we made it home

So, yes, there will be a bunch of Italy posts to come.  No apologies for that.  Just let me unpack first!  And do laundry!  And maybe get my sleep back to normal.

Which means, of course, that we made it home.  A loooooong day yesterday.  Out of the hotel room shortly after 8AM.  The walk to terminal 3 at FCO, checking in.  Security.  Passport control.  A small bite to eat in a lounge.  A shuttle out to our airplane (something I've experienced in Europe several times now, but I can't think if I've ever done so in North America where they have planes for boarding not near the terminal). 

And then boarded.  Comfortable pods for the trip back. 

Conrad

and Van

got to sit together, I was across the aisle.  Plenty of food

and wine

on the flight home, and decent food and wine at that.  I occasionally glanced up from my reading to check the map

and out the window, seeing the land

or water below and even glimpsing another United flight.

We got to Newark, made it through customs, back through security, and I managed a shower in an airport lounge.  And then the last flight home, which - impossibly - felt longer than the first leg (the first leg was about three hours longer).  So tired.  Ugh.

In the door at the condo at 10:00 more or less on the dot and in bed within a half hour.  And then awake at 2:30.  So, today will be a challenge in terms of sleep and getting things done.  And blogging may happen.  But please, patience!

It is nice to be home, though.