Business Trip Extraordinaire--Day 23

I made it home and all is well!

Details:

I checked out of my hotel Sunday afternoon and rode a taxi to the airport. One thing about Rio is that the taxi ride TO the airport is, or at least can be, a lot cheaper than the taxi ride FROM the airport. At the Rio airport, you get mobbed by drivers who insist that they are insulted that you would suggest they are trying to overcharge you. But returning to the airport, it's much easier to get a yellow taxi that charges a fair price. My taxi from the airport was R$90 (about $55), while my taxi back to the airport was R$52 (about $30). No traffic, despite yesterday's Niterói-Rio marathon.

I was very early to the airport. Rio actually has a decent amount of shops and food places in the international area, but you have to go upstairs and downstairs and all over to see it all. I bought some rapadura in the duty free shop. Rapadura is basically a block of brown sugar candy. Good stuff! I'll enjoy it with Tracy and the kiddodiddos one of these days.

I got a decent amount of sleep during my long flight from Rio de Janeiro to New York. It was probably the best night of sleep I have ever had on a plane.

Landing at JFK provided some interesting views of the pre-dawn city. New York is so huge that it's hard to get a sense of it until you actually visit. Even seeing it from the air doesn't give a fair picture. But the view was very nice. And as the plane touched down for a bumpy landing, I had a thrill as I thought, "I'm back." I don't have any connection to New York, but it's part of my country.

I am pleased to report that at JFK there were as many CBP officers helping Americans as there were officers helping foreigners. That was not true last time I returned to the U.S. This time, I flew through the line in five minutes. One of the highlights of my voyage home was what the CPB officer said to me sincerely when he returned my stamped passport:

"Welcome home."

Thank you, officer, for warmly welcoming a fellow American after a very long trip. You made my day.

By the way, simple math: CBP > TSA.

The flight was early, and I spent a couple of hours waiting for my final flight. Before boarding, they asked for volunteers to be bumped to a later flight, not because they were oversold, but because they were overweight. They offered a $250 voucher. I really wanted to get home to my family. Plus, if I had to get home late, I wanted cash, not vouchers. So I stood my ground. Fortunately, they got enough volunteers, and I boarded the regional jet that took me home.

We were early, and my luggage came right away. I tried calling Tracy, but no answer. I went to sit outside and look for Tracy, as well as breathe that American air. Mmm, freedom. I went back in to the baggage claim, and there were Tracy and all the kids! I went up next to them like I was watching the baggage claim with them, and after a few seconds one of them noticed me, and soon I was smothered in hugs and kisses from all my kiddodiddos and my darling wife!

After such a long trip, I thought the desire to travel would be completely gone. However, this was a very successful and in some ways enjoyable trip. The work in California stressed my limits, but my team and I came through and slew the beast at the Main Event. My visit in Manaus was delightful and I would love to go back someday with Tracy. Rio is Rio, which I have seen before but was just as nice the second time, and the work there was low-stress. I survived 23 days, 17,099 air miles, 14 South American taxi rides, 19 nights in hotels, three nights on planes, one corrupted operating system, two sunburns, two motorboat rides, and whatever else the Lord protected me from that I don't even know about. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I'm glad I did it, and I'm glad it's now over.