I thought I could

Early to the airport thanks to a kind friend.  Get through security - of all things - I lost my Chapstick and my nail file.  It must be my new, dangerous granny look that did it.  Wait around for a long time and then load on to the plane.  Having managed almost no sleep the night before I did manage a doze on the flight to Auckland.  Offload at Auckland, freshen up and wait around for another long time.  There were some magnificent woolen goods to buy (wool mixed with possum fur) but those I don't need as a general rule.  I found a quiet corner of the terminal and did a couple of sets of Tai Chi and turned around to see this gorgeous young blonde thing just about tying herself in knots.  So it's not just the old broads who need to loosen up!  In through Security again and this time it was water.  I (along with others) had to guzzle down my water before getting through.

Onto the plane again and ..... what's this ....... no one else in my row of three seats.  Could I be so lucky on a long flight?  Almost.  After take off when the Captain said we could move around the cabin, a young girl escaped from two strange men and settled down in my row.  I did send a steely look her way but I can understand why she did it.  Hence, not much sleep between Auckland and San Francisco.  I do like Air New Zealand.  They're really good

Coming in to SFO was spectacular.  At first, there was just endless blue water and a tiny shadow of our plane below us.  Then the occasional leisure craft and some puffy, little white clouds.  The clouds became quite thick and it looked like little mountains of white below us with rainbows on top of them.  Magical.  And a reminder of my long ago parachute jump - seeing circular rainbows above the clouds.

When we crossed the coast, it was magnificent.  Miles and miles (we're in the States now) of sandy cliffs and beaches with waves rolling in.  This was followed by mountains and green bush land with a few houses perched in strategic places among the trees.  It brought to mind bush fires and beautiful homes being lost.  The plane banked and the huge bay came into view.  So here I am at last.

Getting through Customs and Immigration took forever with one hold up after another but I had plenty of time so the time didn't matter.  Being sent from one place to another to another without resolving anything mattered but I got through that with patience in tatters but problems resolved.  Now to get through Security.  OMG another queue a mile long.  Just behind me in the line was a group of P*_+sh tourists some of whom I had previously noticed sharing a a bottle of Jack Daniels.  They were very impatient and if I took too long to proceed two steps they indicated to me that I should move along.  Having used up a fair bit of my short supply of patience by this time, I thought this would be a good time to undo the laces to my big boots in preparation for going through Security.  I can't understand P*_+sh so I just gave them a good Aussie smile and took my time.  Had my first X-ray going through security and, as a result, had to have my left shoulder patted down.  Only bones and the usual stuff to be found.  Then to collect all the bits and pieces, repack and put on my shoes.

The trip to Portland was fairly uneventful except for some passengers who got on the wrong plane and the captain announced,  " Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.  This is United Airlines Flight 580 to Portland Oregon.  If you are going to New York, you're on the wrong plane.  Yours is the one next door." And then a friendly face at Portland airport and I'm in familiar surroundings again.