Beautiful Newark Airport

"Beautiful Newark Airport" is not a phrase you're going to hear too often among frequent travelers, but that's the way we feel this morning.

After a perfectly decent flight (although the CO crew seemed more interested in having their own little party, especially in comparison to the superb service outbound), we landed at EWR at just about 4:00 a.m. local time.

We used our Global Entry status for the first time, although the lines were sparse and Tom, Ellyn, and Haley were through Immigration almost as quickly as we were. There was a not-too-horrible wait for our checked bags (the Star Alliance Priority tags were emerging toward the front), we handed in our cards at Customs and before we knew it were in a very short TSA line.

Brian spotted a line at the end using the WTMD (walk-through metal detector) and we all zipped through there with an X-ray nor an invasive search. Of course, after four body searches just to get from the hotel to the airport yesterday (one for each Metro Train ride, the usual thorough wanding at security, and the grand finale by hand as part of the honor involved for US-bound passengers), we're just about ready for anything.

We two enjoyed long lingering showers, and we're all enjoying coffee, bagels, bananas, and cereal in the United Club.

Our flight to SEA doesn't leave for another three hours, and we'll say goodbye to Tom, Ellyn, and Haley as they board their flight to DEN about an hour earlier.

Yes, it's nice to be home.