Thursday, August 24, 2006

We're Stateside!

Just a quick note to let folks know that after 5 glorious days trolling the beaches of Fiji, we're back Stateside. Well, LA. I suppose that counts though I felt I made a pretty coherent argument to Becca on the plane that it should be another country--but to no avail. Spending the next week or so here and SF visiting friends and family and then we finally arrive in Portand. Sure our parents will appreciate it :-)

One quick story courtesy of the US Immigration folks. After about ninety minutes of getting through the various lines, picking up our luggage, etc we finally got to the front of the line. Once we were called forward, the following conversation ensued:

Border Guard (BG): So what countries have you been in?
Becca: We've been in 29 countries.
BG: (skeptically gazes upward) Ok, list ten that you've been in.
Becca: China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos...
Brian (interrupting in an attempt to balance the geopolitical scales): Australia, New Zealand...
BG: (exasperated look on his face) Ok, let's make this easier. Have you been to any of the following countries: Yemen? Saudi? Pakistan? Iran? Iraq?
B&B: (unison) No.
BG: Ok, then. (stamps our entry form) Welcome back.

Just like that we were on US soil for the first time in 14 plus months. It feels good to be back but after just over 48 hours on the ground it feels as foreign as any country we've been in. I guess re-entry will be a bit slower than we thought.

More blog entries including Kakadu pt. 2, Fiji, etc. as free time and internet access warrants!

Cheers-

B&B

3 comments:

BD said...

For the record, that's actually me kissing the ground after getting off of our last cable car in the French Alps. I'm not quite ready to bow down to LA. :-) However, we are very glad to be home to see friends and family and to have roots again for awhile.

Becca

Steven said...

I hope your re-adaptation isn't too harsh... Good luck !

marlynn said...

Welcome back, you two! Are you really moving back to OR? I've been so bad about keeeping up with your blog... I hope the transition back home is relaxing and peaceful.