Los Angeles

I am back on home soil and at the lounge in Los Angeles airport. Everything has been moving so fast. The flight from Sydney seemed like it lasted 2 hours. I guess when I get to lie flat and get a good sleep it helps to pass the time. I really didn't have enough time to compose my hotel reviews and final thoughts about Sydney.

It's funny when you come back into the US how badly you are treated at the airport. In Sydney I passed through immigrations witha simple "next" and when I hit security the never made me take off my shoes, or show my ticket and ID 12 times to prove that I was really a passenger. I didn't even take off my belt or shoes when I went through security. The scene was quite different in Los Angeles.

At immigrations a person stands there yelling whether you should go into this line or that line. When you hit security you have to take off your belt, shoes, jacket and nearly get naked to get through the metal detector. While this is happening a person stands there yelling romove all metal, cell phones, video cameras, take off your shoes, hold your ticket, walk slow, pick up your belongings, etc... You feel more like you are being admitted to a concentration camp rather than taking an airline flight.

As long as the Feds are training these people to look for dangerous situations, why can't they also train them to treat people with respect?

Well, at least I am now in the safety of the quiet airline lounge.

You may think the privledged airline lounges are glamourous places filled with jet set travelers heading off to vacations in exotic places, well you are wrong.

They are filled with sleezy businessmen with no fashion sense and bad haircuts yelling at their secretaries on their cell phones. Who wants to hear that? In the lounge I am in right now there is one of those guys and he is talking on his cell and wandering and pacing around the lounge as he does. Dude, sit the hell down and keep your conversation to yourself.

I was just thinking... I hope I haven't turned into one of those businessmen with bad hair and no fashion sense...

Have you heard that the FAA is considering to allow the use of cel phone on planes? Do you really want to be on a 6 hour flight with a guy next to you yelping demands to his staff? How about a 16 year old girl talking to her girlfriend or a guy making googly talk to his girlfriend... I don't think so. I think, like smoking, this shouldn't be allowed.

OK, I have since moved from the lounge and I am now in my seat on the aircraft. The busy "executive" in front of me already has his seat in full recline, my god, poor thing. He is so tired he can't even wait until after the meal service to recline. The busy executive next to me is still on his cell phone making that last minute deal and making sure his calendar is in sync.

I know this is only a 5 hour flight but I have a feeling that it will seem longer than my flight from Sydney to Los Angeles.

I am stil wondering what time my body thinks it is. I think it thinks it's morning.

Next stop, Chicago.

Blogging from Australia with Blackberry and Cingular Wireless.