Home! and Mexico, day 1.

I got home tonight at about 8 pm after a long day of flying. I have a cold and my ears still hurt from the taking off/landing of the planes, but I'm otherwise a happy camper. Keep going if you want excerpts (lightly edited, with editorial notes in brackets] from my journal of day 1 of the Mexico Missions Trip 2010.

July 3, 2010, 5:40 am
Sitting watching the line of shadow where the sun comes up over the airport. My family's gone--Susie and Grace got up when we left at 3:45 am and came to say goodbye with my parents. We're through security now. So far, Laurent's had to throw out a mini-knife that belonged to Dionne's grandma, Dionne got searched because of the decorating nails in her wallet, and I've paid way too much for some yogurt-covered almonds. Sitting by Destiny on the plane. That will be fun. [Editorial comment: love you, Destiny :D]

6:50 am
We took off 20 minutes ago.

I didn't sleep much last night. My grand plans to alter my sleep pattern the week before we left fizzled and died. Dad suggested we watch 24, so we did, and then I said goodbye to Jamie and then I went to bed.

[switch to pencil] My pen just died. My little green pen. :( Guess I'll have to steal one from the hotel.

Anyway, I rolled around a bunch and got up once to put plastic bags for laundry in my suitcase. I must have slept, because I woke up when my alarm went.

Came with parents and girls to the airport. I saw the gang as soon as I walked in, and Bryan and Nathan arrived last (Nathan's fault). Before boarding we hit Tim Hortons and the bathrooms in our airport clusters. [the groups we made for making sure we had everyone in the airports.]

I'm in seat 28A and the clouds are obstructing any view of the Rockies we're crossing. I did get some cool shots of the early morning sun out the plane window.

So far, I am cautiously optimistic. Haven't forgotten/misplaced anything. Am getting along well. I started watching How to Train Your Dragon in the seatback TV but I think I'll read my book now.

Nearly 9 am (PST now)
Dude, is it seriously not even 9 am? It feels like it should be at least noon.

Just came through a whirlwind stopover in Vancouver, characterized by a lot of following the US flag symbol. We cleared customs fine and made it to the departure gate as they were boarding, in plenty of time.

Now there is bright sun through the window and Destiny is sleeping beside me. I'm listening to XM classical radio. [Did some sudoku, too.] Also considering maybe some sleep myself, if possible. [Didn't work. I'm too tall to lean over and rest my head on the folding tray. Airplanes are awkward to sleep on.]

Sarah came to see us off, earlier. She gave me a nice long hug and I told her to please pray that I don't get too wrapped up in ME. [thanks, Sarah!] Dad also said that they wouldn't watch any 24 without me.

Just passed a gorgeous snow-crusted mountain poking above the clouds. Flying into Vancouver was nearly surreal because of the scenery. I got a wonderful picture of the islands in the fog. It's so awesome it's inspiring.

These mountains are incredible. All is indistinct blue and clouds, and then all of a sudden one of these monsters looms up. I wish I could better tell how big they are - a sense of scale is hard to have from an airplane window. Oh, it's Mt. St. Helens! They just announced over the intercom along with an update on the world cup.

Just after 9 now. Today might just last eternity.

3:20 pm
It feels like evening. We're in our Super 8 room after an interminable wait in the hot sun while Bryan and Nathan figured out reservation difficulties. Destiny is talking about how she hasn't slept in 48 hours. Michelle is unpacking EVERYTHING at once. I finally got my hair up and out of my face.

We ate lunch after waiting for some issues with the rental vans to be worked out [also played Guess the Movie Line while waiting], at Jack in the Box. [GROSS. GREASY. Not doing that again except for the American iced tea which I like.] Afterward we went to the grocery store briefly for some snacks for tomorrow. Pretzels, pretzel twists [Bryan really likes pretzels], fruit snacks, granola bars, water.

I think we're going out soon. I was pretty tired earlier but A/C and water splashed on my face feel better.

10:10 pm
I just saw the most epic set of fireworks I have witnessed in my entire life.

We were visiting a beach by a hotel on a whim and someone had heard from someone else that fireworks were going to be set off in the harbor. [The place was called Mission Bay.] We hung around until after it got dark, but nothing happened apart from a couple of errant firecrackers and I was fairly certain nothing was going to happen.

And then it DID. In a BIG WAY.

They lasted 22 minutes. 3 or 4 times we thought they'd ended and people applauded, but then there was an unbelieveable unmistakeable explosive ending. I have never seen so many so big all at once - and it's not even on July 4 yet! They were shaped like chandeliers, fireflies, planets, hearts, a happy face - I was mesmerized. It was awesome. I have a few pictures but they fail to capture it.

This afternoon we shopped in the tourist area of San Diego. I got a really pretty bracelet that looks similar to the Pandora ones, with blue beads, and even haggled the seller down to $20 from $24.

Also there was A. TON. of jewelry. SO MUCH. I could easily spend the entirety of my spending cash on jewelry. I almost bought a blue cross pendant, too. Did buy a mini tin of raspberry lemonade powder. Yum.

Some of the group lost interest in shopping [and walking]. I could have continued further, but we'd agreed to meet and go for dinner at 6.

We ate at a place called Fred's. Free chips + salsa + refills on American iced tea. I LOVE American iced tea. I ate about half of my actual meal. Nathan was daring people to walk up to a random stranger sitting in the restaurant, dip a chip in their salsa and say, "Eugh, this has cilantro." Loree did, but only to Jordan. I laughed a lot. Dinner was lovely. I really enjoy being with everyone.

Afterward we headed to the waterfront, and you know the rest.

Now I'm sitting in bed (sharing w/ Destiny) after jamming things into my suitcase in a slightly reconfigured manner to account for pulling out things for tomorrow morning. [This evening Michelle also killed four bugs in the bathroom. The Super 8 wasn't top-notch.] Waking at 7:30 because we need to make the hotel breakfast. We're meeting a group from Washington to convoy.

Tomorrow evening, the missions part of the trip begins. I hope the awesomeness doesn't stop.

(A quote from Bryan, at 8:45 pm while waiting for fireworks and watching the lame ones people across the harbor were setting off in their back yards: "Oh! I saw some Roman Candles. NOW we're partying.")