I hate long flights! I’ve always hated long flights! It might be different if I could sleep on the plane but I have never been able to do that. I look around and everybody else is sleeping like a baby. I really want to hurt those people….
After nine hours of staring at the flight progress map on the screen in the seatback (which moves very slowly), we’re back in the U.S.A. It’s a strange sensation just to realize that you’re back in your home country. I was gone for a long time and now I’m back. It feels good!
The good feeling lasted just a few minutes, long enough to reach Customs and Immigration. Since I had been gone for so long and visited so many different places, would I be more closely scrutinized than the others? I had never been gone this long and didn’t know quite what to expect. I didn’t have any contraband and was well under my customs allowance. But, at this point, I just didn’t need any hassle. I decided to just be the “happy tourist”, home from a wonderful vacation and glad to be back. Which is exactly what I was….
I waited my turn and handed my forms to the Immigration guy. He looked everything over, then remarked on how long I had been gone and the number of countries I had visited. Oh crap! This isn’t starting off too well. He sent me along without any further comments so maybe it would be okay. While I was in line for Customs however, I was watching several of my new friends from the cruise. They had been sent to the TSA screeners for whatever reason and were opening all their bags for inspection. Very detailed inspection! I was hoping I wasn’t their next victim. Fortunately, the Customs guy must have been having a good day or maybe I just look honest. I was directed to the line heading out the door and I didn’t waste any time getting there.
After exiting the terminal, I paused long enough for my first cigarette in twelve hours, then caught the shuttle to the LAX Hilton. It was a little after ten and I was exhausted but also hungry. After checking in, I dropped the bags in my room and headed for the coffee shop. After a large coffee and a pastry, I was feeling much better about my last twenty-four hours. Now to make a couple of phone calls and get some sleep!
I called a couple of friends, verified my arrival time with the person who would be picking me up at the airport and just gave everybody the Reader’s Digest version of my trip. Once that was done, the “Do Not Disturb” tag went on the door knob and I jumped into bed. No problem sleeping this time! The rest of the day and evening was spent doing absolutely nothing. I ordered room service for dinner (hamburger and fries, naturally), which cost thirty-three bucks with all the fees and taxes, watched a little television and went to bed early. I was taking a very early shuttle in the morning….
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were off to austrailia and new zealand loved youe comments.
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