Monday, November 15, 2010

City of Angels

The Happy Nashes just returned from a 4-day odyssey to California for a wedding. It was definitely an adventure! I will be writing more about the trip over the next few days, but for now, here are a few highlights:

--I have never wanted to give a company a big hug before, but Southwest Airlines and I are now BFF. We had four flights total, and they all boarded quickly (15 mins tops) and had timely arrivals and departures, cheerful flight attendants, nice passengers, low fares, and very quick de-boarding as well. We didn't sit at the gate for any length of time after arrival, as I have always had to do with other airlines (ahem... DELTA... ahem...). No switched departures, strange delays, or shenanigans of any kind. And they did Family Boarding which allowed us to find seats together each time.

--The kids did SO WELL with the traveling. I had so many nightmare scenarios played out in my head -- screaming children, tantrums, diapers at 30,000 ft., security issues, etc. but it went so smoothly. I feel like it was easier than a car trip. N loved to nap on the planes, I think because of the combination of white noise and motion, and because she was right on me in the sling instead of strapped in her car seat. C watched his portable DVD player, ate snacks, and only got whiny towards the very end of a couple of really long flights, when I was feeling a bit edgy myself.

--B and I reached a kind of traveling zen early on in the trip -- I would say maybe after our first flight -- and we were like a machine. We were so efficient, so cooperative, and so focused. We even had a chance to relax and enjoy ourselves and the kids were fine, and it was really fun. I was afraid it would be just a lot of work and kind of lonely, but I really got to hang out with B a lot, and it was kind of like old times. Very much a vacation from the daily grind. I loved it. :)

--Speaking of B being awesome, he drove on the LA freeways! In a car with no driver's side mirror! ;D And lived to tell about it.

--The most beautiful view ever -- right before Malibu Canyon Rd. meets the Pacific Coast Highway. You are driving through canyons and mountains, up and down and around curves, and then suddenly on your right the landscape sort of falls open and you can see the Pacific in this breathtaking panoramic view. I gasped while we were driving, and freaked B out because he thought something was wrong. But I couldn't help it. It was glittering, clear, and flat, and I felt like we could see halfway to China. It didn't even seem like Earth.

--Seeing our good friends Mark and Reina get married was the greatest part of all. They are such a great pair of people, and unlike many couples, you get a sense that they just really truly enjoy each other's company. I know they will have a long and very happy life together. And may I say that Reina was one of the most beautiful, radiant brides that I have ever seen.

More later! For now we are enjoying being back in our hometown, where "rush hour" means that it will take you half an hour to get home. ;D

6 comments:

  1. Also, I forgot to mention, since we flew Southwest we didn't even have to touch Atlanta. That might be the best part of the traveling. :)

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  2. You have transported me to my favorite road with your fabulous description! I will have to get out my pictures again. Looking forward to yours. Dad

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  3. Didn't get many pics because of wrangling 2 kids, but we'll show you what we have. :)

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  4. Sounds divine. I'm curious as to how our first flight with Elijah will go, whenever that happens. Glad you had a good time!

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  5. We just flew SW too and LOVED it. Keith and I discussed it and will ALWAYS choose them over delta if we can. Glad your trip went so well with two babies. I did not love flying with Colin at 17 months by myself. :)

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  6. It seems like 17 months would be a really hard age -- Norah is still a lap baby, so that's not hard, and Chris is old enough that he can sit still for a certain length of time, watch movies, read books, etc. I remember when he was around 18 months old he just would not be still for anything, and he was so big an wrangly it was hard to have any kind of physical control over him really at all. How did you do it?

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