I love being back in the fall. Sure, we have plenty of trees in Chicago, but the colors of the leave

In the weeks leading up to my return, I prepared myself for the worst. I told myself ( and everyone else ) that it was going to be weird. That I would feel overwhelmed. That I wouldn t be able to adjust to being back in the United States after 13 months of traveling overseas.
And the tears that I expected to fall when I landed in Atlanta never fell. Instead, I inhaled a few chicken tacos at Qdoba, bemoaned the lack of free wi-fi and appreciated the fact that I could charge my iPod without an adapter plug.
When I finally arrived at Chicago's Midway airport, I simply smiled. I felt a sense of relief to be back on familiar ground – to be walking through an airport that I recognized and to be hopping onto a train into the city and knowing exactly where to go.
The next day, I headed to another familiar place: car rental in united kingdom Target. I was grinning from ear to ear as I wandered through the store and realized that nothing had changed in 13 months all of my favorite products were in the same place.  I was able to refill my makeup supply and stock up on Neutrogena soap, Rice Chex, peanut butter M Ms and Diet Coke.
I walked around neighborhoods I used to live in and appreciated the little things. I marveled at the appearance of fresh food carts. I went to Chipotle ( a few times! ), chowed down on gluten free stuffed pizza at Chicago Pizza Pasta and ordered Thai take out.
I met up with friends for a welcome home party at the same bar where I had my going away party and the biggest car rental in united kingdom change was that the bar now serves sweet potato tater tots ( yum! ). I was nervous to see my friends again because I afraid I wouldn't be able to relate to them anymore – or that they wouldn't be able to relate to me. But the conversation flowed surprisingly well and it wasn't long before I was feeling as if I had never left.
Sure, I had to sit and think for at least a minute or two before car rental in united kingdom I drove a car for the first time, trying to remember which pedal was the break and which was the accelerator. But even rush hour traffic in the Twin Cities car rental in united kingdom feels tame compared to the congestion of Moscow or the craziness of Tbilisi .
And yes, I had to stop myself from picking some random berries to eat as I walked through a park near my parents' house – and then ask myself why I was stopping since I ate wild berries and other fruit fairly often in Central Asia – and then tell myself that somehow berries in Minnesota might be different so I still shouldn't eat them. In the end, I kept walking.
I love being back in the fall. Sure, we have plenty of trees in Chicago, but the colors car rental in united kingdom of the leaves around the Twin Cities are just gorgeous – as vibrant and rich as the foliage in St. Petersburg last year. I don't know that I ever noticed the leaves changing colors in the past.
I love having a significantly larger wardrobe that I can store in a closet and dresser – that I have clothes that I actually like and that fit me and make me look and feel like a normal person. I love wearing heels and makeup and my favorite black trench coat. I love drying my hair with a hair dryer and styling it with a curling iron. I love having my choice of cute Coach purses to carry instead of the same old worn out shoulder bag.
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Hahah, when I came home smack in the middle of the recession back in March 2009 after 2+ years overseas, the immigration agent asked where I was going to stay and I responded, with an eyeroll- with my parents . He had a good laugh and sent me on my way.
You have to answer questions on re-entry to the US on a US passport that s incredible. car rental in united kingdom No one at customs in NZ has ever made any comment except welcome home now that airports are automated for NZ passport holders I don t even have that conversation. car rental in united kingdom I ve re-entered car rental in united kingdom after absences of years and no official ever asks why would they?
I get interrogated every time I go back to the US on my US passport because of the places I visit and how long I m gone and the sheer number of Aus entry and departure stamps in my passport and I m a 25 year old white girl from Montana). My favourite time was when they looked through car rental in united kingdom my passport and started playing 20 questions about my 3 week trip to Turkey.
I remember being partly overwhelmed and partly in wonder when I went back to the States after 4 years away. Not necessarily culture shock, but even then it was just a visit. The part I liked the best was being able to speak English EVERYWHERE.
Glad to hear it wasn t what you had braced yourself for! For me, each time I go back to the US, I feel more and more culture shock. car rental in united kingdom A lot has changed in the 3 1/2 years I ve been living in Italy. But I sure do miss Target!
Thanks! So far I ve been so busy I haven t even had time to be depressed. I also haven t done much catching up or getting together with people, but organizing Meet, Plan, Go in Minneapolis was a nice distraction and gave me a chance to meet other travel-minded people here, which has been great.
Aw, welcome back to North America. I am so glad your re-entry was wonderful and not painful in the least. I don t think wanting to dress nice again is materialistic! You are a girl girl obviously and that was on hold for 13 months. I am excited to see how you plan and navigate your life and plans from here on out (if of course you plan on blogging this stuff).
Thanks! It s funny, I would never consider myself a girly-girl, but after a year of not doing my hair, not wearing heels and not dressing in a way that is stylish/fashionable, it feels so good to be doing all that again!
I really enjoyed this post! I now feel the same way when I go home after long bursts of travel. I think it s the observation and openness that we develop on the road which allows us to see our homelands with the same eyes with which we observe new locations abroad. I m actually looking forward to going home to Canada after finishing my current travels through South America. I ll be home just in time for Christmas!
I find I get really bad reverse culture shock going from Australia back to the US. Never get it going from anywhere else back to Australia though. I think it s because at first they seem so similar (same basic food, English speakers everywhere, western culture, etc). It wasn t until I lived in Australia and then went back for the first time after 2 years that I started seeing (what I consider) major differences. No matter how much I brace myself for them it still hits me everytime I go back! Everywhere else I visit is so different from Aus and the US though that I don t get reverse culture shock in those instances and am just glad that I can eat bacon again and go to the corner shop to get peanut butter.
I. Love. This. Post. Thank you for your honesty and humor. And no, in my opinion, liking the simple comforts car rental in united kingdom of home does not make you how did you put it (scrolling back up) shallow or materialistic . Knowing it makes you self aware and admitting it makes you truthful. Love this.
Katie is a thirty-something native of Minnesota & 10 year resident of Chicago who quit her job in August 2011 to spend a year volunteering and traveling through car rental in united kingdom all 15 countries of the former Soviet Union. In addition to being obsessed with travel, Katie is a sports fanatic and running car rental in united kingdom enthusiast who has been gluten free since 2010.

You are using Internet Explorer 6. Internet Explorer 6 is unsupported by this site and you may exper

You are using Internet Explorer 6. Internet Explorer 6 is unsupported by this site and you may experience layout thirfty rent a car and functionality issues. It is recommended that you upgrade to a newer version of Internet Explorer or switch to another browser.
So far 60 flights that were scheduled to depart from Denver International Airport on Monday have been canceled. Those flights were headed to places like the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeastern Corridor.
People all over the nation are scrambling to rebook flights because thirfty rent a car of the storm. Many passengers have been showing up at the airports in person because call centers have been overwhelmed and the Internet sites haven t been helpful enough.
I got an email alert that my flight had been canceled. (I) tried to call and it was a 90-minute wait on the phone, so I just figured I might as well show up in person and try to get on whatever flight I could, a traveler told CBS4.
Airlines are being flexible this week because of the storm by waiving rules and fees on specific dates so customers can change their tickets if they are flying in or out of airports affected by Hurricane Sandy. Some are even offering refunds.
United Airlines canceled flights to and from 26 airports in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast and will have limited thirfty rent a car service on Monday and Tuesday. United is most affected by the hurricane because it has hubs near New York City and Washington, D.C.

Both facts were obvious on Tuesday during the 26th International Air Cargo Forum Exposition, which i

Both facts were obvious on Tuesday during the 26th International Air Cargo Forum Exposition, which is being held in Atlanta through rio hotel and casino Thursday. Interestingly enough, Atlanta was the site of the very first International Air Cargo Forum in 1962, and the convention returned to the city 50 years later.
"He and I have become very dear friends, and we have worked rio hotel and casino on many different projects," LaHood said. "I have never really met as dedicated a mayor as here in Atlanta. Kasim, you and I have been great partners."
An unusual relationship has developed between rio hotel and casino Reed and LaHood. Reed, one of the most influential Democrats in Georgia, has helped open doors for state Republican leaders to meet with members of President Barack Obama's administration. The strange irony is that LaHood actually is a Republican who is serving in a Democratic administration.
"I have considered this as a privilege of a lifetime to have this job," LaHood said, adding that he also enjoyed being in Congress, but it was hard to get things done. "In this job, I can get things done. We have done a lot. After the election, I'm going to sit down with the president and figure it out and see where that takes us. And if the other fellow wins, I'll probably rio hotel and casino be walking out the door even though I'm a Republican, and proud of it."
At a press conference announcing that Air Cargo Germany would start flying into Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Oct. 11, Reed said that LaHood has been instrumental in getting the deepening of the Port of Savannah listed on a fast-track for future federal rio hotel and casino funding.
"The secretary has reiterated his support for that deepening, and he did so again today," Reed said. "It's going to be deepened. Once we deepen the Port of Savannah, we are going to challenge everybody in the logistics space."
Reed went on to say that having the mayor of the City of Atlanta and the Metro Atlanta Chamber working to help deepen the Savannah Port "goes a long way in tearing down the notion of the two Georgias."
And once the port is deepened, Reed said the Port of Savannah will continue to be the "fastest growing port" in the Southeast, rio hotel and casino and that will contribute to the expansion of air cargo out of Hartsfield-Jackson. Already, Hartsfield-Jackson is the 10th busiest air cargo hub in the United States.
Louis Miller, rio hotel and casino general manager of Atlanta's rio hotel and casino airport, said that with Air Cargo Germany flying to Atlanta — only one of the top 10 air cargo companies is not serving Hartsfield-Jackson — Emirates SkyCargo.
The airport has been in discussions with Emirates for five to six years. "They always say nice things," rio hotel and casino said Miller, adding that representatives of the Emirates rio hotel and casino have told airport officials that they want to fly to Atlanta when the economy improves.
Anderson's view of the economy is "generally positive," rio hotel and casino saying that "corporate profits are really rio hotel and casino solid, cash balances are at record levels," rio hotel and casino and the U.S. dollar is still a favorite currency in the world.
"I'm a bit more optimistic with the proviso that Europe is going to be a struggle," Anderson said. "Eventually the euro needs to be a common currency with a central bank. Mexico is doing quite, quite well right now. And Brazil has good government with good infrastructure."
The Last Democrat in Georgia rio hotel and casino { @TylerBlazer It doesn't matter how much Governor Deal personally recognizes the importance of public transportation, the money and the will to do anything constructive rio hotel and casino at... } – Oct 30, 8:32 PM
The Last Democrat in Georgia { @TylerBlazer  I wasn't saying that Northside Drive is itself one of the world's great urban thoroughfares as it is obviously not (though it should be noted that... } – Oct 30, 7:46 PM

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DALLAS (CBS 11 NEWS) - Hurricane Sandy has disrupted travel all along the East Coast, with thousands

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DALLAS vans warped tour (CBS 11 NEWS) - Hurricane Sandy has disrupted travel all along the East Coast, with thousands of flights cancelled nationwide. At DFW airport today, 196 flights vans warped tour were cancelled. Many passengers planned ahead and simply stayed home. It's a different set of troubles, vans warped tour though, when you're trying to get home.
"My guess is Thursday morning," says Matt Gill. Gill and five friends made their annual trek to North Texas to take in the Cowboys game over the weekend, proving there are worse things than being a Cowboys fan on this Monday. You could be a Cowboys fan with a hurricane standing between a heartbreaking loss and loved ones at home.
"The plane was loaded and then the pilot discovered cracks in the windshield," says Donlin. So, instead of heading home, the Donlin's Nashville flight was detoured through DFW. But, by then, the airports in the North East were already shutting down. They say family members at home are dealing with high winds, heavy rain, and some flooding. vans warped tour They are worried and frustrated.
"We have little grandchildren at home," says Eileen. "And we're worried about their safety. But, from what we've gone through for the past couple of days, I would rather be at home with them in the hurricane."

If I could offer one suggestion, pay special attention to the overheads in baggage reclaim (if you c

We will be staying at CSA in October and will change planes at the Atlanta airport on our return to the US. Is a two hour layover enough time to go through immigration and make a connecting flight? car rental ireland We will not be checking any baggage.
I'd play it safe and do the 4 hour layover. Atlanta is a very busy and huge airport. Customs and immigration can take some time to get through and then it seems like you go to the other end of the world to get on your domestic flight.
Everything about this is guesswork. If all goes well then it probably will be fine. However there are a LOT of variables involved. Mainly... will your flight car rental ireland from Sangster to Atlanta leave MoBay on time? How long will the lines be for Immigration? How long will it take to reclaim your baggage? Will it be quick getting through Customs? You then have to re-check your luggage so it depends car rental ireland how long it takes you to do that. Then you have go back through the TSA security lines to get to your departure gate area. Lots of variables.
We have missed flights with two hours between due to delays in the things I have mentioned car rental ireland above, but we have also made it with time to spare with the same two hours. Hard to predict! We avoid connections when possible for this reason, but when we have to have a connection car rental ireland we have begun to lean toward the longer layover. We do this these days because we find it far more relaxing to have time to kill (decent meal and a couple of drinks, browse the shops, sit and read) than to have a stressful mad dash to make it all work.
You should be fine. When you come back to Atlanta you will arrive direct into the International terminal and will most likely clear customs with approx 40 minutes. Then you can jump the tram to your exit terminal and you will most likely have about 30 minutes to chill before boarding.
Shouldn't be a problem.....if you wear shoes you can walk in just in case you really need to move fast thru the terminals (i.e. you have the last gate in the terminal for your connecting flight - that can be a long walk).
Took us almost three years last year, but we had checked luggage and there was construction going on everywhere. I would not chance it. We have a three a hour layover next month coming back and figure that will give me just enough time to get a snack.
In my experience, ATL is fairly efficient, in general. In May of 2010, we were able to clear immigration and customs in time to WALK to our connecting gate home, which was welcome after the flight from MoBay. car rental ireland If you're in a pinch, car rental ireland the tram is VERY quick.
If I could offer one suggestion, pay special attention to the overheads in baggage reclaim (if you change your mind and have baggage). For some reason, I selected the wrong flight of two from MoBay when trying to find our luggage... and yet we STILL had plenty of time in our 1:45 layover. Two hours should be good, especially in the absence of baggage.
Two hours will probably be enough, but you might be cutting it close. It just all depends--if you leave on time from MBJ and how long the line in customs is, etc. Not checking bags will save you some time though. I like more than two hours, but we are going to take a risk for our CSA October trip and do a 2 hour layover. I guess it depends on how much of a disruption it would be for you if missed that flight.
We just did this trip. We had a two hour layover time in Atlanta that would have been just fine but our plane left about 45 minutes late from Montego Bay. Immigrations in Atlanta ran very smoothly and we made it through quickly only to find that the trains running car rental ireland in the airport were not working. We had to sprint and run like crazy to make our flight. Barely! If your plane leaves Montego Bay on time, you will have no problems mon.
I travel regularly on business, including internationally, and ATL is a frequent connection point. car rental ireland In my opinion, 2 hours is just about perfect. Is it guaranteed you'll make your connection? Nope. But I think 4 hours would be really excessive.
Your plan to have no checked baggage is a huge factor. You won't have to wait for your checked car rental ireland baggage to arrive on the conveyer, and you won't have to wait in line to recheck it after customs. That will save you considerable time. While ATL is a big airport, the trains are frequent and quick. I'd estimate that as long as you can walk at a reasonable pace, you can get from any gate to any other gate in no more than 15 minutes. I think your arriving flight car rental ireland could be 1 hour late and you'd still have a good chance of making your connection.
Let's face it....air car rental ireland travel these days sucks. There is always a chance of a significant delay and a missed connection. Every frequent traveler has a horror story (or several.) Every airline, every airport, no matter how long the layover time,...somebody's had a disaster experience they'll tell you about. But after dozens of ATL connections, I would book a two hour connection without hesitation. The only reason I'd go for the 4 hour connection is if a missed connection would have disastrous consequences. You'll have to weigh the consequences against twiddling your thumbs in an airport for half a day. Personally, I find 4 hours waiting in an airport in the midst of a long travel day pretty undesireable.
We've flown back and forht to Jamaica many times and usually go through Atlanta. Two hours should be enough time to get though immigration and customs. Just remember, if you pick up any booze at the airport in Mobay, you'll have to put it in your checked lugage at Atlanta. That can take a minute car rental ireland or two.
Took us almost three years last year, but we had checked luggage and there was construction going on everywhere. I would not chance it. We have a three a hour layover next month coming back and figure that will give me just enough time to get a snack.
Thanks everyone. Looks like the decision has been made for me.....when I called car rental ireland the airline to book the two hour layover, it was no longer an option. The flight was way overbooked. So four hours it is.....may work out better anyway since we really do need to get home that day and don't want to risk getting stuck in ATL.

The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel in Florida on Monday was $3.51, down 12 cent

"We have had quite a few transient car rental in broome western australia travelers extend their stay," said Marshall Williamson, guest services manager for the Holiday Inn Sarasota Airport. "A lot of people have been talking car rental in broome western australia to our front desk representatives about the weather and their flight cancellations."
"It's kind of like the big snowstorms up in the East, there's a big unknown," said Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors car rental in broome western australia Bureau. "The people are usually just displaced a short period of time."
The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel in Florida on Monday was $3.51, down 12 cents in the past week. The average was a similar $3.50 even in the Bradenton-Sarasota market, according to AAA.
Sandy may still cause some regional increases in areas like Delaware, New York or New Jersey, car rental in broome western australia but weak demand and an oil supply at its highest since 1982 has created a price buffer, AAA spokeswoman Jessica Brady said.
More than 560 FPL workers and contractors on 350 trucks were en route Monday to South Carolina, where most will congregate and be assigned to specific areas in the greater Washington, D.C. area Tuesday, FPL spokesman Dave McDermitt said.