It is quickly starting to feel like I fly all of the time! This time I am off to San Francisco, California. It has been about a year since I was last out there so this is about right for my pattern. This is a quick one, though. I will be out there this evening and leaving tomorrow evening. I will be on the ground in the Bay Area for only twenty seven hours.
I got up at seven this morning so that I would have plenty of time to get ready and not have to rush or anything. Pretty much all of the packing was done last night so there was little beyond shaving and showering to do for me today. I shaved my head as my hair was getting a little long.
We were on the road at about nine forty. Forty minutes later than we had originally said that we should leave but plenty of time considering that I am flying out of White Plains and not a major airport. And it is a Sunday too. We got to the airport just fine and I grabbed breakfast at Dunkin Donuts in the airport after kissing the girls goodbye. This is a short trip, hopefully they will not miss me too much. I am returning on the red eye tomorrow night.
I got right through security, no one in line, it was just me. That only took five minutes or less. So I got into the waiting area and had time to work on my laptop and charge it up some while waiting for me flight to be announced.
The first flight was incredibly cramped and I was a bit soar after it. I was in the very first row in those extra small seats with no forward cargo room. I had to lean into the isle the entire flight which was about an hour and a half. Thankfully that was the shorter of the two legs.
I got the Charlotte at two and did not have to board my flight until after four and we were not to take off until nearly five. So I had a lot of time to kill. I went to the “Taste of the Carolinas” restaurant which, of course, was operated by the California Pizza Kitchen. I got some beer and a tuna melt. It was okay but nothing special (the food or the beer.)
I ended up making a friend at the bar and he and I talked for over an hour which made the time go a lot faster. He is going out to San Francisco for an interview tomorrow too.
The flight from Charlotte to San Francisco was packed but it was a large Airbus A320 so there was enough room to be comfortable. It was not a bad flight, just insanely long. The longest flight that I have taken in a very long time. There was no in-flight entertainment. I tried to nap a little but that really didn’t work. I read a lot on my iPad Mini which worked well. At least that time was productive.
We landed a bit early, just before seven local time. So between a five and a six hour flight.
I got a taxi after landing and headed over to Jeff Pierce’s house for pizza and to hang out for a little while. We only get to see each other about once a year.
Jeff lives only about ten minutes from the airport. Turns out there was a bit of a party at his house so I had people to hang out with for much of the evening. We had a really good time hanging out. We stayed until about ten then Zach and Doug drove me out to Palo Alto which was a rather long drive.
I am staying at the Sheraton Palo Alto tonight. It was pretty nice. I got checked in and relaxed for a little while. It was probably around midnight when I got off to sleep. I have a really long day tomorrow so am hoping to manage to get good sleep tonight which is always hard when on the west coast. My body will make me get up far earlier than I would like.