Wednesday, November 16th, Back in the USA

My connecting flight in Frankfort didn't leave me any time to blog.  The German security personell also didn't like the way my excessive number of refrigerator magnets looked on their fancy equipment.  Also, they had the more powerful x-ray machines instead of the metal detectors.  I opted out as I have always done and recommend you to do also, and I was "hand inspected", putting it mildly by a German guy who was all business and his method of checking me for dangerous devises on my person I would not recommend to anyone.

By the time I got to the gate for the flight to JFK they were beginning to board.  The aisle seat that I felt lucky to get was in row 45.  There were 46 rows total.  By the time I got to my seat I thought I had walked across the Atlantic.

The flight was as good as more than 8 hours in the air can be.  The Lufthansa food was okay and the free wine was nice and the cognac after dinner was even better.  I watched some forgettable movies and old TV shows and arrived at about 830pm Eastern time.

I recommend anyone traveling abroad apply for Global Entry from the TSA.  It allows you to bypass the long lines at Customs and Immigration and go to a kiosk, have your passport  and fingerprints scanned, and answer a few questions on screen.  You're through in two minutes and for me the wait was for my checked bag.  Once I got it I caught the air train to the shuttle stop and I called the hotel for the shuttle to pick me up.  The driver was a friendly guy with a West Indian accent.  Upon inquiry I learned that he grew up in St. Thomas and he was thrilled that I had lived in St. Croix.  He regaled me with the inside scoop on Virgin Islands politics to this day.  I got my room which is okay and got some sleep but woke up before 5 with plenty of time to make my 930am flight to Fort Myers.  I'll enjoy the complimentary breakfast that is included in this $125/night room in the Bronx and catch the shuttle at 730am.  The thought of unpacking and packing again to visit Phyllis in California for Thanksgiving isn't too appealing, but two weeks in Northern California should be adequate time to decompress and appreciate this month long trip.  I'll say goodbye from New York for now thank you for reading the blog.

I plan to write more about travel tips and what I've learned about blogging when I get home.  I haven't said it before and its time to say it feels good to know that friends and family have followed me and Phyllis through New York, Ukraine, and Moldova, and have followed me on my Israeli adventures.  I thank you all for your interest.