SEA > LAS

Ray, Chris, and I handed over our checked belongings at the counter and on to their ensuing fate at the hands of the TSA and the luggage gods. A longer than usual wait to get through security. Did notice one gal who was using a kitchen garbage bag as her carry on luggage. Interesting. Chris booked us on Brand X airline so we end up in a totally unfamiliar wing of Sea-Tac. Ray wants to know how long the flight takes and I tell him 2:20 or 2:30 I forget which way takes longer than the other. I figure the west-east trip goes a little faster due to the rotation of the Earth but Ray, a pilot, disputes and says that has negligible effect compared to the wind currents. Chris smells a Mythbuster episode brewing.

As Murphy's law would have it, Ray, Chris, and I each ended up with a window seat, center seat, and aisle seat (respectively) to none of our likings. I swapped with Ray and Chris moved at boarding to a window so we all ended up getting seats we wanted. After I get seated I can't help noticing that the cute Asian girl in the seat next to me kept looking over at me...or out the window...whatever. Got some sleep. Turbulence over the mountains as we begin our approach to landing. The flight crew have said it has to do with the thermals coming off of the mountains though I secretly suspect that wild gyrations of the plane have to do with someone using their cell phone. We land and pull into another foreign gate that disorients me. We go to the carousel and Ray can easily identify his golf bag thanks to the pretty pink ribbons that he (or his wife) tied to it.

It's off to pick up the rental car and grab some grub.