I have arrived

We were about 80 minutes late boarding at Auckland, but managed to arrive in LAX on time with a completely uneventful flight. I had some butter chicken for dinner (with a glass of Lindy!) and scrambled eggs for breakfast (decided against more bubbles, though).
I did sleep a little on the way, in between watching two and a half movies (note to self: watch the last hour of 'The Lorax' on way home!). Unfortunately, we had to sit on the tarmac for nearly half an hour waiting for the previous plane to clear the gate before we could de-plane.

As we walked through to Arrivals, I realised we'd been in one of the all-black planes... but US Customs don't want anyone taking any photos of their precious security area so I couldn't take a photo through the window.

I had to wait about half an hour for my suitcase. The system in LA is completely non-sensical... The baggage from your flight turns up at a carousel, and baggage handlers on BOTH sides take bags off the carousel and stack them, in no particular order, on the ground. You just have to keep circling and checking all the bags to find your one. Then drag it a couple of corridors over and re-check it, before finding where the HELL you're supposed to go for your connecting flight... I made it to the Alaska gate with half an hour to chill after clearing customs and sorting baggage, so it didn't seem like a long delay.

The flight to Seattle left on time and arrived 15 minutes early. My bag, however, did not! It was most likely on the next flight from LA, and ought to have turned up by now. I gave them Peggy & Susan's contact details as they will drop the suitcase off (so, in theory, it should arrive there before I do).

Robert collected me ahead of schedule and drove out to the ferry to Bainbridge. Lucky I was early as we made the 7.20pm ferry. The view of Seattle from the ferry is just spectacular, assisted by the wonderfully hot and sunny day they had today (the sun was shining over the water). Upon arrival at the house in Bainbridge, Barbara made me a yummy sandwich for dinner.

I've checked in on FB and here, so I think it's time to have a shower and crash into bed! I'll head over to Poulsbo tomorrow.