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philadelphia travel
Jun. 28th, 2009 07:46 pmyay for not doing much on Friday and Saturday, aside from laying on the couch, doing laundry, playing bejeweled blitz, and reading New Moon
This morning, arrived at the airport to find a large group of unhappy travelers at my gate. They were scheduled for the 7:something flight to Atlanta, and their plane had not yet left Wichita at 9:15. Our 10:10 flight to Atlanta plane arrived, and they bumped those poor people to another gate to wait for their Wichita plane.
Flight was unremarkable - aside from my voracious reading of New Moon (I was getting to the Italy chapters). I don't remember my seat mate - aside from the book she was reading (My Sister's Keeper).
My travel buddy and I did a very quick transit to the next gate, thinking we were going to just arrive in time to board. We both confused the takeoff time 1:51 for 1:15 (folies a deux?).
Second flight.. I had window seat on 3-seat side. Travel buddy was assigned middle seat. Strange man on aisle seat. The bulkhead row in front of us had an empty window, so travel buddy moved up a row. I finished New Moon just in time for the drink cart, where aisle man ordered two beers. I napped intermittently for the next two hours, to see that my aisle guy hadn't stopped drinking. I think he drank 4 during the flight, but it may have been 6.
Travel buddy and I walked to the baggage claim, and couldn't figure out where our bags would be. Philadelphia airport not great in the information dissemination. We walked around the carousels until we found other people we recognized from our flight. Retrieved bags and walked to ground transportation area. Once again, little information on where to go. Most airports have commercial shuttle vans that have airport ticket counters or line up outside. This airport had a desk with two people who asked for a first name, gave a little numbered slip, and told you to pick up the phone to call the van company.
When we did go outside to the van, the driver was just bizarre. Travel buddy just shrugged, and we climbed onto the first bench row. Eventually and nice Indian family joined the party (second bench and third bench). Then a blond lady. Then a large black man. Then a college-age boy. Then a large white lady. Then somehow the driver figured out that the large black man wasn't supposed to be on our van. The cb thing wasn't working well. The driver's cell phone rang multiple times. When we did get on the road, his driving was erratic. The large white lady asked him how to get to New York, and he told her to take the Chinese bus. My readings of derspatchel and the Fung Wah made me start laughing and shaking my head. (Check out my memories to find derspatchel's post. So Funny.) Indian family got out at a townhouse. College-age kid got out at a dance school - planning on learning ballet and teaching hip-hop. Large lady got out down the street from us - planning to spend the week looking at Philadelphia public housing. Travel buddy and I agreed to take a cab back to the airport.
Checked into room to smell nasty old smoke and musty ick. Went back to the desk to request another room. Changed rooms and met travel buddy for supper. We walked a block and ate at a seafood place that I love in San Francisco. Menu had a thick cut pork chop with SMOKED GOUDA MAC & CHEESE. Easy choice.
Now back in the room. Slightly worrying about this week's schedule. Missing my critters. (Why do they have to be extra snuggly right before I have to leave? It's really not fair.)
Thinking about what I want to do for the holiday, if anything.
This morning, arrived at the airport to find a large group of unhappy travelers at my gate. They were scheduled for the 7:something flight to Atlanta, and their plane had not yet left Wichita at 9:15. Our 10:10 flight to Atlanta plane arrived, and they bumped those poor people to another gate to wait for their Wichita plane.
Flight was unremarkable - aside from my voracious reading of New Moon (I was getting to the Italy chapters). I don't remember my seat mate - aside from the book she was reading (My Sister's Keeper).
My travel buddy and I did a very quick transit to the next gate, thinking we were going to just arrive in time to board. We both confused the takeoff time 1:51 for 1:15 (folies a deux?).
Second flight.. I had window seat on 3-seat side. Travel buddy was assigned middle seat. Strange man on aisle seat. The bulkhead row in front of us had an empty window, so travel buddy moved up a row. I finished New Moon just in time for the drink cart, where aisle man ordered two beers. I napped intermittently for the next two hours, to see that my aisle guy hadn't stopped drinking. I think he drank 4 during the flight, but it may have been 6.
Travel buddy and I walked to the baggage claim, and couldn't figure out where our bags would be. Philadelphia airport not great in the information dissemination. We walked around the carousels until we found other people we recognized from our flight. Retrieved bags and walked to ground transportation area. Once again, little information on where to go. Most airports have commercial shuttle vans that have airport ticket counters or line up outside. This airport had a desk with two people who asked for a first name, gave a little numbered slip, and told you to pick up the phone to call the van company.
When we did go outside to the van, the driver was just bizarre. Travel buddy just shrugged, and we climbed onto the first bench row. Eventually and nice Indian family joined the party (second bench and third bench). Then a blond lady. Then a large black man. Then a college-age boy. Then a large white lady. Then somehow the driver figured out that the large black man wasn't supposed to be on our van. The cb thing wasn't working well. The driver's cell phone rang multiple times. When we did get on the road, his driving was erratic. The large white lady asked him how to get to New York, and he told her to take the Chinese bus. My readings of derspatchel and the Fung Wah made me start laughing and shaking my head. (Check out my memories to find derspatchel's post. So Funny.) Indian family got out at a townhouse. College-age kid got out at a dance school - planning on learning ballet and teaching hip-hop. Large lady got out down the street from us - planning to spend the week looking at Philadelphia public housing. Travel buddy and I agreed to take a cab back to the airport.
Checked into room to smell nasty old smoke and musty ick. Went back to the desk to request another room. Changed rooms and met travel buddy for supper. We walked a block and ate at a seafood place that I love in San Francisco. Menu had a thick cut pork chop with SMOKED GOUDA MAC & CHEESE. Easy choice.
Now back in the room. Slightly worrying about this week's schedule. Missing my critters. (Why do they have to be extra snuggly right before I have to leave? It's really not fair.)
Thinking about what I want to do for the holiday, if anything.
