Thursday, August 3rd, 2006

Leaving on a Jet Plane

 Did most of my packing last night, and am now all done except for the things that get tossed into the carry-on bag. Didn't go to either of the two gatherings on my calendar, because at the last minute I could not find the AC adapters I'd bought, so needed to hit Rad Shack. Turns out I had bought the wrong ones last time, so it's good I made the trip. While I was in the area, I also hit Walmart for a picture frame. One of my gifts is a 10-inch square of embroidered cloth, which I figured I would frame instead of just giving loose. Wait for the update when I discover whether it made it through unbroken. It's in my checked bag, which is a strong metal shell, and it's packed between a bedspread and my bathrobe. Walmart was unusually crowded, and of course I got into the line with the trainee cashier and extraordinarily stupid people ahead of me. The other lines were faster, but not by much. And of course the register chose my receipt to jam up on, with no manager in sight to fix it. Took 20 minutes all told.

The cousins have volunteered to hold onto that while I traipse around the countryside, since I'll end the trip at their place. What I've done is packed the presents, which are mostly cloth, and set on top of that a day pack which has my clothes and some sundries packed inside it. By the time I leave Brighton on Monday, the presents will have been given out, a few things which are packed alongside the backpack (because the suitcase won't close if they are inside it) will go into the pack. So will my laptop and the carry-on stuff. So for my train travels I'll be working out of a medium sized day pack.

At lunchtime I stopped by the Microsoft company store and picked up some pens and a Windows Vista baseball cap, and also a T-shirt which will go to my sister when I get back home. It's white letters on black cloth, and it says "elbitapmoc sdrawkcab" in mirror image, in a sort of child's handwriting font.

I've taken out the garbage, run the dishwasher, put out my clothes for tomorrow, topped off the cats' food & water, put vacation food blocks in the aquarium, put away the stack of CDs which were in a pile on my computer desk, plugged in the Sony music player to charge, ditto the cell  phone and bluetooth earpiece.

The question is, what am I forgetting? And will it matter?

Hello from SFO


Got to the Park'n'Fly lot at about 10:40, waited 10 minutes for a shuttle (as a couple passed by empty without stopping). The line was not too long at the United counter - maybe 20 people ahead of me, but it was slow. The lack of people in line was made up for by entire families and their assorted luggage magically appearing when the individual got to the check-in counter. It took 20 minutes to get there.

The machine read my passport, told me who I am, and offered me more leg room for an extra $99. No thanks. Then it refused to assign me a seat. Apparently the plane is a continuing flight from LA, and they assign coach class seats at the gate, which sucks. When I booked my ticket, I know it let me choose my seat. So much for the concept of reservations.

It's now 11:50, the flight doesn't load for another 40 minutes. I wandered through the duty-free store, and somehow was not surprised that the prices were a good 25-50% higher than normal retail. Also walked through a travel stuff store, and they had the same adapters I bought last night for less than Radio Shack. Oy.

The loading gate is downstairs, and I'm there now in a booth which was set up to be a phone booth, but the phone was never installed. There's an AC outlet which works, and a counter top the right size for a laptop, and a nice bench to sit on. And the airport wireless is t-mobile, which I have an account on.

This is the part of traveling I hate. Waiting. I was up at the usual time this morning, but didn't have to leave the house until 10, so there was an extra hour of waiting there too. I filled it by watching some inane morning shows on TV, then firing up the playstation and playing Time Crisis 3 left-handed.Until my arm got tired, then I switched to right-handed. Went upstairs where the cats had repossessed my bed, and  brushed them with the undercoat brush.They both needed it, especially Pumpkin, who was starting to mat up a little.

The item I forgot to pack is a jacket, which I remembered just before heading out the door.

<

Friday, August 4th, 2006

Friday in England

London Calling
Hello from Victoria Station. Just a quick note before I hunt up the train to Brighton. Except for not having a seat assignment until after everyone else had boarded, the flight was uneventful. I lucked out with an aisle seat, but in the center directly over the wing, so I didn't get to see a thing. Got the first express train from the airport to downtown, and was able to maneuver to the tube and a quick trip to where I am now. Should be in Hove in an hour or two. No rush, I don't think I can check in until 2 pm.

Had a wonderful afternoon & evening surrounded by family and extended family. The train from London to Brighton is fast, clean, roomy and free with my railpass. Got to Brighton in an hour, walked across the platform and 20 minutes later was bound for Hove, a 10-minute ride.

Thanks to having the address and a map at the train station, I found my hotel in about 20 minutes of walking, amazingly making all the correct turns. My room was ready even though I was way early. Nice single room with loo & shower.

Phoned cousin Viv, who was at the reception hall helping decorate. She said to find her mom and sister Hazel, at their hotel about a 10-minute walk from me.Which I did. It was a dressmaking party, with Brian & Viv's son Mike and his wife Sally.

The reader's digest version:
After a room service sandwiches lunch, met Hazel's step-daughter Carla, Carla's mom Heidi, Carla's husband Taz, their baby, and Carla's sister. Mike & Sally drove us out to the reception hall, a gorgeous theater in the shape of a Tudor barn. Met bride to be cousin Shana, groom-to-be Spike, his brother Neil, Neil's daughter Gabby, and patriarch Harold, whose late wife was my mother's cousin.

After decorating and watching the superb light crew  of the theater at work, we went out to the beach for a picnic. We got there ab out 7:30, by 9 (when I left) all kinds of Spike's relatives and the family's friends had joined in. I hated leaving, but by this time I had been awake almost non-stop for the past 30 hours.

Took some pix, but not enough.

Tomorrow: the cavalcade of Howards. The plan is at 10 am to hop in a cab with Harold's sister Joyce, her son Howard and his wife, and ride to Town Hall for the wedding, where, hopefully, cousin Howard (uncle of the bride) will join us.

back, thou evil daemon!    Return to Howeird's Home Page

mailbox

Email howeird at (howeird@howeird.com)