Minnesota time: 10:57pm Jan. 21 New Zealand time: 4:57pm Jan. 22 Current time: Unknown….

Minnesota time: 10:57pm Jan. 21

New Zealand time:  4:57pm Jan. 22

Current time: Unknown…. J 

I am currently 40,000 ft in the air, flying high above the Mountains… somewhere in Colorado.  I have my first window seat on an airplane, and the experience is indescribable.  Before I get too far ahead… I should probably update you with what has happened thus far…

I was lucky enough to get a ride to the airport from Ryan (thanks again!!!).  Upon getting there, we managed to haul in all five of my bags.  Walking in all I could think was, “How in the WORLD am I going to carry this luggage myself!??!”  I haven’t hand to experience that yet, so clearly I am still wondering that very thing!  I was so nervous and scared getting to the airport. 

1.     I have been in an airport maybe twice in my life.

2.     The only airport I have ever been in was the La Crosse airport.

3.     I had NO idea where to go first or what I was supposed to be doing.

Thankfully, Liz was there when I got there!  She directed me to the area where I was to send my three heaviest bags (one weighed about 37lbs, the next about 47lbs, and the final one weighed exactly 50lbs…. YIKES!)  After my luggage gut sent through the “tunnel” I walked back to the only people I knew…  Approximately 5 minutes later I hear, “Will a Nicole Hegge please come to the baggage check in to claim lost merchandise.”  I was shaking when I heard my name, thinking, “Are you kidding me?!?! I just got here… I couldn’t have already lost something!!”  Upon walking to the counter, the kind woman behind the counter holds up my wallet…  Yes, it had my ID, debit card, money, EVERYTHING BUT MY PASSPORT, in it!  So needless to say my first experience at the airport started off on the wrong foot.  After getting my wallet back and regrouping with myself, it was time to head to security. 

            This was the part that we had to say goodbye.  Hugs were given all around, faces were sad, yet filled with excitement and joy.  The “see ya later” went quickly, and it was time to leave everything I was ever comfortable with and try something new…  Going through security was interesting.  They didn’t give too much instruction, but just assumed that I knew exactly what I was to be doing.  I had no idea and just asked the people around me, who seemed to be a bit upset that I didn’t know myself.  Anyways… I just had to take off my shoes, sweatshirt, empty out all of my electronics, and things like that.  I proceeded to push my bins through the screener, shaking the whole time, and continuously looking back at the people we left behind.  Everything checked through great, and I was able to jam everything in my bag again. 

            Now it was real, just Liz, Kristin, and myself, strolling through the airport.

No moms, no friends, no one to guide us but ourselves.  Thankfully for Liz and I, Kristin had already flown before and she was able to lead us through.  We arrived at our gate (H8), and still had over an hour before we left.  We found a table and sat to calm down a bit.  As time got closer, I got more and more nervous.  Finally, it was time to “board the plane”.  I had to line up separate from Kristin and Liz, which was scary at first, but I just had to do it!  Getting on the plane was awesome, I was so excited!!!  Sitting in the seat I could hardly wait for take off….

15 minutes later… we were STILL “defrosting” the plane… 

10 minutes later…  we are STILL waiting for take off.

By this time, I was not so excited, and more bored.  We has to be buckled the whole time, with all electronics off. 

Finally the plane began to move and it was NUTS!  The turbulence was definitely scary, I just don’t understand how a plane can be shaking as if it’s running over numerous dead animals. 

After we leveled out things were fine.  It was so weird to think I was so high up in the air.

            It wasn’t long and all of a sudden I had to use the restroom.  Kristin warned me to not use the bathroom on an airplane, but I had to, just to get the experience J Going into the tiny cubicle was the first challenge, handling the smell the entire time was the second. 

            After a short while, I was back in my seat, relaxing.  All of a sudden my stomach felt like it was in my throat!  Eyes wide, I turned to Liz and noticed she had the same look on her face!  Kristin reassured us at that point that we were descending!  Next thing I know, we were in the Denver airport, looking for our next gate, C34.  After finding it we had a short amount of time to grab some food.  The best part of being in the Denver airport was the moving sidewalks!  Liz and I had never experienced such a thing, so we had to check it out!  They were awesome!  We thought it would be fun to job on them and see how fast we could really go.  Let me just say we should have experienced exiting the moving sidewalks before we decided to just run off of them… haha.  It was quite fun though! 

            All of a sudden we were in line to board the plane I am on now.  This plane is larger, therefore it is much smoother in the air.  I feel like were not even flying.  (Just reminded myself of Grandma Reschke!! J  Oh how I miss her already!)  Anyways, flying over the mountains was surreal.   I thought back of how tall they stood when I was in Colorado in my past, how magnificent they were.  Flying over them was a totally different experience.  They were still as magnificent, yet seemingly more graceful and elegant.  I could see the snow-white tops, and the amazing depth that they held.  Mountain after mountain I would see no sign of life.  No lights, no moving cars, nothing.  It’s as if time stands still on the lonely mountains. 

            Currently, we are past all of the mountains, and now we continue to fly over splotches of lights.  It almost looks like the cities below are glistening in the dark.  It’s hard to imagine that it is night time there, but from my view, it looks as though it is so bright one could not see that it is dark out.

            We are expected to arrive in Los Angeles at around 10:15 their time, which is who-knows-when our time.  When we arrive, we are collecting our luggage, and heading to our hotel!  Tomorrow will be filled with exploring Los Angeles!  We have all day tomorrow until 11:30pm, when our next flight takes off for Auckland, New Zealand.  Knowing nothing about LAX, luckily for me, my cousin Cole and his wife, America, and planning on meeting me in Los Angeles.  Busy busy days ahead of me! 

I want to say that I miss you all very much already; it’s going to be a long six months without you all!  I will be thinking about you all, and hoping that you are bearing the cold weather.  Our pilot told us that it is currently 61 degrees in Los Angelos… that is the coldest I will have for awhile.  J  Please stay warm and safe, and I look forward to seeing you all when I get back, and of course Skyping with you while I am away!!! J

Lots of love from 40,000 feet in the air!!! J