So, my wife’s first US trip to the states is in progress and I thought I would drop in a TR regarding her experiences in the US.
Getting Here
The first challenge was actually getting here. The visa was done in less than an hour and a half (including the waiting – only 5 minutes for the 5 year, multi-entry visa). The tickets were purchased (Expedia!) along with a hotel reservation for a side trip and a rental car in one city where we are stopping off. As in most things, the best laid plans of mice and men often start off with a near immediate breakdown in implementation.
Our first challenge was that despite a 2-day in advance call for a large taxi with room for 3 passengers, 4 large suitcases and multiple carry-ons, we got a small hatchback 35 minutes late. The driver was outraged that I was peeved and insisted we could get everything in by filling the middle seat and having my wife sit in her mother’s lap on the way to the airport while I had most of the carry-on items including my computer backpack, wife’s oversize purse and overnight trip bag piled in my lap. En route he told my wife that this was cheaper since now we only needed to pay him 230 UAH instead of the 270 for the full-size vehicle we originally scheduled. I told her to let it go while on the way and when we arrived I paid him 170 (normal rate) and told him to buzz off. Minor scandal.
Then we began checking in which became problematic with one portion of our reservations. Despite going back and forth between the two airlines involved, we ended up leaving one item which caused considerable inconvenience and difficulty for a friend. We managed to get checked in about 45 minutes before the flight since we had so much luggage and I apparently fit the profile for suspected terrorists, being searched twice during the security process. Interestingly I was searched three times in transit at our next stop, Paris.
In Paris, we again had to pass through even tougher security screens requiring three searches of me and my carry-ons. Advice: Taking TWO computers must trigger some sort of escalated security step and wearing too much clothing probably does make you look suspicious under the sheen of perspiration after dashing through 2 terminals and taking a bus ride at Charles de Gaulle. My wife did appreciate getting to “shop” in Paris though – we have a souvenir t-shirt and a refrigerator magnet that will give her bragging rights on her claim to have been to Paris now.
En route, my wife couldn’t grasp the impact of the pending jet lag and insisted on going to sleep for 6 hours, Kyiv time, plus another one or two shorter naps before we would get to our destination.
Arrival in Atlanta turned out to be anti-climatic and we were simply waved through customs despite our four 22Kilo+ suitcases. Apparently the terrorist and smuggler profiles are significantly different.
The final leg into Memphis was interesting since she was still struggling to stay awake. She found it difficult to believe how large and extremely well-lit Atlanta and Memphis were at night. Passing over a smaller cities (Dothan, Huntsville and minor country towns) resulted in a minor altercation that they could not possible be as small as I said they were.
In Memphis, the size of the airport for a city about 25% the size of Kyiv led to considerable amazement as well. Three terminals and 40-odd gates for such a small city? Arbys, coffee shops, Mexican place, so many gift shops and newsstands proved to be a bit over-whelming, thank goodness we didn’t go to Atlanta’s main food court or shopping zone, only the mini-metro between the terminals and all those concourse shops.
Finally arrived home and I headed for bed while she stayed up most of the night reading my mother's Reader's Digest collection.
Next, coping with jet lag…….
