"Air New Zealand flight(-less kiwi) as we sat on the plane for over an hour while a video projector was repaired and a "technical problem in cockpit" corrected. I was in a middle seat and when the two young ladies began chatting I asked the one on the aisle if she wanted to sit in the middle so they could be together. No luck, they didn't; and I HAD to sit between them. Luckily no perfume. Judy, a high school Brit on her way home from a visit to OZ. She and I got on famously - same wave length humor-wise. While on the other side we had Jude a 26 yr-old Kiwi going on her big OE wearing headphones all the way so no conversation. In front of us was a young girl who had won a trip to Disneyland, and her mother. First time out of Australia and a stewardess told them all the places to go and things to do in LA.

I have never understood how airlines get a bad rap about the food they serve. Okay, so the salad was lettuce with a couple slices of tomato, but the remainder of the chicken in mushroom sauce was splendiforous. Flight was long enough to play four movies. I watched "Gosford Park", "Heist" and "K-PAX" but slept for 4 hours and missed "Ocean's Eleven".

Since we were an hour late I had less than an hour to make my connection flight, I rushed my way out of the plane (leaving the sweater I didn't use behind) zipped through immigration not many Yanks on plane (most people on plane were going on to London). First one down to pick up luggage. I tossed out the two bags of nuts while waiting for the bags to start coming. Well, for all I know my bag may have been one the first ones down. But I was looking for a black one. While searching three more flights arrived and guess who out of those 2000 people was last. There was only one bag going around but it was "green". Baggage clerk said it was mine, but I told him it was the wrong color. Guess what - once off the carousel and into a different light it changed to black!!! Did I mention the 2000 fellow travellers? Only two customs stations for the "nothing to declare" and 2000 had nothing to declare. I managed to read a chapter or two of Dr. Chicago. By the time I got through that I had missed my flight. They wanted us to put our check-ins back on a conveyor belt back to the planes. I told them no way, I wanted my luggage to go on the same plane as me, so they let me out of the building onto the street telling me to go to United. Took me 20 minutes to get there via an interterminal bus. At United Express I am the only person in the whole area but still have to wind through the maze. I had hooked my laptop bag to the top of the wheeled-suitcase, which made it top-heavy and on the final turn I lost it and went tumbling over. Poor clerk had to look away and try to stop from laughing. After he had re-ticketed me onto the 6:05PM, he told me where I had to bring my luggage for security check, he told me "Try not to fall down". There at the exit from the counter is the only other person in the building, a Asian lady with her cart and bags on the floor. Finally get past "I left my brains in San Fransico" and to this X-ray machine that has three people on the other side in a discussion on some union matters (like 'you mean we have to work, too). Luckily, there was a chair and I had an hour to get to the plane. Eventually, the Asian lady joined me and they said "do you have luggage to check?" DUH!!!! So the three of them yell out and about a minute later this old guy ambles out and I back on my way. Get to another security check, this one with National Guardsman and a woman security guard who probably wanted to impress them, because she starts barking orders to me (I am the only person there) yelling at me to take out my laptop etc.... Had time to down a Yukon Blend at Starbucks (paper cup with a cardboard cuff to protect your hand - it is HOT). One last hurdle and I blew it. As we hand in our boarding pass the name on it must be checked against an id photo. Since I was in front of line I just quickly pulled a passport out - the NZ one and bingo since I am a foreigner I must be body searched and everything taken out of my bag, opened and inspected.

Short flight to Phoenix - got in at 7:20PM and I guessed that I had missed the last shuttle to Prescott. In 1991 the same thing happened and I took a cab for $70. So I figured I could be up for $100 [NZ$250] this time and decided I'd find out what a rental would cost - $110. Luckily, thought no harm in going to the international terminal and see if I missed the shuttle. Prescott had grown so much that it now had service until 10:30PM provided by four companies. God bless competition - 11 years later and the cost had come down $6. Not only is it cheaper, instead of dirty old Malley van, the standard is luxurious. Spacious comfortable seats and sectionalized air condition controls. I took the 8:30PM and we got in at 10:15PM. I tried to sleep on the way (it was dark, nothing to see). But the young guy from Seattle on his way to become a pilot while wrestling for Prescott's flight school kept getting calls on his mobile (usual the coach who was picking him up) and the colored uni girl next to him kept making phone calls out and when they weren't on their cells they chatted.

The driver arranged a cab to be waiting for me and I went straight to the hospital. After hours so Nancy, the security guard, brought me to ICU (Hospital has tripled in size since 1997) where Joyce was sleeping. The RN, Greta, would only say that she was stable. The receptionist, Ida, and a trainee, Natasha guided me back to the ER and another cab. This guy, Chuck, went the wrong way and we took a very long hardly scenic route to the house - he didn't get a very good tip. Yes, America Land of Tips.