Wednesday 26 January 2011

A trip home from home

I left home on Friday to come home again. I know that sounds weird. Because I live in Scotland and have been there for two and a half years now (without visiting), I was on my way home to visit my two oldest children who still live in Arkansas.

I requested a window seat for the flight from Edinburgh to Newark but none were available. I saw someone coming down the aisle towards me (in the back row!) and knew he was the Window Seat Guy. I got up and let him make his nest and we both hoped no one sat in the middle. We got lucky!

Once I realised I wasn't going to be squished on the ride, having the seat between me and Window Seat Guy, I relaxed. Parts of me were a bit anxious but I soon relaxed and the old "travelling" me came right back to life. Normally, whenever the plane would take off from Edinburgh, I would cry because my heart has always been in Scotland and I always felt like I was leaving home. But that day, as the plane gained speed on the runway and slowly lifted off the ground into the foggy sky ... then breaking through the other side to reveal blue skies and a sea of fluffy clouds below, the mist in my eyes was because I know this is now home.

The flight was pretty uneventful. I felt a little bit of turbulence when we got near Newark. I saw snow on the ground but the runways were clear. I had a very little layover in Newark and I was on my way to Houston pretty quickly. I was cold on that flight and they didn't have any blankets and a four-hour flight with no food unless you paid for it - and they don't take cash anymore! I broke down and bought a snack-pack and once I got to Houston, I started looking for food!

I had a three hour layover so I took my time walking to the terminal and my gate. One of the first things that caught my eye was a massage chair. I used a $5 bill and it is the absolute best $5 I have ever spent in my life! For fifteen minutes I relaxed while the chair did its job (give me a second, I'm reminiscing ...). *sigh* Okay, I'm back.

Once my layover was over, I walked to my gate - I was nearly in Arkansas. I knew my daughter would be on her way to the airport soon. Finally, finally, finally!! I was going to see my little girl and my son (I better not call him my little boy!).

My flight arrived in Little Rock and I couldn't possibly get downstairs too quickly to see them after I got off the plane. Travis wasn't feeling well so Whitney came with Shawn (her fiancĂ©) and Niki brought her girls. What a lovely welcome back to Arkansas!! We chatted for awhile and then we picked up my checked bag (which came out right away!) then I picked up my rental car.

That was a big mistake. I should've waited until the next day. You see ... I drive on the left in Scotland. I have driven on the left for the last two and a half years. I had been travelling for about 24 hours (14 on planes). I actually tried to drive on the left when we left Wal-Mart. Thank goodness, I haven't done that since!

Once I finally got to where I was going, I could feel the jet lag really setting in. I'm getting too old for this. I laid down on the bed and although it took me awhile to fall off to sleep (there really is something to this
'too tired to sleep' thing...), I did get some rest that night.

As usual, I was wide awake about 8:30am, even though I'd gone more than 24 hours without sleep. I was ready to begin my first full day away from home ... at home.

3 comments:

  1. "I actually tried to drive on the left when we left Wal-Mart. Thank goodness, I haven't done that since!"

    Weirdly, my little brother did that very briefly in Houston once - despite never having driven in the UK at that point! (Ironically, he's never repeated the mistake in either country since, despite moving to the UK and visiting the US again since.)

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