The Last Day (Way Back In February)
Before I get started on her trip in May, I need to finish up posting about mine way back in February.
Well, the trip started on a Wednesday and it ended on one as well. I had trouble sleeping the night before, so I was feeling kind tired. Fortunately, my flight wasn't until the afternoon, so we had some time to just relax a bit. Orchid showed me her collection of photos she wanted to show me the night before. It was fun getting to see various snapshots of her life, including younger versions of her and people she used to know. She also had the photos I had sent her in her album as well.
After that, it was finally time for me to round up all my stuff together. While I worked on repacking everything, and thus also cleaning up her room since my suitcase had taken over about half of it, she went to talk to her mother about going out to lunch on the way to the airport. Unfortunately, her mother gave a hard time about being left out, which I didn't understand since she was invited to go with us, but Orchid said it wasn't as much as her being left out as she expected me to pay for her meal. I wouldn't have had any trouble with it, but I figured it was best not to go since she upset Orchid very badly.
The day went by pretty quickly and it started getting closer to the time of my flight. We did have a little extra time to spend before it was time to go, so we went outside for a little walk around the lake near her home. It was pretty cold out, so we brought our sweaters and jackets. Orchid was wrapped up in hers so much that only her eyes, nose and mouth were visible. While we were out, I took a handful of pictures of the area as well as some of her and some of the geese near the water. There was also some sort of wierd duck there too, I never really saw a duck like it before. I also picked up a rock to take home for my mother's garden since she likes to collect rocks from the various locations we visit and use them as decorations (as well as mark where they are from so we know where we found each rock).
We also played a little Mario Kart to pass the time. I kept having issues with opponent AI at Sherbert Land as the stupid CPU racers would ram me right into the ice blocks and freeze my car over. It was fustrating, but at least it amused Orchid. Since Sherbert Land was the first track of the cup, we unfortunately didn't make any progress before it was time to go.
As we were leaving, one of the cats, Kix, snuck out the door. We tried to catch him but he was running faster than he had ever done in his life. He was going so fast he had no control over where he was going and managed to run head first into a tree. Luckily, he was only dazed, but he had enough composure to regain speed and slip under a nearby house. Since it was time to go, we weren't able to catch him before I had to go.
On the way there, we stopped at Schwints to pick up more candied pecans for my family. We also needed to stop for gas. Since they were going through the trouble to take me home, I offered to pay for the gas since it was the least I could do. The gas station was kinda old and used pumps unlike any I've used before. It took a little figuring out, but I was able to get them working. I guess I'm spoiled by all the digital ones we have here at home.
We also stopped at the nearby college since I needed to have the paperwork for my flight printed, and Orchid was currently out of ink. The college was pretty nice and fortunately the printing area was close, so we didn't have to spend alot of time there.
The college was the last stop before we got to the airport, so Orchid and I played Pokemon for the rest of the car ride. We mixed records so that the information in my game would appear in hers and vice vesa, and did a quick trade. I gave her a Scoropi for a Zubat she named Donkey. The trip went by really quickly and before we knew it, we were already at the airport.
After some final goodbye hugs and kisses, I went in and got my baggage checked. I stopped at the airport giftshop to pick up some last minute goodies for my family before I left. I got a T-shirt for my father and a coffee mug for my mother. From the shop, I got in line for security, which was ginormous.
Despite its size, the security line moved pretty quickly. There were at least 13 lanes open that the line branched into, I ended up in the branch to the far right. The officer working security in my lane pulled me aside since I had my portable DVD player in my carry on back instead of out to be seen like all my other electronic devices. I guess all electronics must be out of the bag, though none of the other airports made me do so. The guy was very nice about it and laughed when I said that I hoped there were no bombs in my bag, he knew I was joking since he started joking with me first.
I got out of security just in time as it was already time to board my plane when I got there. It also helped that my gate was a little closer than it was when I first got there, and that I knew about the trains this time around. Everything went by really quickly and before I knew it, the plane had taken off and I was on my way home.
The plane trip itself didn't seem as quick and felt like it was longer than 5 hours. I didn't have anyone sitting next to me this time, so I was able to just set up my stuff in the seat next to me (there were three seat where I was, I was next to the isle and the other two, with the last one next to the window, were open). The inflight movie was some chick flick about a girl in college or something like that, it was boring so I didn't pay any attention to it. Instead, I watched my own movies on my portable DVD player. I was surprised how long my battery went as I was able to watch Nacho Libre and the first three episodes of the 2002 He-Man remake (edited together in movie format) without any trouble (each "movie" was at least an hour and a half long, which really helped pass the time).
It was pretty late when I got home. After my family picked me up from the airport, we went out to get that ice cream I was wanting on the first day. So for the rest of the evening, we ate ice cream and watched Robin Williams play Spore on Youtube.
All in all, it was a good trip and I can't wait until August 5th when I'll be heading back over there.