homeward bound

Flight #1:  Wellington, NZ to Auckland, NZ

• Quick, 1 hour flight.  We were served cottage pies and wine on board.  Gazed out the window at all the roads we traveled the past two weeks to drive from Auckland to Wellington.  Completely relieved to have handed over the luggage until Los Angeles.  Sad to be leaving, but it hasn't quite hit us.

Flight #2:  Auckland, NZ to Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.

• Flight was delayed leaving so was able to watch Home and Away one last time in airport.  Longest jaunt of the trip, 10 hour flight, crossing international date line.  Were served yummy dinner of ginger sesame chicken, with wine, followed by ice cream, snacks, and Cadbury hot chocolate.  On demand movies, I watched Marley and Me.  Tearjerker.  Lots of turbulence, slightly scary to experience in the middle of the night.  Barely any sleep...5 hours while fighting a headache.  Woke up, had ham and cheese frittata and tea for breakfast.  Opened shades on plane to experience sunlight.
• Departed NZ at 7 pm MONDAY evening.  Arrived LA at 11 am MONDAY morning.  Freaky time travel!

14 hour layover in Los Angeles

• We made it through customs, with little trouble due to swine flu, and were thankfully able to recheck our baggage 14 hours in advance! 
• Bret's friends still live in LA and his best pal Matt was flying in at the same time as us, so we met him, and had our first taste of America, Rubio's fish tacos (my favorite!) and a fountain Dr. Pepper...it's good to be home!

• Showered and cleaned up at Matt's place...the tiredness is starting to kick in!
• Visited USC's campus
• Happy hour with Matt...first American beer (Blue Moon draft)!
• Dinner in Santa Monica at Barney's Beanery outside on the patio.  

•  Back to the airport, greeted by dozens of local and national news vans, covering the swine flu.

Flight #3:  Los Angeles, CA to Dallas, TX

• Red-eye flight overnight, Bret slept the entire time, I listened to music and got a taste of my first American television from NBC, The Office
• Arrived in Dallas for a 3 hour layover at 5 in the morning.  So tired...can't sleep!

Flight #4:  Dallas, TX to Omaha, NE

• Quick flight, 1 hour.  Right before boarding, Bret realizes in his utter exhaustion, he has left his book and beloved iPod on previous flight.  Racing towards the other gate, only the book is waiting for him.  Frustrated, we fly into Omaha.
• As approaching Omaha skyline, I am feeling butterflies in my stomach as tears well up in my eyes.  I cannot even begin to process that we are actually home.
• Back on Omaha soil.  We made it.

• Last people off the plane, we freshen up, call American Airlines about the iPod, and walk up the ramp, back to our families.  Security guard welcomes us back to Omaha, and notifies us of movie filming at top of ramp, completely confusing us, turns out it was just my mom with her camera (so I thought).

• Homecoming to Bret's parents and my mom.  Greeted with a festive kiwi-green welcome home New Zealand sign, flowers, and GEORGE CLOONEY!
• Sure enough, GC is filming a movie...in the Omaha airport.  He sure is handsome in person, but as you can imagine, after 48 hours of travel, it is all a bit overwhelming.

 Not the best pic through the glass...but that's him!!!

• Lunch at New York Burrito (how I've missed thee) with our families!

•  Must. get. sleep. now.