Fly Me.

(view from my window on the flight home. There's an ocean down there somewhere.)

I rode with a co-worker down to the airport, making the trip soooo much nicer. I hate driving and negotiating that place. Between the construction and the traffic, that's often the worst part of the trip. I even navigated the Atlanta airport like a seasoned traveler, lap top slung across my shoulder, pulling my trolley suitcase behind me like all the pros. As a Sky Miles member, using the check in kiosks were a breeze and I remembered to tie a ribbon around the handle of my bag to spot it more easily at baggage claim when we landed. I checked the bag, got my boarding pass and then it was on to the ominous security lines.

I hate going thru the security section. Dread it even. But amazingly enough, I negotiated security without problem. I always seem to set off those alarms. This time I took off every piece of jewelry, took out the lap top correctly, removed my shoes without being yelled at, took off my jacket and made it through without any bells and alarms and didn't get that annoying pat down they seem to like to do these days. YAY me.

Once thru Security, my stress level dropped immensely. I actually found myself looking forward to the trip. We camped out in the Crown Room until flight time.

The flight was great. I always get a window seat. It's kinda like morbid fascination. It just seems so surreal looking out the window. I don't get the math. How flying works just boggles my mind. I just know we shouldn't be able to do this. But the view is amazing and I can't stop looking out. The picture above came out pretty well too.

I slipped off my shoes and settled in. I skipped watching the movie, enjoyed the dinner they served and once it got dark, curled up with the hum of the engines lulling me to sleep for the last 2 hours of the flight.

Then the trouble started. No not with the plane..... with my feet. They swelled up so much I could barely zip the ankle boots. What's up with that?! I hobbled thru the SJU airport to baggage claim. And I mean hobbled. OMG every step was excruciating but there was no way I was going to walk barefoot thru that place. So onward we trekked. And trekked. And trekked. Got the bags, made it outside to the taxi stands and grabbed a van to the hotel.

Driving in San Juan is not recommended for tourists. It's one insane place. Nobody uses turn signals. Stop signs after dark are a suggestion and not recommended obeying, and during the day if the sidewalk is available it too becomes a driving option. What a wild ride that was.

We made it safely to the hotel after being tossed around in the taxi and I hobbled to the front desk to check us all in (there were 5 of us). I couldn't wait to get to my room, rip off my shoes and soak my feet. Ladies...You know how you sit on the bathroom counter, feet in sink and put on makeup ... or soak your feet in my case... Well, you can't do that with a pedestal sink. Or a shower stall. PFFT. I settled for wrapping my feet in hot wet towels and propping them up. Less than an hour after landing, I went to sleep.

Damn, I'm getting old. This fact is to be proven even worse, on Day 2.