Going Home

I feel like I've been in China for a long time, far longer than a month and a half. China is so startlingly different from America that I've developed a completely different (and workable) lifestyle here. It's quite a task to sort out and discard all that I no longer need and regroup for the return flight. No one looks forward to the 24+ hours ahead. It's an hour's drive to the Wuhan airport, two hours wait, one hour 45 minutes flight to Shanghai, 2.5 hours wait, 12 hour flight to Los Angeles, 2.5 hour wait, 1 hour 15 minute flight to Tucson, and a 40 minute drive home.

I luck out on the Shanghai-L.A. flight, and my fellow travelers are really jealous. I get THREE contiguous seats. The configuration of the plane is: XX XXXX XX. The three red ones are mine. The Chinese businessman in the blue seat is sleeping most of the time and has expressed no interest in claiming any of "my" red seats. Not only that, I get three blankets and three pillows and my choice of earphones. The blankets are the important perks because the plane is freezing cold all 12 hours.

When we get to L.A., everyone makes a bee-line for something that they have really missed: iced tea, a MacFlurry at MacDonald's, or something salty.

It's bittersweet going home. Much to miss in China and much to look forward to at home.