what airline is this?

my flight home.

after all i went through on my way home, i have to say i am a very lucky girl.

i get to the airport. they are checking my luggage and tell me i can only check two bags and it can only be 60 kilos. i tell them i have my life with me and i have three bags. the lady asks if i can stick one into the other. this is going to be a long day.

i start taking things out of one bag that i will need, and try making room in another to fit it in. i'm there about 10 minutes and then the lady goes, okay you know what, you have less than 60 kilos so just check all three bags. halleluyah!

so the first hurdle is down. i get through security, and then comes the gate. when you go through the gate, they have to check your passport since it's to America and they want to know how long you have been there to make sure you didn't overstay, etc. you can only stay for 90 days as a tourist. if you overstay with no visa or anything, you could either be put in jail or fined about $1,000.

i walk up to the guy, he smiles at me, takes my passport, smiles at my passport (the picture's pretty bad). he's flipping through it, and asks when i got to Spain. i say January instead of August, since i went home and came back. he shakes his head, and shows me my visa. of course, it's about six months expired. i just say, "oh, that was from last year."

he goes, "yes, so where is your stamp?" as in, my stamp of when i came back in. i showed him the one of when i came back and it's from December 31. close enough to January. he shakes his head. i just look at him kind of confused, praying i won't be turned away or called aside or anything, and crack a smile. he gestures behind him and says, "just go, just go." i made it!

second hurdle down.

so i get to the gate and my airline is Pakastani Airlines. i know, what was i thinking. i was probably the only white girl there. so as we're getting on the plane, they have to check every bag, every person. there is a huge line, and they sit there and take everything out of your carry on. they reach me finally, and they take my bag, take everything out, open everything. they open my books and leaf through every page. they tell me to turn on my laptop. they open my gum back, all my medicine boxes, everything. then they pat me down. this i passed of course, it just took forever!

the plane to Chicago was not full at all. probably because it's Pakastani and nobody wants to get on that! only a few movies were American, the rest were in their language. the food was Pakastani, there was tea with every meal, the announcements were in their language. the good thing was there were extra seats so that meant extra space to spread out!

in the end, i made it to Chicago. nine hours later.

my flight from Chicago to Florida was nothing after that. i lost one bag, and it was all shoes (i know, that's sad). but i filled out a form and they sent it to my house the next day.

my first thoughts in the airport coming home:
what time is it?
the diet coke tastes weird.
everyone is speaking English.

it is now Sunday and my arms still hurt from the IVs in the hospital.