Back home for my Valentine :)

Today is the last day of my post mission crew rest and I figured since I had the extra time lounging around the house, I thought I would share some highlight photos from this past trip.

Our view of some buildings in Istanbul from the maintainance ditching hatch (opening on the very top of my plane's fuselage):

View from my room in Ankara, Turkey:

Here is an amazing view of Mt Etna, Sicily, with Catania in the foreground:

The crew enjoying the Stag's Head pub in Catania!

My crazy new Italian friends Zaira and Alessandro:

The Duomo in the heart of Piazza Dell'Elefante (Elephant Square):

The plane we had to back up for 6-7 days (here sitting in Rome's airport):

Here were the last 2 meals we got on this last trip:

(yummy avocado bacon cheeseburger, steak fries, and white raspberry cake)

(chicken and fruit salads)

We were totally sad to see the flight attendants go when we dropped them off home at Andrews!

This trip definitely topped the list, thus far!  I got to see some really amazing new places, and the crew was just wonderful!!!   Back home, now that both of us are here just in time for Valentine's Day, mr speedbird and I are struggling to find something last minute to do... nonetheless, at least we are both home.  That's what matters!!!!!

Arrivederci!

4 days without internet...

... really takes a toll on someone whose only method of speaking to her family is through those means!  I haven't heard from Mr. Speedbird since the 4th, and here is is, almost the 9th where I am today!  I miss my hubby!  At last, i am connected to the world again and it feels wonderful.  I am currently multitasking on Skype as well, talking to my dad  (whom, thank goodness, just heard from mr. speedbird).  It really shows how dependent we are as a society on internet and cellphones.

I have, in the course of a few days, visited Turkey  (where they held us up for an hour because of passport issues)

Italy (where I feel in love with the country all over again)

and England and may be headed to Haiti before heading home (a last minute possible addition).  This trip has been full of many firsts, such as eating Turkish food, drinking "baby Guinness's" in a Sicilian bar (and using the very small amount of Italian I knew to get dinner for the crew), and learning poker!  Thank goodness I was able to pick up at least 2 shot glasses to build to my collection!  What a jam packed mission this has been, and it's not over!

On a final note, here's another amazing meal, courtesy of the flight attendants:

Hopefully I will be home by Thursday...  we shall see!

Ciao!!