Day 8 our last day in Portugal. It is time to check out, get to the airport and catch our flight. When we packed last night, I should say Doreen packed, I had to itemize our spending for customs. Doreen is the master packer. We brought extra suit cases so we could stay within the 50 pound limit. The wine we purchased is heavy and we sort of went over the 1 liter per person limit. Doreen does a bang up job. I have always said she can stuff 50 pounds of stuff in a 10 pound bag. In the morning I am up and getting ready while I let Doreen catch an extra 40 winks. We are out of the room and to the lobby by 6 AM. As I look outside and see that it rained the night before and still may be raining. That is great timing. I check the bill and I only owe $162.00 That was for Breakfast, Dinners and the safe rental. There wasn't any daily tax on the room. That complete we head off to the Lisbon Airport. During our Bus tour of Lisbon the tour bus actually took us through the airport so I got a test ride to see where the rental car return lane was. The GPS works great and we make it to the Airport in under 30 minutes. The car check in went great, no extra charges and it is off to the Continental Check in. That is where my rush causes us to get to the Airport an hour before the check in opens. Around 7:20AM we see an army of Continental workers come to the area and start their work. We assemble near the ropes and are the third in line. A Portugese family comes up and thinks they can stand on the other side of the rope. The workers show them the line and they reluctantly get to the back of the line. Oddly enough they are on our flight and are just as much obstinate and pompous on the flight. They drove the flight attendants nuts with special meal requests, special drinks, and hopping around from seat to seat.
Doreen is relieved when our three checked bags are way under the 50 pound limit. We struggle off to find our gate and then look for the security check. We go through one check point and that seemed easy but there were two more with the last one where you get everything x-rayed. I didn't have to take my shoes off or start my laptop. It was a breeze. That complete I look for a cafe for breakfast. I am good at this ordering cafe with leite and quiche. The cafe is mobbed with all tyoes of nationalities crammed around small round tables.
Next we head for the gate and find a seat. Boarding is at 9:25 AM and the gate area is mobbed. I wonder, how many people are on this flight? Then I notice a flight to London is boarding and a flight to Geneva is boarding. These lines form and no one mentions boarding by sections. The Geneva flight left about 30 minutes late. 9:25 comes and they don't say anything but I tell Doreen lets go. We get in line as it forms and go through the door but only to get staged in another waiting area where they board by row. I don't care. I stnad by the door waiting to hear our row. When they mention our section I make my move almost dislocating another guys shoulder, I excuse my self but Doreen was able to get ahead of me and we get on the plane. I am able to stow our carry on bags with no trouble. Then our luck runs out and a family of four come down and three sit in front of us and the fourth has the window seat in our aisle. That is when I wish I had bought all three seats. Thinking back it would have been cheaper to buy the three seats in the row then trying for first class. The flight is packed and we back away from the gate on time but it is another 20 minutes before we lift off. Then the pilot says it is an 8 hour flight. I thought it was a six hour flight, but I stink at the time change and the conversion. The flight, although packed is a pleasant flight. We got two nice meals as well as a pack of peanuts. We got more food on this flight than ever before.
Customs in the US was a breeze. I gave them my declaration page saying I bought $150 of wine, and the other items. They asked us a few questions, ran our bags through the agriculture screening. At that screening I was asked if brought any sausage or cheese with us. I said only the sausage and cheese that was in the Quiche I ate that morning. He laughed and we went to the other side to get our bags. That was it, a breeze. I got more hassle going to Las Vegas. We get to the long term parking pack the car and head home. We landed at 1:45 PM in Newark and pulled into the driveway at 4 PM. Back home and relaxing.