SEA - AMS - DMM

I don't recommend traveling halfway around the world when you are 5 1/2 months pregnant. In Economy class. The company sent Jeff over here in Business, a courtesy afforded to all the pilots; but families, I guess not so much. I inquired about the upgrade, was quoted $5000, and decided I could tough it out. And tough it was. Sixteen hours flying time plus a 6 hour layover later, I arrived in Dammam dehydrated, swollen, with pains in every part of my body. I was short of breath most of the way, as the hunched over position forced upon me by the airline seats had positioned my uterus to squish all my internal organs into my throat. So it seemed.

I arrived Valentine's Day night, around 9:00pm. Stood in line at customs (the only woman in a group of about 75). No one at the desks. We stood patiently until four agents took to their posts 15 minutes later. I received no questions, just a confirmation of the pronunciation of my first name. Collected my baggage, scanned it through x-ray, no search. Walked out and saw Jeff, smiling and waiting with all the others who were picking up people off the same flight. People stared at me until I put on the abaya Jeff brought with him to the airport.

The first thing I saw when we got back to the hotel room was a huge, red, homemade Valentine's card perched on the desk. Awww.