6 hour layover in LAX... after a 12 hour flight... Supposedly I should be back in Reno around 8pm tonight. I guess this blog is now From Reno to Torino to Reno.
Customs was a breeze, they really make it easy for American citizens to get back into the country.
A funny coincidence, the couple next to me on this flight from Europe was an Italian couple! They were on their way to their honeymoon in Tahiti. I helped them out with their emigration form because they had a hard time understanding it because it was in English. Although I couldn't translate a lot of it, between their jumbled English and my sparse Italian, we managed to get the form filled out. They were really nice and very appreciative for the help, they were trying to figure it out with a little pocket dictionary, since I had been in their shoes for the last three months I was really happy that I could help them, even if only a little.
Other than that it was a very uneventful flight, I can't seem to sleep on planes, only trains and buses...weird.
One weird thing about the whole process of entering the country that I think is new since I went to Australia, is they actually have boarder security at the end of the gate (actually standing outside of where you get out of the plane, on that little bridge between the plane and the airport terminal) where they check your passport. I think it is to make sure that you have a passport and didn't slip aboard or something, because if you step foot on American soil (which I think the airport constitutes, but not the plane) you can ask for asylum and other protection... Not sure but that's my theory.
While waiting for my plane to Reno, which I'm still doing, I went to Burger King...actually it was a combo Burger King/Starbucks, only in America :-), and had my first burger back in the states...yummy. I also got the large drink, which I think if an Italian saw, would scare them...
My big duffel bag had a little surprise for me when I pulled it off the machine in LAX, a ticket that warned the baggage handlers that it was a "heavy bag" lol, I guess I really packed that thing tight! I didn't see any liquids dripping out of it so I hope that means my two bottles of wine, and very good italian olive oil are still intact.
Still waiting for my plane, about 30-40 minutes probably. But after that I will be back in Nevada....back in Reno...and back with my friends and family. I'll be sure to do some kind of reflection blog about the whole trip, but I'll save that until I've had a couple days to digest everything.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g99UWMCBPpN8V8RM-ij1WcuVLYow
Luckily this was NOT my flight. :-)
Friday, August 8, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
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