Day 20 - Return to U.S.

Wed., May 22, 2013

It's over!  Our huge, action-packed, fun-filled, exciting, educational tour of Russia et al is over so soon.

We are the last to leave the hotel (with the exception of a couple spending an extra day).  We have a few adventures remaining in the next 24 hours though:

• Several hours at the Helsinki airport, where there are no overhead announcements for flights or missing passengers.  They just seem to know when to show up and are sooo polite!
• Connecting flight in Frankfurt, complete with drama of an American in the next line over who's having a fight with the security police over something.  At least we didn't have to walk two miles this time to the next plane.
• An endless flight back to Dulles but without the terrible turbulence we had over Greenland going over.
• Standing in the re-entry line for an hour+ to get back into the U.S.... and waiting and standing and waiting...
• Finally released!  Except our luggage isn't here. 
• Finding our luggage had been put with that checked to Tampa.  Ooops.  Another 45 minute delay.
• Collapsing at the hotel for an short overnight stay before tomorrow's early AM flight back to Tampa.  

So for now, Do svidaniyaght ('til our next meeting)... maybe in another three years?