A pretty full-on day

Yesterday morning we were due at LAX to catch our flight to Mexico. It was also the day we woke to the news that a number of suspected terrorists had been arrested in the UK, foiling an alleged plot to blow up transatlantic aircraft using explosives disguised as soft drinks and other ordinary things, using an ipod or mobile phone as a detonator. We actually didn't hear the news properly until we got into the hotel shuttle, where it was all everyone was talking about. Lots of speculation, lots of stories, most of them true it turns out, about hand luggage requirements, security checks etc. We were 3 parties - us, going to Mexico City on United, an English couple going to Washington DC on Alaska and a US family going to Sydney via Qantas, all trying to reassure ourselves and each other that we were going to be okay. Lines outside some terminals were really long - we were lucky though, the United line was not too bad, but we were a bit more nervous than usual. I think everyone was.

Including the security guy doing risk profiling at the security checkpoint. Used to the routine of shoes off, laptops out etc we organised ourselves at the checkpoint and all our stuff went through without mishap. We were fine in the metal detector too, except E's shoes set them off, but that was easily checked. Still, the risk profiler took exception to us, well, me, actually and decided I needed to be body searched. It wasn't as bad as it sounds although the risk profiler was rather confrontational, barking out commands like a little seargeant major. I had to stand in a special booth, and a female officer showed me how to stand and basically felt all the places where I suppose I could have something hidden. She did ask me if I would like a privacy screen - I said, nah, just go for it, but then belatedly remembered I was wearing a skirt. I was kind of worried that it would tickle as well but they must be given non-tickling classes because there was none of that sort of thing and it was all over very quickly.

After the body search our hand luggage was comprehensively swabbed for explosive residue. The women security guards were quite friendly by this stage but still, it's not an experience I will be rushing to repeat.

Now the most amazing thing about all of this is that it all took less than an hour, from being dropped off at the kerb by the hotel shuttle to clearing security.

Flying out of LA the smog was thick and viscous, and it was hard to make out the mountains in the distance. There were a pair of FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) marshalls on the plane, sitting just two rows ahead of us. Down below the pattern of houses and streets, all swirly and dotty, remind me of an earth-toned Aboriginal painting ...