I have been back at work a few days and we haven’t been doing much. I actually did nothing for new years as I actually forgot and was already in bed before midnight. I normally give something up and decide on something to learn, I haven’t figured out something for either this year so maybe this year ill give up giving things up…lol
Should be at work for a few weeks, its amazing how fast you can slip right back into old habits and routines.
More later…
Yesterday was Christmas eve and I was at my moms in Gillette. We got up early and drove up to Billings Montana to meet a bunch of family for Christmas. We had Christmas in a ball room in the Holiday inn. There were tables and a Christmas tree. It actually was a lot better than I would have expected. We went out to eat lunch and opened presents in the afternoon. Everyone had a good time, afterwards we pushed a few tables together and played board games and cards till the wee hours. Everyone was staying in town for another two days so we had lots of time. We played a lot of cards and a few other board games, as well as just sitting around chatting. This was the first Christmas that Erin me mom and dad have been together in 18 years!!! Wow
My best friend Brooke brought her kids over and we all went swimming,. Afterwars we went for lunch and then they had to head home.. We all did a bit of shopping in the evening, spending some of those newly received gift cards. I bought books and some new clothes.
Everyone was leaving Tuesday so we made the most of It playing games and spending time together. I had received an email about going to work, so I was leaving as well. Should be interesting going back to work. I am looking forward to getting a paycheck… its been a while.
More later…
Got up and checked out of the hotel and said goodbye to Charissa as we were both going to different airports.
I made my taxi driver really upset, I only had a few Argentinean Pesos left and offered to pay in dollars but he wasn’t have any of it. I kinda just had to throw dollars at him and run away. Then I went through a gate into Hell!!! There were thousands of people crammed in the check out area… I asked the lady what was going on and it the airlines were on strike. GREAT… so I got in line and waited with the rest of the people. After waiting in line for about 40 minutes this lady told me I was supposed to be in the other line. Now that sounds like a bad thing but it really wasn’t. The international line was much shorter as the international people wernt on strike anymore!!! Woo hoo
After I got checked in and through the line, the flights were beginning to take off. Only problem is that there were lots of flights backed up from all morning. SO my flight was delayed over two hours; which sucked because my layover was less than that in Chile.
When I got to chile my flight had left an hour and a half before I got there. Now the real problems start. I went up into the connections area and they said I had to go out through customs and re check in at the other airline. I went down to customs and they wanted me to pay $135 to get into Chile, and I wasn’t having any of that, just to check in for my flight. So they sent me back upstairs to the connections area. There I found a lady who spoke a little bit of English. My Spanish isn’t that bad but in crisis mode I forgot all of it. She was my savior… she worked for over an hour to get me a new flight because I had another flight the next day. There was a flight that had been delayed for over an hour, to LA and I was able to get on it. After I got to the gate I noticed that I was riding first class!!! I loved that girl who set up my flights.
The first class on a 10 hour flight is amazing!!! My seat laid down completely flat with the touch of a button. The meal was a really good steak with fixins, the hot towels and drinks were very nice as well. I really could get used to flying like that. I got to LAX feeling refreshed… then I got to customs. The line was so long, it took over two hours to get to the guy who checks your information form… and he sent me to another line. So I walked over there and these guys went through my bags and asked lots of questions. If I didn’t need to pee so bad it would have been fine, but I felt like I was being tortured. After I got through that I walked out side in the good ole US of A for a while from terminal 4 to number one.
Checked in for my next flight and breezed through security. The flight was really short and I arrived in Phoenix less than an hour later than I was originally supposed to get there.
Dad was waiting for me outside the gate, it was great to see him. I have decided that on my travels that it is infinitely better getting off a bus or plane and having someone waiting for you than it is to just get off. We got my backpack and headed to the car. Dad threw me the keys and said I was driving. I hadn’t drove for over 6 months and he wanted me to drive in rush hour traffic in phoenix. Great!
We made it out of the airport just fine and found the apple store in Chandler. I got myself an early Christmas present, a new MBP 15”. Afterwards we drove back home. It was going to be an early morning as dad and cathy’s flight had changed from 7 to 5am. Mine wasn’t until 8am. So we had to get up at 3am. Well when dad and I finished talking and packing it was about 1am… short night indeed!!!
More later…
