We didn't need to start heading to the airport until a little after 2 so we still had a good part of the day at the apartment. We had one last nice breakfast with Fernando and Eva and then a little later Guillermo and I went to the mall (I rode a bike while Guillermo walked) to buy a few things for lunch and pick up a few last minute things. And also just to see the mall called Lalaport one last time. I'll miss hearing the ladies across from the Tokyu Store call with their unique sound as they try to get people to try their samples. We enjoyed going to this mall a lot - parking the bike in the bike parking lot, shopping at the Tokyu Store or at the gourmet store. Picking out yummy desserts at the sweets shop or delicious bread from the bakery. And the traditional "buying of a plant for the apartment" from a plant store on the first day we were with Eva and Fernando. How fun it was to try the "octopus balls" from one little store that makes them right in front of you which is in itself a delight to watch. Yep, Fernando and Eva have a very nice place so close to them!
After lunch, it was time to start getting serious about packing. Then before we knew it, it was time to head for the train station. I must make a point right here to notice how we have in fact already had breakfast and lunch on this day, Wednesday, November 6th. Eva and Fernando rode their bikes with our suitcases on their baskets and Guillermo and I walked to Lalaport. Once we finally met them there (seemed like it took us a LONG time to walk there), we walked on to the train station. After catching that first train we transferred to another train and that's when we realized that things were going to be REALLY close in trying to catch the third train which would take us to the airport. Turns out we missed that third train and had to wait over 40 minutes for the next airport train. But that was ok, because it gave us an extra 40 minutes to spend with Fernando and Eva which was like a bonus.
Here's a video of our train pulling into the station. Not that great and you have to wait for it, wait for it and then all of a sudden the train appears.
Our flight back to San Antonio was great. We held our breath after we got our seats, hoping no one would take the third seat in our set of three seats. When they announced they were closing the cabin doors, and no one had taken that third seat, we just couldn't believe our good luck. We immediately spread out and made ourselves comfortable, knowing we would be relatively comfy on the long flight back to Seattle. They brought us dinner which was just awful. Barely edible. It's so embarrassing to know that the Japanese have that kind of meal as an introduction to America when they fly to the states. After dinner, we settled down to watch a movie or just relax. Then we crossed the International Date Line. It was November 6 all over again. They served us breakfast. It was just the strangest thing to know that without even sleeping or anything, we were having breakfast again in what to us was the very same day. Doing the day all over again! We had a very tight layover in Seattle. Of course, once in Seattle we knew it wouldn't be easy with the long walk to customs, going THROUGH customs, getting our luggage again to recheck them and trying to find a place to get some lunch. Which there was no place so we just ended up getting some croissants and a citrus cake and ate that.
The flight from Seattle to Houston was for me the worst leg of the trip for me - I was just so unbelievably tired. In Houston, we hoped we'd be able to meet our friend Melanie's husband easy enough after getting our luggage and it did go easy. He drove us to their house where Melanie had fixed a delicious taco soup. We enjoyed dinner with them and shortly after that took our showers and went to bed. Two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners in the same day. Sure was weird.
No comments:
Post a Comment