Tales From the Trip - Random Thoughts

I've been back for a few days now and am nearly over my jet lag. Unfortunately I can't shake this sinus congestion I've been fighting since a week before I left. It's just the right side, so I'm wondering if maybe it's more serious than your typical head cold. Then again it's not funny colours so I'll likely put off going to a doctor a while longer.

Anyway, some thoughts on my first days back in the States:

Less than impressed with all the freakin' security checks at the airports. The initial customs/immigration guard herding people into lines was shouting at passengers like we were convicts. “Have your passports and customs forms IN YOUR HAND! Get with the program, people. LET'S GO!” Yeah, welcome to the United States. How about some signage on the long ass walk from the gate to immigration telling us to have our passports and forms in our hands rather than just you step into line? How about just being polite and having a pleasant tone of voice?

On the bright side, the customs guy checking our luggage was funny. He asked if we were bringing anything in and I replied “Just some cookies.” He must have looked at our form where I listed the TimTams and Mint Slices, because he said “TimTams?” I nodded. “Well TimTams are illegal.” What??? Uh... “Yeah, you'll have to give those to me,” he said, making smacking noises with his lips and giving me a sly grin. Ah... “You'll have to fight my mother for them then,” I answered. Sparky was most impressed that the guy had a sense of humour.

Flight from LAX to Boston was delayed for an hour due to mechanical problems. Something about a window... and the co-pilot not turning up on time. Good thing some window had to be fixed then, wasn't it?

Summer in New England? Sucks. I'm freezing. It's colder here than in Brisbane and it's winter there!!! I was watching the weather last night when they said it would continue muggy and warm, with temps in the mid-60sF (18ishC). That's not warm to me anymore. That being said it's supposed to warm up tomorrow and for the weekend.

I must admit I do miss the shopping here. Everything is so freakin' CHEAP!!! 10 2-litre bottles of Coke for $10? A kilo of chicken breasts for $4? And I haven't even been clothes shopping yet (I'm saving that for New Mexico), although I did check out prices today and was sorely tempted by the sale at The Gap (that's the clothing store, not the suburb back in Brisbane). Sparky was saddened by the fact the way-cheaper-than-Australia Xbox games won't work back in Oz.

We've become reacquainted with our cat, Junior, since being at Mother and Father Hermit's. They took her in when we moved for our initial 2 year jaunt to Australia... she's 12 now. Whoops. Her Majesty was a little freaked out by her at first, and Junior is a little schizophrenic, but they have reached a detante. Clive is not bothered in the slightest, and Junior has to good sense to still hide from him.

A 40 hour travel time helps with the jet lag. I was so disoriented when I arrived on Cape Cod, especially with having to stay awake for large chunks of that for kids and airports, that it no longer mattered. The little kids, who slept for longer periods (but never more than 4 hours at a stretch) have faired a bit worse than I, but then again I'm used to functioning on limited sleep.

Yes, it really did take us 40 hours to get here what with airport waiting times and the flights.

Air Pacific is a nice airline. The food was good as was the service. My only complaint is the movies only played a couple of times. With a 10 hour flight I would have thought they would be on a continuous loop.

Why bother to have 3 flight attendants on the American Airlines red-eye flight from LAX to Boston? The safety demonstration was done via video and the only service was beverages, which went down once at the beginning of the flight. The rest of the flight they sat in the back galley and talked. When I got up towards the end to use the toilet and asked for a glass of water I didn't even get a smile. Nice...

Clive's favourite toy at Grandma and Grandpa Hermit's house? The automatic garage door opener.

Massachusetts drivers still earn the title Massholes.

That's all for now. I've taken some pictures which I'll post to Facebook a bit later. I've had enough of trying to figure out how to interface with Father Hermit's Mac and why Blogger won't completely load on Firefox.