JET LAG.....THE EVIL, THE EVIL!!!!

As I mentioned earlier, I don't deal well with jet lag.  It is evil.  It is mine sworn enemy.  And yes, I know all the things one is supposed to do to overcome/compensate for jet lag, the most basic being to keep going when one arrives at the destination, rather than going to bed.

Try telling that to my body.  Believe me, I've tried, and my body just writhes with evil laughter, until I put it into a supine position.  Which is what I did upon arrival in Helsinki around noonish, that time.

I awoke around 5, took a long walk, and discovered that the Eurohostel is in a wonderful location, near the water, and just marvelously pleasant for walking.

After about an hour, I returned, ate that delicious salmon dinner, read for awhile, then off to the land of Nod......

To wake up the following afternoon around 3 pm.  While I didn't have big plans for the day, I had at least planned to get up.  Obviously, my body had laughed so hard at the notion, that it had worn itself out.

Oh well.  Consider all that money I was "saving while sleeping."

Heading Out

Dumping the canines with my ever-patient mother, I headed to Atlanta where cousins John, Kathy, and son Alexander wined and dined me.  After a good night's sleep, John drove me to the new international terminal in Atlanta where I hopped aboard.

Notice the smile, the lightness, the looking-forward-to-the-eight-hour-flight-to-Amsterdam foolish look?  Silly me.

Arrival in Amsterdam.  After the eight hour flight, I certainly needed first aid, a lounge, a spa, a comfort seat, and meditation (in a comfortable bed).  Anyone wish to guess which option I chose?  Yes, it was Door #3, the Airport Spa, where I had a massage delivered by Olga who trained at the prison guard school of massage; I think I still have bruises.  I dragged myself through a long amoeba semblance of a line for customs or immigration or some such nonsense, where I was asked the question that all such officials asked me "Are you traveling alone?" as if a woman of my age must certainly have a young companion to keep me from wandering astray....  Although I do acknowledge that after a 4 hour layover in Amsterdam and a 3 hour flight to Helsinki, I felt like....

Granted, this isn't me, but it's how I felt.  Unfortunately, even from my earliest ventures across different time zones, when I was youthful, energetic, jet lag has bested me.  This trip was no different.