January 12th, 2012
So there I was, waking up in a hotel room …. Momentary disorientation will follow. Oh OHHHHH right… this here lovely bed was the best thing that could have happened to me during the early hours of the morning.
It was around 3am when I finally fell into it. Wake up time was around 7am – apparently there was complimentary breakfast (buffet style) to be had! And I was SO there right then!
07h30 I trundled down for breakfast. Had a chicken sausage, eggs (scrambled), mushrooms, yoghurt, some fruit and a glass of orange juice and a cup of tea! Luggage (yes all two of the big 20+ kg bags were WITH me) was left at the front door for the nice people to load onto the trailer and ‘bus’ which we were all due to be on by 9am. Supposedly an 11h30am flight was due for London from Cape Town. A flight that would usually land and sit around doing nothing was now (supposedly) going to land, refuel, and turn around. I don’t know what happened with that flight.
Because my ENTIRE ROUTING was changed. So I was waiting for a 13h40 flight to Johannesburg; and there really is only so much one can do in an airport while waiting for a flight (after passing security).
Off to Jo’burg we go. Then wait for whenever my next flight was - can’t remember. It was a few hours; which was likely feeling like years when they decided to conduct a SECOND security check AT THE GATE!? Argh … there we were having to unpack luggage and get patted down and such. ARGH …. Did I mention ARGH!!?
After that little inconvenience we still had another half an hour or so to wait to board anyway. I do think that at some point I was threatening to pull my hair out but overall it was just rather amusing.
Finally on a plane to Washington – stop in Dakar. Whee. 14 hours they said. Liars. It was 114 hours!! Seh ree us! Okay so probably 16 hours but eish … tired! Get to Washington. Okay what’s the time … 07h00ish … right so I have 2 hours. Breathe.
Customs. An HOUR later get through the queue. Get luggage (yes another pick up), to walk less than 5 metres over to redeposit luggage on another turn style! Seriously? *rolls mind*
Check time – er … okay I have 20 minutes to make it to my gate to board. The gate turned out to be 700 million kilometers away. *facepalm*
So I half jogged, half limped (with a sore ankle) all the way. Realistically, it was about 1.2km away but with a full bladder, sore ankle, back pack, riding hat (hehe it didn’t FIT anywhere else) and laptop, which is darn heavy after a bit, this jogging limp was not working. Got there (just after boarding time) decided sod it and went to the loo – to get undressed first and to answer nature next. I was sweltering with all the jerseys and exercise. Went out, got boarding pass sorted and didn’t even need to stand in line. YAY me… sorry I’m late I HAD TO WEE first … much smirking and teasing later the nice man let me through and I embraced the -4˚C in the walkway ramp doodat heading to the entrance of the plane.
Narrowly avoided missing my flight to San Diego made it worth all the discomfort though. I had just under 5 hours to go to reach my destination. Friday the 13th!
We landed at 10h30 and as is the way of things in America apparently I had to go find a spot to wait outside for Jason.
There is very little call for people to come in and meet you. You get your stuff, you PAY for a cart ($3 to be exact!).
Picked up in a ‘truck’ (as per the American hehe… I would just say a moer of a bakkie) haha
Nerves were shot by this stage but upon getting into the truck and seeing Jason again after 8.5 months things sort of shifted and I relaxed – I think I might also have just been ridiculously exhausted.
We got home at 12h30. Within minutes of Jason leaving, FedEX arrived and I had to sign for my first ever delivery. Coffee shop stuff (not even for me, how rude hah)
I finally fell asleep around 16h00 and woke up at 20h00 when I heard Jason quietly shuffling about the room.
Happy Friday the 13th
Welcome to the United States of America J
