-4 years. The actions and decisions they’ve taken may seem in the moment and may come with some risk, but so far timing surrounding those decisions and the outcomes have all fallen into place, better than they could have planned or imagined.

(Quitting a job in Singapore to give birth, obtaining DengLang’s US visa right when lease agreements are ending and funds running out, finding a rental in US and landing a consulting job 2 weeks after arriving, leading to a full time job and ability to buy a house, when pregnant with the second child – just to name a few of the big puzzle pieces fitting nicely together). 

And most recently and what this post is about – waiting approx. 3 years or more for our tiny flat in Singapore to be built and ready for collection, losing a job due to the mortgage industry fluctuations and a company reduction in force, scared of the unknown timing for the Singapore flat collection (in relation to needing to ask for time away from a brand new job/employer) and finding out on a Thursday that our flat is ready and keys can be collected less than two weeks later, before a new job has been secured. 

So hence starts the 24hr rallying –

Thursday

• 650am – DengLang informs AngMoh it’s ready, let’s talk later if we can go.
• 730am – Both have separately researched flight prices and processed logic of – perfect timing, best to go now when AngMoh is actively interviewing but doesn’t have a job secured yet.
• 8am –  Quickly discuss same logic and decision, and look at flights again.
• 815am – Confirm Indy, our rescue dog, can be boarded at our preferred boarding place.
• 830am – Check on cats boarding place (no space /availability at same place as Indy)
• 9am – Book flights – amazingly was able to find prices reasonable for only booking 5 days out…  Flight departs in Tues. – and price is around the average of what we’ve seen historically when looking for Singapore to Denver or vice versa.
• 1030am – Book a one night layover hotel room in LAX due to a 14 hour layover (hotel = $130, if we booked different departure days for the flights it would have been about $1500 more no matter which way you tried to slice and dice it!)
• 11am – AngMoh informs local sisters (we’ll sadly miss our nieces 16th birthday party) and DengLang has a small notebook dedicated to several lists mostly filled out already:
  • What to bring in carry on
  • What tools and not standard things to bring
  • What people to meet
  • What places we want to go when we’re there

The rest of Thursday – take Chili Padi to preschool and pick her up.  [Our precious 4 year may be little but she packs a punch with her strength both physically and emotionally/personality, so her nickname to us is chili Padi (the spicy Thai chili or red cut chili in soy sauce)]

We do our best to talk about the things we need to do lightly while going on with raising the toddlers and feeding them dinner and putting them to bed.  But both our busy minds kept each one awake for many hours longer than should….

Skip ahead to Friday AM

• Determine how we get to the airport (and back home)
  • Train and bus is cheap, but not feasible with two little kiddos, 3 large luggages, some carry-ons and two car seats.
  • Leaving the truck is $200 parking and runs the risk of catalytic converter theft.
  • Private or shared shuttle and rides are WAY more expensive than either of us thought (inflation AND traveling with 4 instead of 1)
• Booked a private shuttle, the cheapest we could find for $260

• Booked an Airbnb in Singapore for 4 nights

• Bought the bed and mattresses in Singapore to be delivered to our flat – hopefully the day after we collect the keys. 

• Called 3 airlines:
  • Call United airlines to book seats together to ensure parents are with a each toddler even for the 2 hour domestic flight (Singapore air would not let us select or reserve seats)
  • Call Delta, have to use the text messaging as it would have been a 30 min wait, to book seats for the last 2 hour leg of the flight.
  • Call Singapore air to request special dietary meal.  (Used to be able to do online we thought, but no where was it available on this reservation). AngMoh is gluten free vegetarian, so the best option for long flights is Asian or Indian Vegetarian (most likely get rice!)
• Picked up snacks for the upcoming 14hr + more flight:
  • Low sugar lollipops (help the toddlers with their ears when flying)
  • Gluten free cheddar crackers
  • Gluten free pomegranate licorice
  • Bulk chocolate candies
  • Bulk gummy bears
  • Fruit leathers
• Picked up some screws needed to bring for outfitting our new flat

• Packed the clothes – for both toddlers and AngMoh and DengLang

• Organized the suitcases

• Picked our pumpkins in the back yard that had matured

• Set vacation hold on our mail

All while letting the littles get their energy out also – basement time doing art, running, swinging and tumbling.

So what’s left for the weekend before we fly?

• Final packing of suitcases

• Confirm toys (and food) for the pets, to bring on their boarding

• Pack carry-ons – 1 for the girls, + a mini backpack each for themselves, and large backpacks for DengLang and AngMoh
  • Chili Padi picked a dinosaur backpack
  • Little sister picked a doggy backpack

• Sort power cables and plugs for computer and phone

• Sort phone arrangement for overseas – what’s cheapest and works with current Whatsapp number or regular US number for AngMoh who will still actively be interviewing for a new job back in the US.

And hopefully some rest…