Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Beginning to wrap up, and some product endorsements

I'm most of the way through my journey back to the northeast USA. There's no photos from this travel home, sorry. Five flights over the course of 30-some hours does not an interesting photo-diary make!

Of course I couldn't leave New Zealand without taking a few more photos on the way out. The clouds on the mountains in the morning are just stunning.
Mountains from the airport parking lot

Queenstown mountains in the morning

And when you've got a setting like this, make sure your airport has straight-up glass walls in every direction!
Queenstown Airport view

Another airport view

I would also like to take this time to trumpet a favorite product that allowed me to actually get sleep on my long flights. This is a HUGE deal for me, since I usually can't sleep sitting up. But this really did the trick for me (along with a mask and earplugs!). It's the TravelRest pillow and I love it! It allows you to sleep as though you're leaning on somebody's comfortable shoulder, and you can switch which side it's on. I just sling it around my body like a beauty-pageant sash, not even attaching it to the seat. I've been able to sleep on the aisle without getting in the way of either the flight attendants or of my neighbor in the middle seat. Big thumbs up!

Oh, and if you have a 10-hour layover in LA and not enough energy to go to the beach or something, I also recommend a day-pass to the Admiral's Lounge (American Airlines). I've been having comfortable seats, free non-alcoholic drinks, wireless access and electrical sockets, a shower, and a massage chair. It's definitely a good way to kill time and be relatively comfortable!

Also, hooray for internet that is easily 5x as fast as New Zealand. Go USA!

I'm really looking forward to getting home, even though it will be cold. But it's been funny watching the sun come down in the LA airport because I kept thinking it was late, then realizing, no, it's just winter here and the sun sets early.

And a final thought for the moment... in case you weren't aware, my Flat Stanley has his own set of photos on Flickr, and from my trip there are over 200 photos of Flat Stanley. He's been quite a busy little man! There's so many fun ones, but here's just a few of my favs:
Flat Stanley hasn't seen a gold building before

Flat Stanly by Reizan Kannon Buddha

Flat Stanley and the lion

Flat Stanley tries on flippers

Flat Stanley lays down with a kangaroo

Flat Stanley, me, and Josh in the kayak

I guess we've both had quite some adventures in the last six weeks!

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