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Dec. 10th, 2007 04:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prosodicHi all!
We're here! Notice also, the time. Hello, jetlag...my old friend! It's funny, but Lance and I always wake up at around the same time when we have jetlag.
Anyway, getting here was relatively uneventful. The only complaint I had about our flight from Amsterdam to Washington - Dulles (and by the way, our seats in the last row did recline), is that my personal entertainment system didn't work properly. I watched No Reservations as my first film, and it kept losing vertical hold, color, and sometimes the picture went out. The audio continued to work fine. And I complained about it to the flight attendant and she suggested that I switch seats and I said, "That's okay, I don't want to be separated from my husband." And she snapped, "Well then I can't help you!"
It was the way she said it. Rude. Anyway, the movie straightened out toward the end, and I was able to watch the second movie - The Santa Clause 3 - without incident.
Anyway, we arrived at Washington Dulles...and, you know I have been in A LOT of airports. I can say with absolute certainty that this is the worst airport I have ever been in. I have never seen such a ridiculously laid-out customs area. There is nothing to smooth the flow of human traffic. Lance agreed with me that it was horrible, so I was in a foul mood by the time we got to our gate.
Once at the gate, our flight to Seattle was slightly delayed. Football was on, so pretty much everyone was watching and shouting or cheering. I almost felt like I was in a sports bar. I was trying to read. Lance grabbed some Subway, since we had to pay for food on the Dulles - Seattle flight, which is completely ridiculous, since it's a 6 hour flight. I thought their snack packs were reasonably priced on the airline, so I decided to wait.
We finally got on the flight and it went okay, except I was in the middle seat and I hate the middle seat. I got a bit of sleep...Lance napped quite a bit. I bought a minimeal on the flight, which was salami, crackers, spreadable cheese, potato chips, an applesauce cup and 2 Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies.
Arrived in Seattle...waited ages for our luggage (this guy struck up a conversation with me at baggage claim - turns out he's a local radio personality...but some of the directions our conversation took were a bit too weird for me).
Grabbed the Thrifty courtesy shuttle and got our car. Not impressed with Thrifty at all. And we got a very very basic Ford Focus...power nothing, but at least the heater works well. We were supposed to get a Dodge Caliber though, but since we actually booked a compact car, we can't complain, because that's what we got (their website said we would get a Dodge Caliber, which is much bigger than a Ford Focus). I'm actually glad for the smaller car because I have to drive it too.
After that, we got here to our temporary lodgings - Extended Stay America. While the room is clean, it's unimpressive. Our hotel room in Germany was much better. This is just a sterile, cramped room that barely holds us and our luggage.
Lance and I are now ferociously hungry, and we're waiting for the Burger King to open across the street. That's really the only thing around here...this hotel, while close to Boeing, isn't really close to anything else. Must get some groceries, as we at least have a kitchenette in this room.
We have a huge to-do list today, and will be spending most of our day at McChord. First thing this morning, though (after breakfast), is that Lance will be going in to meet his new co-workers at Boeing. I'll be staying here in the room while he does that.
Good news already this morning, though - the washer and dryer we picked out is 10% off at Home Depot, so we have to stop in by Wednesday and buy them.
We're here! Notice also, the time. Hello, jetlag...my old friend! It's funny, but Lance and I always wake up at around the same time when we have jetlag.
Anyway, getting here was relatively uneventful. The only complaint I had about our flight from Amsterdam to Washington - Dulles (and by the way, our seats in the last row did recline), is that my personal entertainment system didn't work properly. I watched No Reservations as my first film, and it kept losing vertical hold, color, and sometimes the picture went out. The audio continued to work fine. And I complained about it to the flight attendant and she suggested that I switch seats and I said, "That's okay, I don't want to be separated from my husband." And she snapped, "Well then I can't help you!"
It was the way she said it. Rude. Anyway, the movie straightened out toward the end, and I was able to watch the second movie - The Santa Clause 3 - without incident.
Anyway, we arrived at Washington Dulles...and, you know I have been in A LOT of airports. I can say with absolute certainty that this is the worst airport I have ever been in. I have never seen such a ridiculously laid-out customs area. There is nothing to smooth the flow of human traffic. Lance agreed with me that it was horrible, so I was in a foul mood by the time we got to our gate.
Once at the gate, our flight to Seattle was slightly delayed. Football was on, so pretty much everyone was watching and shouting or cheering. I almost felt like I was in a sports bar. I was trying to read. Lance grabbed some Subway, since we had to pay for food on the Dulles - Seattle flight, which is completely ridiculous, since it's a 6 hour flight. I thought their snack packs were reasonably priced on the airline, so I decided to wait.
We finally got on the flight and it went okay, except I was in the middle seat and I hate the middle seat. I got a bit of sleep...Lance napped quite a bit. I bought a minimeal on the flight, which was salami, crackers, spreadable cheese, potato chips, an applesauce cup and 2 Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies.
Arrived in Seattle...waited ages for our luggage (this guy struck up a conversation with me at baggage claim - turns out he's a local radio personality...but some of the directions our conversation took were a bit too weird for me).
Grabbed the Thrifty courtesy shuttle and got our car. Not impressed with Thrifty at all. And we got a very very basic Ford Focus...power nothing, but at least the heater works well. We were supposed to get a Dodge Caliber though, but since we actually booked a compact car, we can't complain, because that's what we got (their website said we would get a Dodge Caliber, which is much bigger than a Ford Focus). I'm actually glad for the smaller car because I have to drive it too.
After that, we got here to our temporary lodgings - Extended Stay America. While the room is clean, it's unimpressive. Our hotel room in Germany was much better. This is just a sterile, cramped room that barely holds us and our luggage.
Lance and I are now ferociously hungry, and we're waiting for the Burger King to open across the street. That's really the only thing around here...this hotel, while close to Boeing, isn't really close to anything else. Must get some groceries, as we at least have a kitchenette in this room.
We have a huge to-do list today, and will be spending most of our day at McChord. First thing this morning, though (after breakfast), is that Lance will be going in to meet his new co-workers at Boeing. I'll be staying here in the room while he does that.
Good news already this morning, though - the washer and dryer we picked out is 10% off at Home Depot, so we have to stop in by Wednesday and buy them.
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no subject
Date: 2007-12-10 01:24 pm (UTC)I've stayed at an Extended Stay.. your kitchenette is probably the size of a bidet, and you probably feel like the rest of the room is the size of a walk-in closet. I stayed in one when I visited Gabe at Great Lakes before we got married.. and I haven't stayed in one since. Heh.
no subject
Date: 2007-12-10 01:35 pm (UTC)And the hallway looks like a rainbow threw up all over it.
no subject
Date: 2007-12-10 01:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-10 03:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-10 05:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-10 05:52 pm (UTC)