My flight to Sweden

I started out my trip today at the St. Louis Airport. Security was easy, and i only waited a little while before having to board a little plane for a two and a half hour flight to Newark. I sat on the left side of the plane where there is only one seat. When i got to Newark i saw a lot of tired people waiting in long lines to get home at different gates, they must have been stuck there because of the storm. I got some lunch at steak escape, which i much rather would have escaped from eating there, it was not as good as i remembered it last time.

After lunch i wandered around the airport for a while before boarding my flight to Sweden. I don't like to sit down in the uncomfortable seats on the plane for so long, so before my flight i like to walk around. I finally got on my Boeing 757 and preceded to seat 23B, and sat down right in the middle of two Swedes. Don't get me wrong, they seem like they were nice people, but guys are bigger and take up more space than i do. So i had to fold my arms into my sides into my little tiny 2 feet of seat space because they took up both of my arm rests. Of course the seat in front of you is so close that to get your overstuffed backpack out from under the seat later in the flight is a joke! So i prepared myself to not get to my bag, and not get up to use the restroom for a long while...

While i was getting situated there was a lady who didn't have a seat because someone changed seats somewhere around in the back so the flight attendants were trying to figure out where her seat was before we could leave the gate. While I'm observing all this happen I'm beginning to wonder how long this flight would drag on. Then, the flight attendant came over the PA and asked if Laura Johnson could please ring the call button on her seat immediately. I was like, oh crap! what did i do? i didn't forget anything, i just checked to make sure i had my passport and everything was in order, maybe they are going to bump me off my flight! I waited a second then hit the call button, the flight attendant came up to me and asked, are you Laura Johnson? I said yes. He then told me that my seat was in first class in seat 3A, i didn't want to ask why because i was afraid he would take it back. He helped me up to the front with my bag that i had to wrench out from under the seat, and i sat down in a big comfy recliner seat with a foot rest. I sat there confused for a minute on what to do next, just in case they changed their mind. Then the flight attendant handed me a menu and asked me to quickly pick what i wanted for my main course because we were about to push back from the gate. The flight attendant handed me a cool little convenience travel kit with socks, ear plugs, sleep mask, toothbrush & paste, hairbrush, chap stick, assorted lotions and mints.

Man they really do take care of you in first class! After take off, they started the large meal starting off with some warm roasted almonds, with a glass of Riesling. Next came the hot appetizer cart with a sample of creamy corn and poblano soup, coconut shrimp, and a vegetable spring role with mango chutney. When i was done with my appetizer, the salad and warm bread cart rolled by and dropped off a nice romaine salad with champagne vinaigrette, and a multi grain role. For the main course (i know, I'm stuffed already!) I chose the chef's selection- braised beef short rib with bordelaise mushroom sauce, spicy aji Amarillo mashed potatoes, green beans, baby carrots. After dinner i also discovered that i had my own personal entertainment center with free movies, games, TV shows, etc. all in my wonderful large arm rests that i don't have to share with anyone! I'm just about ready to slip into my food coma then they bring by the fruit and cheese cart, then the desert cart- Edy's vanilla ice cream with choice of toppings.

Of course i had to eat all of that, I'm in first class! This never happens!
It is now 740pm Central, 2am Stockholm time.... time to catch some zzzzz's in my awesome reclining seat so I'm not dog tired tomorrow.

I woke up an hour before landing, they served fruit for breakfast with yogurt and a hot Cinnamon bun. I chatted with the guy next to me (Peter) who is the head security guard that travels around with the band Iron Maiden. He's from Sweden and was coming back from vacation in Georgia. He totally looked like an Iron Maiden guy lol!
After landing i was picked up by Nicholas from the IIHF and met my roommate for the tournament Haley Wieler from Regina Saskatchewan, Canada. Now I'm in my hotel room, ready for a long day. I'm tired..