After 12 hours of cramped up space on a plane, hardly any sleep and not much food due to my vegetarian order not getting through since I'd booked my flight less than 24 hours prior departure I finally landed in Dallas, TX. A few more adventures with security people and I am finally released into the full brunt of the Texas heat. Holy cow - it's hot.

I call Dann who tells me he's on his way, in a green BMW convertible. All my sleep-deprived hypoglycaemic brain registers is "green" and "convertible". I say I'll wait outside, and Thanks.

I decide that next to food (of which there is a suspicious lack in the terminals) I need to freshen up a bit. In the ladies' "bathroom" (as the natives call toilets in the United States of America) I splash water all over myself and begin feeling moderately alive again. At least I'm not a zombie any more.

In the ladies my first memories of my last visit to the states (13 years ago as a 9 year old gangly redheaded kid) return. A fellow redhead smiles at me and asks how my flight has been and where I was from. She's very friendly - and I remember - people were very open and friendly on our last visit. Maybe coming to the states was a good idea after all :)

I finally decide to face the music - erm - the heat and I go outside where I'm immediately engulfed by a sea of hot amazingly humid air. It almost takes my breath away. I sit next to a middle aged woman and start sweating. She also is very friendly (and to my eyes looks very American, what with sneakers and all :)).

She tells me about her adventures in Las Vegas (where she's on her way home from), and how on the last evening she has won 300$ in a slot machine. She also asks where I'm from and I impress her with my 12 hour's flight from Switzerland.

Still no green convertible. Maybe i misunderstood. And what on earth does a BMW look like anyway? (I have no. clue. whatsoever. about. cars.)

We chitter chatter on until suddenly there he is - Dann, and no car in sight. I'm swallowed in one huge bear hug, which is pretty much exactly what I need at that moment.

We throw my luggage in the back of the car and drive off (after saying good bye to the lady of course).

Airport Dallas-Ft. Worth is the states' largest airport, area-wise. It alone has 5 zip codes, a huge radar (that looks more like a high platform than an antenna), and 7 lane-roads to get us out of the area (which takes us about 20 minutes). Holy sh*t - 7 lanes? That is - erm - huge. (I'm from tiny Switzerland, remember?)

Finally with who I was meant to be, I start to relax, put my bare feet on the car's dash-board (after asking if it was ok, of course), and hold my arms up high into the blue blue Texas sky so that the wind can at least attempt to cool down my wrists. I love this.

Sitting in the driver's seat next to me Dann drives on (grinning his head off about my silliness) and from time to time comments on the colour of one of the surrounding sounds.

Finally at his place I am appreciative for the cool of the CA and I am impressed with the layout of the house (one empty room as a centre-piece - nice).

I've arrived.