Back in the USA

I trekked across half the world for a grand total of 27 hours of travel to get from Hong Kong to San Antonio (inlcuding layovers and travel to and from the airport). The flight from HK to Vancouver, miraculously, was only 10 and a half hours as opposed to the 15 I've grown accustomed to when flying direct to the States. What's more, I actually had my own TV with about 40 movies to choose from, as well as many TV shows to watch. Whenever I've flown to and from Asia, I've never gotten the personal TV. The only downside was the guy in front of me was practically in my lap because he was reclined so far back (have you seen the movie Last Holiday, with Queen Latifah? If so, I was picturing the part where she is on the plane and the guy in front of her is doing in the same thing).

I wasn't able to really sleep on the plane, and when we got to Vancouver, it was only 8 am (though my body was telling me it was midnight). I had a good six hours to wait. When I had checked in at Hong Kong, the lady checked my bags through to San Antonio, but told me I would have to get my boarding pass on to Denver, then SA when I got to Vancouver. If only I had know what a headache that would be! I got stopped four times in about 20 minutes in Vancouver and was demanded to show my boarding pass, which I didn't have. It was frustrating because I had to continually convince people I was supposed to be there. I only had a printed itinerary from my email.

So I got to the counter in Vancouver for my flight to Denver to pick up my boarding pass ... and they had no record of me on the flight. Perfect. The guy was nice but in a hurry, so he was able to get me on the flight to Denver but not the next one to SA and told me I'd have to do that in Denver. So I boarded the plane for the two hours to Denver, and as we descended into the snowy city, we went through very rough turbulence because of a storm there, and it was all I could do not to be sick. Very miserable. I had less than an hour between the Denver and San Antonio flights, and was so worried I wouldn't get on the flight to SA. The gate we landed at in Denver was very close to the gate for SA, so I hurried over, and explained my case to the ticket counter lady. She again had no record of my booking, so I showed her my printed itinerary and was practically in tears as I had still had no sleep, felt sick, and was just so close to Texas by that point I wasn't about to just sit in Denver overnight for the next plane. She got me on the flight, PTL, and I so happily boarded.

We landed in SA after 11 pm, and my parents were there to meet me. We waited for luggage to come out, and I pulled off my smaller bag, which only had my old laptop in it, and waited for my next bag with everything else. It eventually became clear all the bags were unloaded, and mine wasn't there. I was just so tired and wanted to go home, shower, and change clothes. I had to fill out a form, and was told my bag was left in Denver. Of course. So we headed home, hit Las Palapas for some breakfast tacos as I was starving (sooooo gooooood), and my mom lent me something to wear to bed.

So now, I'm home, and I still am wearing the same clothes but the airline should be dropping off my bag soon so I can finally change. Yay! I'm just so glad to be off a plane, and on solid ground again. And it feels so nice to drive on the right side of the road! I'm having a little bit of reverse culture shock, but I've been really enjoying seeing people and can't wait to reconnect with more friends while I'm here. Though, I must admit, I do miss Hong Kong.