Home!

Today is our first full day back in North America. We are working to adjust to our new digs and relearning to drive on the right. We've ordered a new bed frame (the mattress is here and is doing its job already) and are working on opening a bank account. Soon you won't be able to tell us from a regular Washingtonian (?)



The trip yesterday (and the day before?) was long but mostly uneventful. We did have some "fun" when we arrived at LAX. We went to immigration and while I had no trouble getting through the Global Traveler automated process, Elizabeth was refused since she had changed her passport a year and half ago. So there was a delay here.

Once we collected our luggage we headed off for another terminal for our domestic flight to SeaTac. Unknown to us there is a Virgin Atlantic Airline and a Virgin American Airline and they are quite different terminals. Naturally, we headed to wrong one. Once we realized our error, we headed back to the curb intending to hail a cab. Then we realized that to do that we needed to go downstairs. Our Elizabeth was having none of that...she accosted a fellow who had just let some folks out and offered him $20 to take us from terminal 2 to terminal 6. He agreed and off we went.

We checked in our luggage and headed for security screening. Because of our Global Traveler clearance, we get TSA precheck so we expected to be easy. It was until the x-ray machine dies while our stuff was half way through. The agents removed the stuff from the machine while we waited. No big deal, just another hassle along the road.

Finally, we get to our gate and yeah!, there's a Starbucks next to us. I head over for well-deserved mocha. As most of you know, I've been a decaf drinker for years since I don't seem to do well stoked up on caffeine. No decaf...the machine was broken! So I took a smaller cup of caffeinated. What was a body to do?

The flight to Seattle was fine and we arrived safe and sound. So far, it seem that only our cuttlefish bone was damaged in transit. It was just too fragile to travel.

We are settling in to our new apartment and it is clear that we'll be very happy here. We've just got to get the basic things that everyone has (bank account, car, driver's license, voter registration,...) to be living somewhere definite. After nearly two years being homeless and having none of these worries, it suddenly feels like a heavier weight that it really is.

You will continue to see Australia adventure postings up through late March. After that, I expect things to slow down a bit as we transition into a more "regular" life. Of course, for us, this means being in and out of Snohomish as we continue some shorter house sits. Stay tuned. Adventures continue.