So now we’ve leaped into 2016 and earned an extra day. After being on vacation for 3 weeks in Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia, it’s finally time to go back to work and reality. We got back Thursday evening, and we were both pretty much a wreck for the weekend with the time change, catching up on laundry, mail, errands and for me going to work again. Fortunately I had packed for my Monday morning trip before we left, so that part was easy.
Since I had an early flight on Monday (6:50am) we stayed at the Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport, a frequent stay place for us when I have early flights. 
We got our favorite room on the 10th floor with a balcony overlooking the runway. Even after being gone for so long on vacation, I preferred staying at the airport Sunday night than leaving home super early to catch my flight; much less stressful having breakfast at the hotel and simply walking downstairs to the gate. 
Plus on Sunday nights when we stay at the Airport Hyatt, we have dinner at McCoy’s restaurant; kind of a wind down to the weekend, and in this case vacation.
Monday morning I flew from Orlando to Dallas on an American Airlines 321, and yikes – in coach! Ahh the horrors – LOL. After having such wonderful Business Class flights on Korean Air and Qatar on Airbus 380s and 777’s it was a bit of a let down, but fortunately I had an exit row seat. Even as an Executive Platinum, sometimes I don’t get upgraded on domestic flights. Anyway the flight seemed quick and I was able to nap for a fair bit. In DFW, I had an hour and a half, so I walked from C to A gates; quite a walk, but I enjoy doing that if I have time as it affords a bit of exercise rather than taking the tram.
I renewed my Admiral’s club membership at the ‘B’ Club, as it officially expired on Feb 28th. The last few years it’s been complimentary for me as I’ve taken 150+ flights a year and USAirway’s gave you the membership at 150 flights for 125K miles a year, but American does not, so I paid my $350 for renewal, which was a discount for Executive Platinum members; still a deal as much as I use it throughout the year.
My next flight was on a small regional jet to Beaumont, Texas, where I’m working this week. Knowing I wouldn’t be sightseeing this week I took a couple photos as we approached Beaumont, a new city and airport for me. You could clearly see this is an ‘oil’ town with all of the refineries and barges on the river we flew by.
The airport in Beaumont is small, which is fine, and the luggage was delivered almost immediately, I rented from Avis as there wasn’t a National Car rental there.
I drove to my Homewood Suites Hotel, Beaumont, but when checking into my room, immediately discovered it hadn’t been cleaned! That used to happen in my early days of travel, but now with everything computerized it seldom happens. No worries; I’m just back from vacation so I waited patiently in the lobby and caught up on a ton of emails.
Now it’s Wed night, and I’m catching up with the blog, and slowly going thru photos and video from vacation, as it’s been a busy work week. Hopefully in a month or so I’ll have a video or two released. But for now, it’s hump day, and actually the adjustment back to work from vacation hasn’t been as big a shock as I had expected, although I did wake up on Tuesday wondering where I was!
For now, it’s back to work, but the next overseas trip will be soon – Memorial Day weekend to Rio! Ciao!