Feels Like Home to Me

Expectations are funny things. As human beings, we have expectations for absolutely everything. Good, bad or indifferent, we 'expect' things to be a certain way. I was full of expectations for my [last?] trip down under. Me, I usually expect the worst, kinda a glass half empty kinda gal. So sue me. Someone has to make the happy go-lucky glass is half full people look good. Right? Right! That person would be me.

As I left home on Thursday, I expected something to go wrong. After all, there was 36 hours of travel time. No way I was going to get here without a hitch.

Leg 1: Reno to Los Angeles. Exit row, no one next to me. Took off on time, landed on time. Check.

Hello? Anybody here?

Leg 2: Los Angeles to Auckland. Well to be fair, I did have a 9.5 layover but didn't think much about anything going particularly wrong so expectations for this leg was it would be long and likely boring. Reality? Landed at terminal 8, needed to be at terminal 2. I decided it was a lovely day for a walk. Sunny and 79 was heavenly. Walked into the terminal and down to Air New Zealand. Ah-ha! The counter isn't open yet. (This I was expecting. I knew that United couldn't print the boarding passes and I assumed it would be closed when I arrived.) Not a big deal. Stood in line, plugged in the iPhone for awhile and chatted. The hour flew by. Then breezed through security (thanks to having status with United). Next stop lunch. And then it happened. My bubble burst. My good day gone bad. As I was talking to my sister, I grabbed my bag to go to the lounge on the second level. First, I drop my phone (the iPhone just isn't good for the shoulder/neck hold, it's too slippery). As it goes flying, I grab my bag and it doesn't quite feel right and sure enough, my laptop drops out onto the tiled floor with a distinct thud. Oh great. Not thinking, I drop my small backpack and realize my iPad is in it as it drops to the floor with a smack. Ugh (although honestly, that was not what came out of my mouth)! Fortunately for me, all electronics functioned normally despite my best efforts to break something. Fast forward 7 hours and waiting for boarding to begin. Waiting, waiting, waiting. 30 minutes after the process should have started and 30 minutes before take-off. No movement. No announcements. No nothing. Finally it comes. The moment all travelers dread. "We regret to inform you"... and my mind goes numb. After 9 hours I am not leaving. You see, there was a light on.  The mechanic cleared it quickly but unfortunately, the crew had to "stand down." What does that mean exactly? I'll tell you exactly what it means. It means they are not at the airport. They are back at the hotel chilling. Which means, now that the mechanic turned the light off, the crew can now commence the journey to LAX. Great. Surely they are like, next door to the numerous properties adjacent to the airport. One would think. However, you would be wrong. WRONG! No, they were in some Podunk suburb that I can't be bothered to remember but I do know that it took over an hour to arrive at the airport and another 30 for them to clear security. Oh, they tried to tell the weary gate agents (who were busy explaining over and over what was going on and took a lot, and I mean a lot, of grief from frustrated passengers) that they tried to clear security quickly but had to stay in line. REALLY? They have their own special line and I have watched crews countless times go to the front of the line (as it should be). No sense of urgency as I am watching the precious minutes of my 2.5 hours layover dwindle down to less than an hour. Take your time, I don't mind missing my connection in Auckland and then again in Sydney. Two hours later, we are finally on our way. Check.

Leg 3: Auckland to Sydney. I was in Auckland 36 minutes. This was wheels hitting the tarmac to wheels up. Whew! Naturally, my connection was as far apart as possible. I was first off the plane and on my way to security. Now this bugs me. I just got off a flight. Exactly what are you looking for? I never left the secured area. Do you think that I managed to construct a bomb or pick up a gun? Then some wannabe cop decides that I look like a threat to New Zealand and pulls me aside for additional screening, including explosive testing. Again, how and where would I get a bomb? I just got off one of YOUR namesake flights. Are you implying your own security is that bad? Worst of all, she then told me I'd better hurry or I would miss my flight. Thanks for the tip, captain obvious. I hightailed it to the gate, walked on the plane and they shut the door behind me. Check.

Approach into Auckland

Leg 4: Sydney to Melbourne. Ah, the leg that would finally get me where I needed to be. But first, I had the dreaded immigration and customs. After my last experience I was dreading it. I was expecting the worst and hoping for the best. Well, my usual mentality totally failed me. YEAH! The glass was indeed half full! I walk off the plane, and with my express pass in hand, I smugly walk past the crowds to immigration. Alas, the room is empty. No express pass needed. I put on a big smile walk forward and hand over my entry card and passport. The guy scans my passport, stamps it and tells me to have a good day. Insert enormous sigh here. WHEW! I walk down the stairs to wait for my bag and a customs officer walks over and asks for my passport and entry card. I had them over and she quizzes me about food. Do you have any food, she asks. No, I reply (trust me I learned this lesson a long time ago). Any fruit? No. (Isn't fruit a food? Didn't I just say No? Is this a test?) Any meats? No. Nuts? No. Plant material? No. Any shoes with dirt on them? No. Visit any farms lately? Why, no. I am a city girl, not a farm girl. She just looks at me. For a moment I forgot, no jokes with anyone who works for a government. My bad.  Finally she seems satisfied and stamps my card and hands it back to me. Amazingly, I got my bag (it was the 3rd one offloaded) and I made my way through customs. This time, I got to skip the x-ray part and the dog humping part! WOOT! 

Freedom! I proceed to Qantas domestic to re-check my bag. Easy, peasy. Then the agent asks if I want an earlier flight. Heck yeah! All this took place in less than 40 minutes. Next stop: Gloria Jeans. Check.

So what was I expecting when I touched down in Melbourne? I was expecting to feel surreal, like I was living someone else's life. But all I felt was the feeling of being home. The same feeling when I land in Portland or Seattle. I think it is official. I can no longer separate 'home' in the states from 'home' in Australia. Other than the long commute, it feels like home to me.