Travel update

My mom and I got to the airport super early on Saturday in preparation for the wicked amount of waiting we were sure to have to experience. We checked our bags at the sidewalk checkin where there was only one person in front of us. (A family with an infant and a child and 4,000 bags. Good Lord, I am glad I do not have to travel with small children.) We went inside and looked at the security line that had maybe 10 people in it. Hmm, time for our traditional Japanese pre-flight meal. They charged us $1.50 for green tea! Whaa?

We killed some time before hurrying to wait to be close to the last people in line to board a very full plane. Once seated, we took off for the runway, only to return to the gate because somehow some extra dude managed to find his way onto the plane. They kicked him and his duffel out while my seatmate and I contemplated what he would do to get back at United. (Can you imagine getting onto the plane, thinking you are set to travel and then Boom! Yer off!)

We made it into Chicago on time and had burgers at the Billy Goat. (Yum).

We were the last to board the plane this time around. (Boarding group 4!) Brutal. But it was a bigger plane and we each got aisle seats. I pulled out the laptop and awkwardly watched girls taking their tops off to dance for a Mexican Mafioso on "24".

We landed on time in Denver (Can you believe it?) and made our way into the terminal. That is where the madness ensued. 50 gazillion people and suitcases covered every square inch. Look.

Crazy, isn't it? We met my sister at baggage claim, along with everyone else who was on a plane that day and proceeded to wait three hours until they finally unloaded the luggage from the plane. I have to say that up to that point, the hordes were friendly with everyone rooting for others' lugagge to be found. Once the buzzer rang, and our suitcases started to appear, the people cemented themselves in place in front of the carousel and would not move, even if you pushed them.

The baggage handlers overloaded the carousel and it jammed, wreaking more havok on the psyche of the travelers and pissiness began to creep upon them. We waited a while longer until the situation was resolved and suitcases began finding their way around again. I found my bright blue suitcase (that was on its maiden voyage) practically right away, but had to squeeze through the masses to get it, and lemme tell ya, I do not travel lightly. After my suitcase was placed under the eagle vision of my sister, I went off in search of my mother's. After many laps, I found it and chased it around the carousel. I tried to squeeze between people to get it and they would not let me in. I finally pushed through and had a grip on it, but the people would not move to let me yank it off. So I pulled with all my strength and hit them as hard as I could. My mother does not travel lightly, either. You would think that people would recognize that if they let me get my suitcase out of the way, I might leave and make more room for them. People are stoopid.

It was 1:00 AM when we left the airport and drove home to my sister's house. Almost there, my sister noticed three rogue horses on the side of the road. She stopped the car and chased them home. One sank into snow as high as its shoulder and in a flurry of movement and snow, burst out and ran down the driveway. My sister knocked on the door, but who answers it at 2:00 AM? So she made sure the horses were far off the road and returned to the car to drive us home.

The horse story was told to illustrate that I am not in DC no more. Horses on the side of the road? Snow to a horse's shoulder? Egads. But it is beautiful here and I couldn't be happier.