Monday, June 25: Top Reasons

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I'm working on a list. It will be called "Top   #    Reasons to travel with a baby." So far, I only have two items, but bear with me that we aren't even a full day into our travels.

Our flight leaving LAX had many empty seats and when the airline attendants saw that CutieBabyBoy was too big to fit in the baby bed, they immediately scoped out another aisle where we could lay him down so he could sleep better. Of course, we were seated across the aisle from the pilots' break room, so I'm sure everyone had a vested interest in making sure CutieBabyBoy got the best rest possible, but I wholeheartedly support that endeavor. People have been known to unite over lesser goods.

Secondly: the preferential treatment we received upon landing. We were quite prepared to stand in line at immigration with everyone else, but we were pulled aside and brought to the front of the line because we had baby in tow. Maybe someone should do a study about areas in the world where there is zero or negative population growth and see how that compares to the length of lines people with children are obliged to endure.

Anyway, only two items for the list thus far, but I'm sure it will grow.

After walking through customs ("What is this?" "Cheerios...um cereal, for the baby." "Oh, okay, you can go through."), we were greeted by the caretaker for the house we are renting. She welcomed us with a kiss on our cheeks and a flower lei (or in the Cook Islands ei) for SOS and me.




Kiss aside, I was a little embarrassed. I wasn't quite ready to be classified so immediately and obviously as a clueless tourist. Typically I like to get a feel for a place before I decide whether sticking out like a sunburned tourist does not mark you for target practice. But I do have to say the leis are much more interesting looking than the leis I've typically seen. They are also a good deal itchier.

Our hostess took us outside and let us know that because our suitcases would not fit in her car, she would arrange a taxi for us. That created a slight bit of confusion, since we had assumed we would have found a place to exchange money before landing bleary-eyed on the street. So while SOS went off in search of some place he could exchange money at 6:30 in the morning, I sat with CutieBabyBoy in the back of the taxi VW bus.

I should know by now to brush up on my US politics before traveling abroad. I forget that even though I may know nothing about the inner political workings of the country I am traveling to, I am bound to run into someone who would like me to defend to them some aspect of US policy.

Fortunately, SOS came back before I had to get too involved in discussion, and we are safely settled into our home for the next two weeks.  Which, come to think of it, brings me to #3 in my list. Traveling with a baby gives plenty excuse for taking a nap.
Inside our house, sitting on our bed looking towards the kitchen area
A bit of our driveway

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