Travel back to Chch day. 

With a few tears, because we hate saying goodbye to this family whom I love so much, we headed out ahead of schedule at 6.45am.

It was a balmy -1 which was a veritable heatwave for this area at this time of year.

Didn’t mean driving wouldn’t be risky.

Mitch told us there were 200 accidents that morning in the Twin Cities alone.

Still we arrived safely at the airport in time to down a single shot soy latte and to almost buy a world famous cookie that’s nearly as big as my head.

You will be pleased to know I restrained from that particular purchase.

Time to hop that plane to San Fran for a nice little ten hour layover.

We did think about doing some sightseeing but luggage was an issue.

In the end, given how many times we have both been to SF, we decided to just hire a motel room and have a break.

It was probably going to be a 6 hour hotel stop over so we chose a hotel we perhaps would not normally choose.

Travel Lodge.

Back in my day dearie, those Travel Lodges were high class ya know. 

As we checked in the girl said ‘You have the room for one night Sir’.

They all call you Sir here – if you are male of course. 

MoD in his infinite wisdom said ‘Oh no, we only need it for a few hours’.

OH MY LORD.

MoD!

Both receptionists averted their eyes and said ‘Certainly Sir’.

MoD!

Do I look like a lady of the night?

Do I?

Well to be fair, sometimes I probably do.

I promptly corrected this unfortunate misunderstanding.

And turned to find two big burly policeman, who had arrived in two seperate vehicles, behind me. 

Hmmmmmmm, hope the perpetrator wasn’t next to room 117. 

We opened the door to said room and were immediately hit with the sweet and extremely strong smell of bleach.

I felt like I was in a Jack Reacher homicide scene.

Get out the Luminol MoD………need to see where the blood splatters are.

Anyway, the bed was clean, the TV worked and there was an IHop next door.

Everything we needed really.

For my Aussie and NZ readers, an IHop is your almost typical American breakfast diner.

So we had almost typical American breakfast food.

MoD with his bottomless cup of black coffee (total gross) and me with my bucket of tea. Honestly I was grateful they had tea bags. 

Twas a big turn out at the IHop.

After a rest and a somewhat suspect shower, it was off on the shuttle to SFO.

SFO is actually a pretty nice airport with long hallways and unobtrusive shops.

Surprisingly border security wasn’t too bad. 

Although I still had to take off my shoes and my GFlip Hoodie. 

SFO even has a yoga room. 

Be still my beating heart. 

MoD says of course they do, it’s SF. Or California to be ‘pacific’. 

We spent the next few hours enjoying the benefits of MoD’s Air New Zealand status in the United Lounge.

Not too shabby. 

Then off to our gate to board for our 11.30pm flight back to Chch. 

As it turns out we are pretty ok with flying United Airlines. The food isn’t as good as Qantas or ANZ but everything else is absolutely fine. The seats may even be slightly bigger. Certainly bigger than the ANZ or Jetstar flights I regularly take to Melbourne. 

Anyway, last bit of trivia before I leave you and head up in that big jet airplane in the sky. 

Did you know in 1964 the Beatles chose SF to start their USA tour. So SFO claims. Funny, I always thought they arrived firstly in NYC and then did their first concert in Washington. I must have been wrong.

I was wrong once.

But now you know……or do you?

Still you can dream about those four boys from Liverpool.