How to Get Lost

Trapped at San Francisco airport. Food’s good, though typically pricey (it is an airport).

At least the computer at the CNBC store is free.

Amy should be here soon, though it’s still over six hours until we leave.

There’s nothing quite like the emotional rollercoaster of waking up at 4:45am (I don’t know why I set that so late — bad move on my part), rushing to get ready to leave, driving out to the airport as if Alex and I were doing something on a regular basis, and suddenly realizing that there was likely to be a line-up from Hell at the check-in desk, US Customs, and the security lines.

Which, of course, there were. Thankfully, sort of, the line for Horizon Air (my first leg to Seattle) was non-existent. As was the ding-bat clerk who closed her desk, waving me off because she “had to be at the gate”. Well what the heck am I supposed to do, then, lady?!

Next hill of the coaster: stress of missing the first flight.

Luckily, the nice person at the Alaska counter signed me in right away (about five minute before the flight closed). Alex and I trotted very quickly to the US Customs door, where we’d be separated. This was the part I was dreading most. I didn’t know how this would go. I feared something ugly — both of us breaking down completely. But it wasn’t. Teary, yes, but we didn’t experience the “break”. There’s certainty in my return. There’s no “what if” — just “what will”. It’s comforting, even though the time apart will be hard.

Customs was relatively easy, even managed to joke with one of the officers. A nice touch. Calgary has opened a new security desk — a single, solitary desk — that I got routed to along with a few dozen others. It’s not a fast line. It figured that at 6:00, when the flight was to start boarding, passengers were being paged for final boarding on my flight.

Jerks.

I butted line. A few people grumbled, but I seemed to go quickly (knock on wood — I have yet to have a serious problem at the security line). I ran down the all to the gate. They were paging me by name, now. Despite the urgency of the paging (which was about every 30 seconds, and no, I’m not kidding), the flight left at its prescribed time.

Never been to SeaTac airport before. It’s big. Had to take a train to find this computer in N terminal. Won’t be here long, another couple of hours and I’m off to San Francisco to meet up with Amy.

The odyssey has begun. It just doesn’t quite feel like it yet…

Wow, I don’t think I slept more than 4 hours last night. Sandra and I are staying at the Villa Florence near Union Square for my last night in San Francisco. I’m not complaining too much, because it was a Priceline find, but last night we had pipes clanking, the fire escape scraping against the building, a steel drum player, and this morning, something that sounded like a million wine bottles clanging together for about an hour. Even with earplugs, I slept fitfully at best.

So it’s now 7am and I’m in the hotel lobby bar, which is thankfully closed this early in the morning.

I have to finish off that one pattern and then finish packing the previously unpackables – glasses and contacts.

But right now, I’m on hold with British Airways to see if we can get on that earlier flight.

(See how tired I look? I know Geoff had to get up at probably 4am to make his 6:30 flight, so we’ll be in the same boat.)

8 minutes later, no dice. There is no standby for economy and any official changes have to be booked and paid for through the award reservations line.

Ah well, it was a nice though.

So, in 12 hours, we’ll be winging our way across North America. Weird. It’s hard to believe today is already here. I had that moment of panic last night where I pretty much had myself convinced that this is the stupidest idea that ever occurred to man. I mean, 7 weeks? 7 weeks would be great to lounge around various islands in SE Asia, or get a rail pass and see a lot of Western Europe. Or stay home with the girl and the kitties who I already miss desperately. (The baby cats!!!!)

I don’t really mean that. I’ve wanted to do this trip since I took that summer Russian language course in Junior High. (It’s just too bad I don’t remember more of the language.)

It’s just hard to think of leaving.

On the other hand, boy do I need a vacation! It’s been nearly 4 years since I took a vacation longer than a weekend, aside from holidays like Christmas with my family. Can that be right? Wow.

So, now it’s 7:32 and I’ve successfully procrastinated enough that I should now finish sizing this pattern and maybe go find a Starbucks. Mmmmm. Vanilla Latte….

The really great thing about leaving a week early to go work in California is that, aside from getting a last chance to feel completely and utterly overwhelmed by work, I have ample opportunity to reconsider my packing strategy without having to ship or ditch stuff in another continent.

So, I repacked. Again.

But this time I have the excuse of four nifty new “layering tees” from Gap. They are brightly colored and weigh less than a tiny ball of yarn. Just the thing for building in some variety without adding any weight. To compensate, I removed my black tank top, which weighed MORE than these four tees! Go figure.

So, here’s the ‘final’ list.

I reserve the right to repack tonight, tomorrow morning, and possibly at the airport tomorrow afternoon. But it’s final for now.

Stuff
antibacterial gel
hand lotion
reading light/mini flashlight
journal & pens
travel folder
sunglasses
DV camcorder, spare battery and charter
10 hours tape electronics
SLR with 28-200m lens, spare batteries
Approx. 60 rolls film, 100-800, colour
lip balm
small first aid kit with dramamine, claritin, advil, pepto (in pill form) and misc.
small laundry kit with detergent and laundry line
Cup O Soup insant soup packets – 8
Nalgene cantene
Starbucks thermos
Peanut butter – 1 small jar
Cutlery kit
Extra ziplock baggies
Girlie stuff (you know what I mean)
GGH yarn for Rebecca wrap top
Koigu for socks
My last project for the BGK book
toilet paper
iPod shuffle with power supply and adapters
snowboard lock misc
4 books (3 guidebooks)
permanent marker
earplugs, eyemask and Tylenol PM
travel towel
3-in-1 by Philosophy – soap, shampoo and conditioner in one
glasses and spare pairs contacts
deoderant
toothpaste & toothbrush
hair goop
sunblock – spf 30
foot lotion - from the Body Shop.
butterfly scarf toiletry kit
razor
watch with alarm and dual time zones
Money belt and Security wallet
traveller’s cheques and US$
Clothes
1 l/s tee shirt
1 s/s tee shirt
4 layering tees
1 l/s tan/green esprit zip shirt/cardigan thingy
loose black yoga pants – Lululemon
zip-off khaki pants
2 bras
Teva’s
Dankso’s
black J Crew swimsuit
Columbia jacket shell
Down jacket – compressed
black/grey wristwarmers
4 pairs socks
5 pairs underwear
long underwear bottoms
tee and shorts for PJs