H to the O-M-E
Trip Start
Sep 04, 2006
1
29
Trip End
Dec 2006
Knoxville, Tennessee
Monday, December 4, 2006
I am back, as of about 11pm last night. Jet lag is unfortunately dulling my usual sharp wit, however, I will try to cohesively narrate my journey home.
It began at 730AM London Time when we woke, finished packing, and hopped on a coach bus to Gatwick Airport. From there, we hopped a 10 hour flight back to Hotlanta. Longest 10 hours of my life.
At roughly 6 PM Knoxville time (11pm London time), we landed back at the Atlanta Airport, all students putting full voice to the classic 'Born in the USA'.
Then the travel odyssey really began.
Getting off the plane, we were herded into passport control with a few million other weary international travelers, some of whom spoke English (Russian interpreter to Desk 112A, Please, Russian interpreter to desk 112A). Once the overworked immigration agent determined that I was who I was claiming to be, we passed on to the baggage claim to pick up our stuff. That done, the next step was to go through customs and hand in our customs forms (apparently a $250 item listed as 'Gifts' is not suspicious at all). Past that obstacle, the next thing was to re-check our bags (huh?) to be deposited out in the arrivals lobby on another baggage carousel and then go through security again. It felt almost like putting on a pair of pants backwards (hadn't we already done this?'). Reclaiming our loose change and keys from there, we had to go through a shoe scanner. Shoes back on, it was time to home on the tram and ride it all the way from one terminus to the next, where our families would be waiting after a series of seemingly pointless escalators.
Then I get my stuff back again.
The whole process took an hour from the time we were physically off the plane until the time when we finally saw our parents, or in my case, parents and Ben.
I was awake for about half of the car ride, but by then it was about 10pm Knoxville time(3 AM London Time), so I was out.
So that was it, my journey back.
When I have enough coherent thoughts to form a few closing words of wisdom, I will try to wrap up, but I need a nap.
Signing Off,
A
