Just Like the Amazing Race! But Not.

Voiceover: The DC Editors leave the house at the same time for two different airports, bound for their respective parental homesteads. Who will get home first?

9:20 a.m.: The DC Editors walk out the front door.

9:26 a.m.: They arrive at the bus terminal. KT gets in the queue for the bus; JT gets in a taxi for the train station.

9:44 a.m.: KT's bus departs for Heathrow. She's settled into a seat in the third row – not her usual front seat to avoid getting bus-sick.

9:45 a.m.: JT's train departs for King's Cross station in London. No seats; he has to stand for the 50-minute ride.

10:45 a.m.: JT makes it to King's Cross, crosses the road to St. Pancras Station and hops a train to Gatwick with 8 minutes to spare.

Meanwhile: KT's bus is at Stansted airport. Someone in front row leaves, and KT nabs that seat. Score.

11:13 a.m.: JT's train crosses the Thames with a view of the London Bridge, the Gherkin, and the London Eye.

Meanwhile: KT's bus is on the M25 and has just passed a lorry (truck) loaded with cars that have been squished into little cubes. Awesome!

11:43 a.m.: JT arrives at Gatwick Airport.

11:53 a.m.: KT arrives at Heathrow Airport.

12:14 p.m.: JT is checked in for his flight and is having some lunch.

12:22 p.m.: KT is checked in for her flight and is having some lunch.

1:07 p.m.: JT is sitting on plane, due to take off at 1:45.

1:36 p.m.: JT's flight leaves the gate, and eventually takes off.

1:40 p.m.: KT is sitting on plane, due to take off at 2:15.

2:15 p.m.: KT's plane leaves gate, and takes off 25 minutes later.

4:18 p.m.: Flight attendant on KT's flight apologizes that AV system isn't really totally working. Remaining time to Chicago: 6 hours, 37 minutes. She spends the remainder of the flight reading magazines, listening to music, editing, and watching two episodes of 30 Rock and the first 30 minutes of Martian Child in three-minute, non-consecutive increments before giving up.

Meanwhile, on JT's flight: JT watches Michael Clayton, Dan in Real Life, and Gone Baby Gone.

9:58 p.m. GMT/4:58 p.m. EST: JT's plane lands in Detroit. Snow!

11:09 p.m. GMT/5:09 p.m. CST: KT's plane lands in O'Hare. Snow!

1:40 a.m. GMT/7:40 p.m. CST: KT's second flight leaves for San Antonio.

4:05 a.m. GMT/10:05 p.m. CST: KT lands in San Antonio.

3:00 a.m. GMT/10:00 p.m. EST: JT has hugged and kissed the family and extended family. He falls asleep.

6:00 a.m. GMT/12:00 a.m. CST: KT has hugged and kissed the family and falls asleep.

11:15 a.m. GMT/5:15 a.m. CST: The Family Cat reminds KT who's the baby around here with a bite on the hand. She's now officially been welcomed home.