And, finally, the real ending . . .

(Transferred from my old blog on 18 August 2008.)

I dozed on some benches, then checked in. Since Harinder at work had showed me her ruined film (it went through the x-ray machine), I tried to hold mine out, but the lady told me to put it in. Amsterdam has the coolest waiting lounges - with large red nintendo-ish chairs or lounge ones all lined up at the window. The wait there was harder, since I could barely wake myself up to even get off the plane. They asked each person specific questions about packing, etc. I told the lady who scanned my passport that I didn't have my frequent flyer card with me, but I found it in my bag. Whoops. What would I have gotten?

On the plane I watched part of Hidalgo and that new Julia Stiles princess show. The funny thing is, I was watching it in German, and all of a sudden I thought, "Wow, I can really understand this." Somehow I had switched the channel to English without noticing. It was cute, but it made me miss Matt. There was this couple next to me and the girl whined about everything and he'd just do everything she wanted. Then they wrote back and forth to each other, and when the movie started it was too dark, so they did sign language. My goodness. She had simple Melissa hair and hemp tattoos all over her hands and feet. They were in Kenya and were going back.

We filled out customs reports. I kept remembering new things and changing the total. I just knew that "raspberry plants" was going to cause a stir.

I cried the whole time at Minneapolis/St. Paul. They took my plant. All the baggage and security people kept asking me if I was okay. No. The plant was given to me by people I really love and reminds me of a place I love, and now I don't get it as a reminder - not to mention the luscious berries! This one lady said, "Ah, honey, did customs give you a hard time? Whah don'tcha go over there and git yahself a nice glass a water?"

I finally got back to Salt Lake and decided to change in the bathroom before I saw my family, because I knew Jeff would make fun of me wearing pants underneath a skirt. However, Jeff wasn't even there. Mom, Heidi, and Dad were. Heidi and Mom had haircuts and Heidi had this ugly new black jacket. We waited for my suitcase, but it never came, so we talked to this guy who gave me a $25 certificate (off of my next flight, haha!), and said that it would get in later. Everything looked so weird around. When I first saw a bus, I laughed out loud because it looked so funny! I couldn't believe I was home! I was sad that I was home . . . . then I thought to look around and compare Utah's beauty to Switzerland's, but, you know, it wasn't comparable. Utah has its own type of beauty. We had a big dinner that Mom made and then went straight over for ice cream at the Anderson's (Allyson wanted to apologize for the mess we "put up with" when they got their driveway replaced). All of the neighbors welcomed me back and asked how things were. I told them my crazy stories. It was so weird to go home and have this room that was my own with my things in it! I went to bed pretty early.

The next morning, I woke up late and found out that the delivery guy couldn't find our house, so I had to call him and give him directions. Then I called East Millcreek Library and told them I'd be in later, but I ended up going late anyway, because the delivery guy took so long. And guess what? Over the next few days, I unpacked everything, and my digital camera wasn't anywhere to be found!!!!!!!!!!! It must have been stolen - either on one of the trains, or at the airport, or on its way to America! I can't believe it! All of my pictures, gone! I should have taken it in my carry-on, or at least taken out the memory card! Who would do that? It's so cruel! Plus, the airlines wants me to send in all these papers that I have no idea where they are, like my original baggage claim and receipt and stuff like that! Bah! Well, I do have the pictures that I already sent home which Matt burned onto a CD for me, but only a few of Switzerland, none of my host family (besides my hostsister riding horses - that was so cool!), and a bunch of stupid ones I took at museums! Well, sorry for complaining, but that is really lame-o to have people ask to see pictures and you don't have any, or wanting to remember cool things. Wow, when I have time to clean up all of these sentences, that will be great! Anyway, that is the end of my travel log! I can't wait to go again!