House Hunting Day 1

Greetings,

Okay, we have 10 days to travel back stateside...  to find a house.  So today starts to House Hunting Chronicles...

Day 1:

Left Crete way too early. 
Easy flight.
Arrive in Athens:  1st problem...
Line check-in lady has lost her mind!
The lady that greets you in line (you know the one that asks, "Who packed your bag?  Has your bag been with you since you packed it?  Did anyone ask you to take anything onto the plane?" those kindof questions... well that's the lady that tried my patience on Day 1 at the very beginning of the day.

The incident:
Line Lady takes our passports and begins to ask the appropriate questions... (see insert above) to which we answer "I packed them, yes our bag has been with us, No someone has not given me anything to take onto the aircraft".  As she is asking these questions she is thumbing through our passports.  With a strange look on her face she asks about a stamp.  I have no clue which stamp she is talking about.  I try to peak over and see which one (she is holding the passport towards her and away from us).  She kindof pulls it back and asks where have we been?

I look at her and ask when?  What?  Which stamp? 

You see my passport is almost 10 years old.  And I have had to fly to D.C. to get additional pages added because TSA made me.  In a nut shell.... it's kindof a full passport.  Very full.

She asks me where have I been?  When I ask?  Where have you been this year?

Easy answer.... nowhere!  This is my first trip in 2010. 

Not the answer she wanted. 

At this point I am getting annoyed with this game.  Her half vague questions about stamps that she will not even let me see is not getting anywhere. 

She calls over another Line Lady.  And the Passport Trivia continues. 

Where have you been this year... as in the last continuous year. 

Okay.... 2009 Passport Trivia:




United States New York stamp

United States Atlanta stamp

Athens Greece stamp

Chania Greece stamp

Alexandria polis Greece stamp

Rome Italy Stamp

Naples Italy Stamp

Siganella Italy Stamp

Azores Stamp

Istanbul Turkey Stamp

Cairo Egypt Stamp

Alexandria Stamp

Saffaga Egypt Stamp

Luxor Stamp

Dubai UAE Stamp

and I am sure there are some more I have forgotten...


Then the questions about why did you go to Egypt?  When did you go? 

**(FYI Harry and I look like normal everyday Americans.... not terrorist)***

Then the real trouble begins.... she spots my Ukrainian visa.  2 Ukrainian visa's... (from 2004 mind you) I thought it was over right there... My house hunting trip cut short because the Line Lady thinks I am some kind of threat because I like to travel.  It's not my fault we have traveled to predominantly Muslim  countries this year. 

Then comes the back of the passport with the Thailand and Japan stamps.  Another round of questions. 


And last but not least... the Passport Trivia kicker that stumps most observers.... the name change Amendment on the back page.  An the Ukrainian Embassy I had an amendment that changed my name from Taylor to my married name Hansen.  My marriage was almost the end of my house hunting trip.  That little embossed seal with a Safaga, Egypt stamp just below it... almost ended these chronicles on Day 1.

Thankfully, I did not strangle her and she finally passed us on and we were able to check in. 

Flight across the water was smooth.  We watched movies and had steak.

JFK uneventful... nice to be around Americans again (well kindof).  All the signs are in English. 

Flight to Atlanta uneventful.  Slept most of the time. Jet lag is kicking in.  Very tired.

Land in Atlanta and eat a very Altantian meal.  Chick-fil-a.  YUMMY!

Final leg home.  Uneventful.  Except during my in-flight nap... I in a somewhat peaceful distorted slumber here something familiar and think I am dreaming.... I recognize some sound.  Can not remember where from.  Think I am awake.  Waking up slowly.  Ah, the sound is an alarm.  Harry's alarm from Souda.  It's his phone going off in his pocket.  He forgot to turn it off.  Then I realize... I have been awake since this time yesterday when the alarm went off in Greece.  ahhhh, 24 hours and counting.


Parents are 30 minutes late picking us up.  Urgh!

Arrive home, take very long bath.  Down a sleeping pill.  Off to bed.

We made it.... barely.  And with a healthy knowledge of my passport.  Thank goodness I apply for a new one in June.

Traveling blessings,