Category: travel

Waiting at the Airport

[Yesterday morning –ed.]

4:47am

I’m waiting at the airport–they claim to have wireless internet access here, but it has some severe problems. Like, for instance, the inability to connect to any services. As such, I’m writing this in TextPad.

I have now been awake for about 18 hours. I’m not getting loopy yet, though I suspect that will change during the next couple flights.

The drive here was unpleasant, to put it mildly. Gusting winds randomly buffeted my car for the entirety of the hour and a half drive, frequently pushing me over the lines of my lane into the next. Most of the drive was spent clutching the wheel with both hands, teeth gritted and a steady stream of cursing leaving my lips. The steady stream of truckers tailgating me while I was in the slow lane didn’t help matters.

I’m hoping that will be the least pleasant part of my trip, though I’m all but certain it won’t be. I hate flying. If I had the time, I’d much rather take a train any day.

Ah–I’ve found the problem with the wireless internet… the bastards expect me to give them $10 for the privilege. Not going to happen. Of course, I only found this out by randomly typing addresses into Firefox. Any idiot could create a wireless access point that redirects all requests to a “Pay for this because we’re the only game in range.” I’m a little disturbed that it doesn’t.

Why? Because I’m hoping that the person in charge of the wifi network here isn’t also in charge of things like air traffic control’s computers or surface-to-air communications systems.

The fact that “Radar” is another open access point in range worries me…

Impromptu Vacation

I’m on my way to Seattle.

I can imagine what you’re thinking–wait, what? Isn’t a vacation across the country the sort of thing that you plan well in advance? So wouldn’t I have mentioned it before now?

Well, yeah. Usually, I mean. Not this time.

I was at work tonight when Pedro (nee Jason) called me. He’s about an hour north of Seattle on business, which is where Mikey lives. He had the weekend off, and his company was going to fly him home. He didn’t see the point of it, so he figured he’d call up Mikey to hang out, so he wanted his phone number.

“Damn,” I said. “I wish I could be there too. That would be a fuckin’ blast.”

Just to see if it was feasible, I checked on flight prices leaving tomorrow. $1500 round trip on the first site, $900 on the next–and then boom, there it was: $377.50 round-trip leaving out of Milwaukee, tomorrow morning. I booked it. I paid nearly $500 when I flew out there last summer, so this was an awesome deal.

The flight leaves at 6:00am. I’m just going to stay awake until then, considering I have to be there by 5:00, and leave Madison by 3:30.

This should be interesting… When Mike and I drink together, crazy shit happens. When Pedro and I drink together, crazier shit happens. None of us have the tolerance for alcohol we used to, which means we’re all going to be that much more out of control.

With any luck, I’ll be back in Madison by 3:00pm Monday to go to work. If not, I’ll probably be hungover in a Seattle jail cell with Mike and Pedro, wondering where my pants are.