Got up at 4:45. Had frustuck at the hotel and took the 6:30 shuttle to the airport. Going through security was fine. I passed through, Leo got frisked...he must have looked shady!
Boarded the plane and am currently in flight.
Taking off:
In flight:
Here's what the flight map said at that time:
Only 4,060 miles to home!
The view right now:
Later: Let's see, right now the flight map on the screen in front of me says we have 6 more hours to go (we started at 9 hrs) and that we have gone 1,371 miles, currently at 36,000 ft. altitude and are over the middle of the ocean with 2,663 miles to go. The outside temperature is minus 57 degrees. (you can tell I'm bored because I'm telling you this!)
We watched some tv shows and then they turned the lights out so tried to get some sleep, but somebody close by sounds like a billy goat. I don't know who is doing this...it's been going on for over an hour. I've craned my neck around to see who in the hell is making these continuous goat sounds. It's about to drive me nuts. I mean we had the guy from Silence of the Lambs on our flight to Germany and now we have a goat on this one. I have tried putting the ear pods in my ears and blasting classical music...but I can still hear the goat. I inflated my horseshoe shaped pillow and leaned up against that with the airline pillow over my other ear and the ear pods in and the music going...still....baa...baa. I even took the horseshoe pillow and put it over the top of my head like a headset...with the music playing in my ears...but still the bleating. Lucky for Leo he's hard of hearing...it's not bothering him. He's watching some movie or show with Chinese subtitles.
Leo just read what I had written so far on the blog and he attempted to type something himself on the keyboard which he has never done before on this trip. The keyboard didn't register so after another attempt he just told me...the billy goat noises are coming from the man sitting next to him!!! Holy crap! I've been sitting here the whole time saying who the hell is making the billy goat noises! I had no idea. I still don't know what is the matter with him. Oh no, Leo just told me something and I can hardly type this because I'm laughing so hard. It's really not repeatable this time...way worse than his "fahrt" references. Let's just say he gave his opinion as to the reason this guy was making these noises...enough said. The thing is, Leo "whispered" this to me (but we all know what a whisper sounds like coming from someone with a hearing problem)....keep in mind the goat is in the aisle seat, Leo in the middle, and I'm by the window. Anyway, the result is that I am laughing so hard, I'm crying....really! I have to turn off the screen of this before the billy goat sees this!
Ok I'm back and finally under control. By the way, a bit ago Leo and I both got up to use the bathroom (so as not to bother the goat man twice) and Leo beat me back and so he took the window seat, which left me next to you-know-who. How chivalrous!
The 9 hour flight dragged on and finally we arrived in Newark and it was NOT a nice place. We got off the plane and immediately some rude woman was barking at everyone instructions as to what line to get in ...at least that's what I'm assuming...I couldn't understand a word she was saying...I did better understanding German! Anyway, we were herded like cattle to a mile long line. We only had maybe 1 hr 45 min before our connecting flight left for Omaha...so we hoped that we could make it. So we showed our declaration of items that we brought back and our passports and they let us through...I thought that was much easier than expected (I wrongfully thought it was customs...but turns out it was immigration). Keep in mind we were toting our carry on luggage and we had checked through our extra tote bag that we bought on the military base. So now we're looking for signs to get to A27...the gate where our final flight will be. We stopped several times to ask for help and everybody was rude. Finally one guy told us we had to go to the baggage pick up and get our luggage. We said that it was going on through to Omaha, but he said no you have to get it and go through customs. I said we just went through customs and that's when I found out we had just been through immigration. So off we went to get our other tote bag. Then we had to re-check that bag back through a United gate. The guy told us to drop the suitcase and run like heck to our gate. So that's what we did...ran as best as we could toting our carry-ons. We ran/walked an unbelievable distance including a train and then more running. Then we found ourselves in another line...another check point Charlie place....(yours and my favorite...the TSA). Why we had to go through this again is beyond me. So again we're in a line waiting and waiting. Finally got through that and then had to stop at a restroom before getting on the plane. Of course there was a mile long line to the women's bathroom. Finally, we made it on the plane, in a full sweat, and just in the nick of time.
The final flight again felt long...although only 3 1/2 hours...we were just anxious to get home. As we were flying over Iowa, just east of Des Moines this is what I saw out the window:
I love flying over western Iowa because from high, it looks like the ultimate patchwork quilt. I know this photo is a bit hazy, but you get the idea. I think it would be a novel idea to create a quilt out of earthy tones such as these, with the irregular shapes.
Here's another shot of the detail:
Long story short (even though the final flight home seemed very long!) we arrived in Omaha and Sara was waiting there for us. It was great to see her, great to be on terra firma, and great to be home.
I will be posting one additional post as "musings of the trip" when I catch up a bit (probably in a few days). Leo and I had lots of time to think about our adventures when we were in flight today.
Location:on our way home
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