Airport Pat-Downs and Other Cheap Thrills

     **"Call me if you end up stuck at the airport with no ride.  I can not help, but I will find it extreamly funny!"**---Rebeca (one of my great sisters)
   **"I'm sorry, sir, but all of your frequent-flier miles have already been used up by your luggage."**---Cartoon Parade


    My flight/move went off with no hitches -so fa fa on all of you that were wishing me good luck, and crossing both your fingers, and all your toes.   I have not flown for about six years, and for whatever reason everything on the news turned to bad flights.  Even if the news article started out talking about diseased frogs, it ended up with a huge disaster involving multi planes aiming for lilly pads in a sewer enriched pond. 

    The journey started in Billings, MT.   A rather small airport, but with the holidaze so close, it was very busy.   Security was much tighter than I had before recalled.  Maybe because of Christmas, or maybe because it was a small airport and security was bored.  I previously talked about my holiday work party and ending up getting weenie soap and stuffed sheep for my collection.  Both were fine gifts, but I am not going to explain.  Anyways, I took great care in separating these items so that security didn't need to use the don't ask dont tell policy on me!  I was overly happy my bulging, check in bag stayed zipped up more than anything.  Security did not like my stylin hoodie to much.  And I had a nice pat down from one of the guards.  Kind of a free chest/stomach massage.  I was disappointed that the airport did not offer free wi fi, because it was quite awhile before my plane actually took off.  But soon became very interested in a thrilling game of plants vs zombies.  If you have not played it, it is highly addicting.
     Billings got a nice layer of snow the night before take off, so the the flight out was overly beautiful.   Somewhere above Oregon or Washington.   I am not sure wich, because those kool state outlines are not visible from that high up, like on my states map.  A military jet was refueling from another, mid air.   It was a pretty kool sight, although I have no idea how rare it is to see.  I have to say, looking out on just clouds made me think about sheep for a long glorious while.  
    Landing in Seattle was uneventful.   I was in the window seat right next to the left wheels, so watched them very closely.  Not sure why, still.  It was pouring rain when I hit the city.  No surprise at all.  Seattle residents walk around squinting and running into things, when the sun does make an appearance in the winter time.  I had a few hours to kill at this airport.  But the Seattle airport is full of food, stores, coffee, and people watching.  Plus they have free wi fi throughout the many terminals.  I barley slept the night before, and got up way before noon for the flight, so soon ended up in a coffee joint.   Instant gratification from the brown nectar of the gods!  
    Seattle to Bellingham, WA is a very short flight.  About the time we got our beverage cups collected, it was time to land.  It was dark by the time we flew out of Seattle, and the city is one massive group of lights from above.  It was a full moon that night, and the moon looks huge when your flying beside it.  Before Bellingham we hit some massive turbulence, and if the person beside me didn't start out looking angry I might have jumped in his lap.  

    I even had a ride and luggage waiting for me at the airport!   Some passengers were definitely not so lucky.  I have to say it was a very smooth trip/move.   Of course the last time I moved and last few journey's were on the Grayhound.   It takes 22 hours to take the same trip.  And is not fun in the least.   My butt usually went to sleep about two hours into the trip.    For everyone that complains about air travel, take a bus trip.   It will remind you what trips used to be like in wagon train times.   They are about equal in speed.  Although the wagons were so slow people would die and be born during the trip.   They could arrive with a completely different group of peoples than the party left  with.