A ship, a bus, two planes

Posted on 2017-01-29 by Holly

and a car. The last one being driven by George who picked me up at the Oakland Airport and brought me home.

For those of you who have never done it, let me just say that I don’t think anyone enjoys departure day off a ship. It normally means arising early, dealing with breakfast in jammed venues then the start of a series of “hurry up and wait.”  In the case of a ship docking anywhere that one needs to clear immigration, you have to add in that extra line between picking up luggage and exiting the port terminal. Follow that bit of crowding and chaos with a trip to the airport on a bus with a driver who thinks he has a bus load from Carnival and can’t figure out why we all don’t laugh at his jokes.

Airports involve endless lines at security even when one magically seems to be on the Pre Check list, waiting at gates, cramming into planes with people who don’t want to check anything even when it is free, running to one’s connecting flight and being at the end of boarding rather than the beginning.

But I made it home safe and sound. My luggage even arrived on the same flight. I’m even pretty much unpacked with a load in the washing machine. But I am out of energy, and my body is telling me it has been up for 20 hours so it is safe to say I should probably say good night.

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About Holly

fiber person - knitter, spinner, weaver who spent 33 years being a military officer to fund the above. And home. And family. Sewing and quilting projects are also in the stash. After living again in Heidelberg after retiring (finally) from the U.S. Army May 2011, we moved to the US ~ Dec 2015. Something about being over 65 and access to health care. It also might have had to do with finding a buyer for our house. Allegedly this will provide me a home base in the same country as our four adult children, all of whom I adore, so that I can drive them totally insane. Considerations of time to knit down the stash…(right, and if you believe that…) and spin and .... There is now actually enough time to do a bit of consulting, editing. Even more amazing - we have only one household again. As long as everyone understands that I still, 40 years into our marriage, don't do kitchens or bathrooms. For that matter, not being a golden retriever, I don't do slippers or newspapers either. I don’t miss either the military or full-time clinical practice. Limiting my public health/travel med/consulting and lecturing to “when I feel like it” has let me happily spend my pension cruising, stash enhancing (oops), arguing with the DH about where we are going to travel next and book buying. Life is good!
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10 Responses to A ship, a bus, two planes

  1. Alison says:
    2017-01-30 at 00:32

    Welcome home! G’night.

    Reply
  2. Val says:
    2017-01-30 at 00:55

    Perhaps under the circumstances (easy to say with hindsight) it may have been prudent to stay overnight somewhere en route.

    However, there is nothing quite like being home.

    Reply
  3. Brad says:
    2017-01-30 at 06:12

    Good night, my friend.

    Reply
  4. Dawn says:
    2017-01-30 at 06:13

    I’m glad you made it home safe and sound. The news shows that it was crazy at many airports yesterday.

    I hope you are feeling revived after your brief adventure.

    Reply
    • Holly says:
      2017-01-30 at 09:14

      We had crazy, but it was solely due to ships off loading thousands of passengers and not customs issues. At least not at FLL domestic terminals

      Reply
  5. Stu says:
    2017-01-30 at 11:52

    Its not all bad. Yesterday I got off the Pearl walked past Disney and got on the Navigator all in cold Miami. Currently sitting in a bar overlooking the harbor in Naussa.

    Reply
  6. Lynne says:
    2017-01-30 at 12:58

    Good night.
    Try to rest, at least as long as posssibe.
    Be safe.
    Be well.

    Reply
  7. Helen says:
    2017-01-30 at 14:14

    Having lived overseas 30+ years for work and coming home for visits during the summer and at x-mas, I totally get you. The travel day is VERRRRRY LOOONNNNNG Go to bed. 🙂

    Reply
  8. Isobel says:
    2017-01-30 at 15:41

    Glad you’re home safely with a minimum of stress.

    Reply

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