Getting Here

It all started Wednesday morning....

I was stressing out and worried about everything that was to come within the next few hours.

My luggage had been packed for a few days, but continued to cause me grief, so that morning we grabbed another bag and moved some stuff around.

Even as we got to the airport, it didn't feel real. This trip didn't feel real. There was no way I was going to another country. Just didn't feel anything. It was after I said good-bye to my mom and got in line for security did I start to feel a little something. Mostly nervousness. But for the first time since I decided to go, I was feeling something.

When we got to the airport, they informed me I was allowed 2 check-in bags with my Air New Zealand flight, and I didn't have to pay for my luggage. After our group got together, I found out I was the only one who didn't have to pay to check my luggage. That was my first blessing of my trip.

Then we got to LAX after I bonked my head trying to climb over the other passengers, giving myself a litte goose-egg that still hurts :( But I was able to sit by the window, and got some cool pictures flying over the mountains.

After arriving in LAX, we had to leave the secured area (which freaked me out a little, .... okay, a lot!) and go check in for Air New Zealand. I was the first in our group in line, and all the passengers before me were having to weigh both of the their carry-on luggage, because it is one of the most strict airlines. Your carry on can only be 15 lbs, and your second carry on has to be a small personal item. My backpack by no means was small, as you can probably tell by my picture, so I was stressing out a little. The customers in front of me were frantically trying to move things around so the weight would be distributed in their carry ons, and while they did that, I prayed.

When I got to the counter, they only weighed my carry on bag, and didn't even look at my backpack. Second blessing. Tim, another student on this grand adventure, told me they would make me pay for my second carry on with Air New Zealand. I didn't. Third blessing.

I braced myself for the 13 hour flight walking around the entire four hour lay-over. The flight was smooth, I didn't remember falling asleep, until we hit some pretty tumultuous turbulence, and I was awake again. After I fell asleep again, I guess the stewardesses are supposed to go around and turn off the tvs if the passenger is asleep. I felt a hand at my side, and grabbed it out of reflex. I think the poor stewardess peed her pants because of it.

Anyway, things were nice. We were fed, and given "lollies" a word I had to have repeated to me 3 times before I understood what was being said.

So far everyone has been extremely welcoming and understanding at our "American Stupidities" as I have dubbed it. I'm sure it will continue, but for now I'm enjoying it.


I have now rambled much longer than I had originally anticipated, and I'm pretty sure it was not enjoyable to read. Sorry. I think it's mostly because I'm tired. I promise though, lots of fun "Tiffany-fied" stories from here on out. I have a couple, but I'm so tired from staying up through the jet lag that I don't even think I can type that much