Travel Home

This requires its own post.

5:30: My mom calls to wake me up so that I get to the airport on time. I stumble out of bed. Make tea, toast, pack, make sure I look reasonably adult. For some reason I like to look nice when I travel.

6:30 Leave my room. return my key, call a cab.

7:00 Arrive at the airport, spend about 10 minutes trying to find the check in counter. I found it and as I was checking my bags, they were over the limit. Both of them. But the guy was like, they are only 1 kilo over, so I am not going to charge you. And I was so relieved.

9:00 The flight is supposed to leave.

9:40 the flight actually leaves.

11:00 I switch my watch to New York time.

6:00 I watch The Devil Wears Prada

7:30 The Devil Wears Prada ends. I appreciate Continental's policy of having a flight attendent walk up and down the aisle with water.

8:00 I try to sleep. It is not happening. I write some of the Amsterdam blog, start working on a Christmas present, decide i have no mental energy and just sit there with my eyes closed.

11:20 The flight lands. I have not slept at all. This bodes no good.

11:20 I pass through passport control. The following conversation ensues:
Control Man: What animal product do you have?
Me: cheese.
Control Man: Is it hard or soft?
Me: Hard.
Control Man: Ok. You should have no problems with customs, but they might ask you about this again.

11:35 I get my bags. I don't have three dollars for the cart, So i am stuck dragging them around. Only one of them has wheels, and that is the lighter one!

11:40 I pass through customs. The following conversation ensues:
Customs man: You have cheese?
Me: Yes.
Customs man: You'll have to go through agriculture control. It's over there.

11:45 I go to agriculture control.
Agriculture man: What do you have?
Me: Hard Cheese.
AM: put your bags through the x-ray machine.
Me: that's it.. you don't need to seach my bag?
Am: no, that's it.