Departure Day!

Yes, I am very excited to head back home. I hope that the heat will be a tad more tolerable or at least not be so humid.

Packing was quite the adventure- I swear I didn't buy that much but seeing it laid out for packing sure didn't help my argument. The fact that my suitcase weighed 50 pounds exactly (yes, I am a pro), I shipped 11 pounds, and my carry ons gave my arms a workout they've been missing this past week further weakened my original assessment. I'm sure my credit card statement will be the third and final strike against it, but when really is the next time I'll be at some of my favorite stores? Hopefully my body also isn't coming back heavier...but there was lots of good food & again, hamburgers. Actually, I do have a ton of new freckles so maybe they can be blamed for some extra mass? Hey- a girl can justify and rationalize until she's blue in the face and I just may do that after my first trip back to the gym.

Finding my way to ORF was no biggie although I had no idea that's what it looked like. Apparently not only was in really late/dark when I arrived but I was also not looking around. Eh, it was dark and I had a GPS telling me where to go. After snagging one last passion lemonade tea from Starbucks I sat at the gate. And sat more. We finally boarded and then sat even more. The plan was so hot (because it had been waiting for us) and the air just wasn't moving. Fortunately I was in the front row of this little CRJ200 and while the door was still open felt some air. Problem was when it was shut I wanted to die. It was the kind of heat that all you want to do is sleep- so I'm pretty sure I did. Nothing like dying of heat and sweat before your first flight takes off in a sequence of travel. We had to wait again after arriving at JFK. I don't get it. I just sit and wait.

JFK was fun. Maybe because I was in terminal 2 (not 3) or maybe it's because I started talking with a lady who was supposed to leave for Munich 20 minutes after I left for Rome and a girl headed to Mexico City 10 minutes before my flight left. I mention the times because guess who's flight was the last to leave? You've got it- mine! It was also fun talking to Americans getting ready for their Italy tour since it gave me more places to check out and even more excited about heading home. Yes, home.

I cat napped on and off that entire flight but after watching La Dulce Vida. It's an Italian film that was only so so but most of it takes place in Kenya. For a split second I wanted to find myself a Nairobi bound flight when touching down in Rome. Well, it was for more than a split second. And in the midst of it I thought hey- Kenya felt like home too. No Katie, you can't have that many homes.

Lots of time passed while I slept....woke up just in time for a breakfast of random stuff including Milano cookies? Hm. Maybe I am Italian? Yum.

After another short flight that  I slept through, I made it back to the land of fanny packs, tiny cars, and Euros. Let me tell you- I've never been so happy to get off a non full airplane and feel the ambient temp. At 11am it was a mere 21C! I think VA was maybe getting that cool late at night? Best part???? Little to no humidity! Thank you Naples for your welcome back present to me.