Travel out takes, part I

As most of you know we just got back from our first trip back to the US with Richie. We took way too many pix to post here but I thought I'd start posting a few installments every now and then. Looking back, it's amazing how much Richie put up with. 

We took a total of 11 flights ranging from 2 to 12 hours long over a period of 29 days. He slept literally 95% of the time on those flights (but that 5% felt like forever). The worst parts were the layovers. 7 hours in Fiji sounded great when we booked but they had a tropical storm right before we got there and we weren't allowed to leave the airport. At least Richie caught some much needed ZZZ's. Then it was on to LA where we had another 6 hour layover. But luckily our friend Dan was a lifesaver and picked us up right at the gate and took us out for some great food and sightseeing to break up the trip. Then it was on to Chicago, where they were having record cold temperatures. Something like 22 below zero. Talk about extremes. 

The proof is in the pix. These two pictures were taken one right after the other on our camera, within 36 hours of each other. The first is Richie in our makeshift fort in Fiji and the 2nd is preparing to brave the cold in Chicago.