Oceania Trip - Day 26

Somehow, I actually got some sleep and woke up easily (0230).  I got ready, ate breakfast (milk, orange) and met the shuttle driver for our scheduled departure (0300).  We made it to the airport quickly but then found no one working at the ticket counters.  The airline staff  finally arrived at 0400 and I was able to check into my flight (with some difficulty) with their assistance.  After that, I went smoothly through security but ended up losing my wrist watch somehow.  The staff tried to help me find it but they never could... I spent most of the next hour walking around the small terminal.  In another example of the early morning, sleepy state I was in, I dropped my coat along the way but later passed it again, fortunately.  I ate a snack just before boarding at 0530.  On the Air New Zealand A320, I ended up in a row by myself near the back of the plane.  We took off at around 0610 and I watched movies on the way across “The Ditch”.  We got breakfast (a quiche-like item, fruit cup and apple turnover) - I sure have been spoiled by Air New Zealand!  We landed in Melbourne at 0745 (Australia Time) and I had to go through security processes in the International Transfers area.  From there, the gate for my flight was located almost on the opposite end of the terminal - fortunately, it was the same area I’d used to depart for New Zealand the previous week.  To reach the gate, I walked around for a while to keep my 25 day streak of 10,000+ steps.  I also checked in (text) with the kids again.  The flight was delayed (due to late arrival from the US).  During this period, I started to wonder about whether Global Entry would work in Los Angeles (it hadn’t worked in New York)...  The security zone for our flight was very restrictive but I figured out (by asking) that I could wait in the special seating area.  The United Airlines gate agent then fixed my boarding pass to include the correct information and I was able to wait in a seat close to the gate.  Boarding finally started at 0945 and I was allowed to board the Boeing 787 early.  I helped a young mom with her bags, since her hands were full, and soon found my upgraded seat in premium economy.  I was pleased to find that I had extra leg room and free movies and that it was in an aisle seat (for easy in/out).  It seemed to take forever to get everyone on the plane and I started getting excited to see that the other two seats remained empty.  However, a lady came to sit on the window seat just as the gate closed.  She promptly wiped down every surface and donned an N95 mask.  I considered purchasing WiFi (it wasn't free like on Air New Zealand) but had already spent enough money on United.  In any case, they probably should have comped us because we were late...  We finally taxied at 1010 but waited another 20 minutes to leave the ground.  During the 13+ hour flight, I watched movies, read books and tried to sleep (it was hard because of the loud talkers all around me).  I also ate dinner (penne with carrots and marinara sauce, salad, cookies), snacks (tuna sandwich, pretzels) and breakfast (omelet, sausage, fruit, muffin).  We landed at LAX by 0650 (California Time), only a little later than scheduled, and I started the time consuming International-to-Domestic Transfer process.  I calculated that I’d been awake for almost 24 hours by this point but still had some energy somehow.  That helped because I had to walk a long way just to get started.  First, I used my Global Entry to expedite the Immigration process - it worked like a charm!  I then had to walk some more to retrieve my checked bag, which was there before I was.  Next, I walked quickly through the Customs area and had to clear another security checkpoint.  It was then a long trek from the International Terminal (B) all the way to the other end of the airport (Terminal 7).  Even walking as fast as I could, I arrived at the gate when they were calling my zone.  As a result, I didn’t have time to buy snacks or lunch food.  The plane to Boston seemed to have mostly economy seats and we were all crammed in like sardines.  People seemed to be very paranoid about germs and were wiping every surface repeatedly. I did see fewer masks on this plane than I had on the trans-Pacific flight.  The size of carry-on bags was a problem, as it usually is in the US, and the bins were filled quickly.  I checked in (text) with the kids again.  Because of people “having trouble” boarding, we taxied a little bit late but still got airborne at 0840.  I did have movies and TV for free again but had watched pretty much everything I’d wanted to see on the last flight.  As a result, I splurged for WiFi (first time ever).  It turned out to be easy through the United app.  Overall, the five hour flight on the Boeing 757 was quite uncomfortable.  The two other people in my row were a guy who was a heavy sleeper (I couldn’t get out of the row easily from my window seat) and a fidgety lady who moved so much that I barely got any sleep (I know this because every time I fell asleep I woke up to her elbowing when she moved and noticed only a few minutes had passed).  We each got a small snack (some lame crackers) and two drink services (alcohol cost extra).  In order to make sure I wasn't hungry, I ordered a “snack box” that had very little in the way of sustenance.  Still, it was SOME food.  We landed at 1650 (Boston Time) and it wasn’t a long walk to baggage claim for Terminal B.  My bag was one of the first available (1715) and I was able to quickly walk to the “scheduled bus” area , where I then began waiting in a massively chaotic bus queue.  As a result of multiple busses coming and going, as well as thoughtless car drivers parking in the way of those larger vehicles, I wasn’t sure if I'd be able to board the Dartmouth Coach when/if it arrived.  Fortunately, I managed to get on the 1750 (running late) bus instead of my 2050 ticketed time because it was first come, first served.  I didn't even have to push...  We made several other stops at the Logan Terminals and (much later, because of traffic) at South Station.  As a result, we weren’t even out of Boston until after 1900.  I noticed that a lot of the other passengers blocked the seats next to them so they would have a double to themselves.  Since I didn’t do this, someone came to sit next to me almost immediately and he talked on his phone several times before he got off at New London.  By this point, I was exhausted but figured I should wait to sleep again until I got home.  It was rainy all the way to the MA/NH border but then cleared up to better weather.  Sadly, the bus was full of coughing people... I texted the kids, my dad, Eileen, my neighbors and some other friends in the Upper Valley to let them know I was home.  The bus ride took over two hours after South Station and we arrived in Lebanon at 2110.  Monte picked me up and took me home (arrived at 2120).  Ann and Beth had collected my mail and left it by my door - my neighbors are so nice!  I spent the next 40 minutes getting my house in shape to begin working the next morning and finally went to bed (after a day that lasted about 36 total hours) at 2200.  It was a great trip but I'm glad to be home!