Reflections on Traveling

~ Why do they tell you to be there two hours before your flight if they're not going to open the check-in counter until one hour before?

~ Does it seem to you that not only are they putting fewer pretzels in the snack packs you get on short flights, but the pretzels are also shrinking? Pretty soon they'll be pretzel dots the size of pencil erasers.

~ I have a theory about why airport security seemed on hyper alert Tuesday, November 9th, in Buenos Aires. In Latin America you write November 11 as 9-11. Hmmmm. [That theory is probably due to the fact I slept NOT AT ALL the night before.] We were moved from one seating area after an unattended backpack was discovered in a nearby restaurant. Later we were asked about a bag under our seats -- not ours -- and then asked to move while they checked it out (empty).

~ I'm past the age of being able to go, go, go. After we learned our 4 p.m. flight had been canceled and we'd be on the 6 a.m. flight instead, we thought "How fun to have a day in the city!" but the reality was we were too exhausted after a sleepless night. So there we found ourselves, in Buenos Aires with 14 hours to kill and to tired to do ANYTHING AT ALL.

~ My husband is my hero once again because he wouldn't give up until he found a hotel near the airport that (1) had an available room and (2) provided transport to and fro so we could (3) REST while we waited for our evening flight. It was a lovely little B&B with only 7 rooms but great service and an inner courtyard bursting with colorful foliage and a pool (photos to follow on Project 365 this weekend). I only slept about three hours but then I spent a couple of relaxing hours reading in the courtyard.

~ Airport security was odd in Bs. As. We didn't have to take our shoes off but, instead of one checkpoint, we had three along the way. The final was the wand and/or pat-down as we were boarding the flight. Ivan got the wand, I got the pat-down.


~ Either airline food has vastly improved or I've been flying the wrong ones. United's dinner was excellent. Enjoyed the cute movie too (Ramona and Beezus) although I wasn't able to stay awake through all of it. I caught the first half hour of the first showing and the last half hour of the final showing [not sure how many times it ran during the ten hour flight].

~ Thirty hours after we left our house, we arrived in Chicago. It was almost 70°! On November 10th! Can you imagine? We thought we'd be freezing and I was all ready with my winter coat and gloves, but we even ended up taking off our sweaters.

~ Tina and Kyle were right there to pick us up. And our future son-in-law had even stocked up on our favorite Starbucks frappuccinos for the drive back to Indiana. He knows the way to our hearts is through our taste buds! That evening he made an amazing dinner -- it was like being in a fancy restaurant. YUM!

~ We didn't think we'd get to see our son until Sunday because of schedules but he was working in Indiana Wednesday so we stopped and had lunch with him!!! Made this mama's heart very happy :)

~ I could write more. Lots more. But what I've written sums up our travels over Tuesday and Wednesday. I'll be back in a day or two with more thoughts on re-entry after two years overseas. Just want to say how thankful I am for the way God has provided through people we love -- and who love us! Grateful doesn't begin to describe the way we feel. We need a bigger, more encompassing word.

~ That's all for now.