"Jet Lag and Culture Shock..."

It has been interesting to be back in the USA after being gone for almost a year.  Many things have struck us over the last few days.

• Fruit-is much bigger and brighter-bananas are YELLOW and BIG, apples are RED, grapes are really SWEET
• There are no Zimi's-just SUV's and cars
• There is grass...
• The grass in really GREEN
• The air smells sweet
• No one talks to you when you walk in the market...
• No one follows you when you walk in the market
• There are far TOO MANY choices...
• 4:30 am is now the time to wake up...not by choice
• It is COLD here...
• It is quiet...no generators constantly running
• We can take a LONG shower
• We can take a BATH

All fun aside...we have been really enjoying our time with Mike's brother and sister-in-law.  Just being with family is really special...Although we do really miss our "ship family" and Africa.

PS)  Someone had asked some questions about the "Amazing Race" that was being filmed while we were in Accra, Ghana.  The plane left about 9:55pm on May 31st.  They were on the same flight as us to Frankfurt, Germany.  We did not take any pictures.  There were about 10 (?) teams each with their own camera team.  They were the first group of people off of the plane when we landed in Germany...and had to clear customs the same as everyone else.  It was interesting to see how everyone got along. While we were checking in, there was one team trying to get onto the plane and it seemed they were purposely making it difficult for them.  Honestly, I felt because they were doing the show they acted like they should get preferential treatment over and above the other passengers on the plane.  To the point where some times they were rude and inconsiderate.  So all in all it was an eye opening experience to watch the progression over the night.