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Old Jan 11, 2005, 10:28 am
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Kiwi Flyer
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
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Posts: 71,419
Back in the USA
1 July

Dinner and drinks over, the movie finished and time for some sleep. All too soon I awake and we are about 2 hours out from LAX. Shortly after it is time to freshen up and have breakfast.

Apparently we had a good tail-wind (as is often the case for NZ or Australia to USA) and we have made up some time. However we still pull up at the gate an hour later than scheduled. Having crossed the time zone it is still 1 July, and less than 3 days after I had left USA at EWR. As my connection was originally only a couple of hours I know it is going to be tight. But there is no point being stressed about it – will try my best to make the LAX-SFO flight but if not then there are later flights I could hopefully be rebooked on instead.

One of the first off the plane and no bags to collect so I race to immigration. I braced myself for questions as to why I had left USA for Singapore only a few days earlier and now arriving back in USA from the opposite direction, namely NZ. However there were no hard questions and I was quickly through. Out of terminal 2 I head and up to departures level only to see the Star Alliance inter-terminal bus pull away. Rats, probably another 15 minutes until the next one. Okay I now have perhaps 40 minutes until my flight leaves from United terminal way on the other side of LAX.

I racked my brain struggling to recall a shortcut through the parking lots but failed to immediately remember where to go. So instead of searching for a way through I play it safe and follow the walkway in front of the terminals. I must have looked a sight – running along the path, shouting at folk to clear the way (why must everyone dump bags across the whole path while leaving their bus/taxi?), and lugging a pile of carry-ons that are awkward to carry (on account two of them being boxed SQ pewter thingmybobs)!

Breathless I arrive at elite entrance to security on United terminal (thanks to FT for pointing this out) which luckily has very small queue. Once again I have to open the boxes for SQ pewter thingmybobs for security to inspect and then repack. While doing so I see/overhear my neighbour having trouble taking a large metal tube as carry-on. Not sure exactly what it was for as it just looked an ordinary metal tube to me, but he was made to check it in amid much cursing.

Up to the UA lounge for a quick freshen up. As is so often the case overseas, the lounge receptionist likes the look of my NZ *G card with its see-through section and nice picture. She informs me that the flight is just starting boarding – do I really want to use the lounge? Yes. A minute later I head out to the gate. I make myself known to the gate agent – just as well as they were about to give up on my making the flight and offer my seat to someone after an upgrade. A minute later and I board the UA 737.

Sorry, not much detail on the UA flight LAX-SFO. Nothing memorable although I did think the seat and (lack of) refreshments were very poor for what was after all an F ticket. Never mind - it’s a short flight and I’m not hungry or too thirsty.

I headed into the city on BART and enjoy plenty of touristy things for the next 24 hours. San Francisco seems nice and I’d like to go back for a more relaxed visit some day. Manage to fit in 2 Hilton stays at reasonable price.

All too soon its time to head back to SFO to catch the 2nd NZ flight SFO-AKL.
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