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Just fyi, just about everyone but Southwest charges to check luggage in, 60 dollar minimum. Lil info so ya dont get a surprise at the terminal.
After having my even trial sized toiletries raped and discarded, I had shaky "hold onto your drink" ride to Atlanta. Not sure where the turbulence was coming from, sky was clear, but there was definitely pockets of non-resistence, yielding that momentary weightless feeling repeatedly over SC and Georgia.
Atlanta still proves to be my rabbit foot airport. Im 3 for 4 there with winding up with my gate being directly across or in short sight of the loft bar with its own escalator, formerly the Anhieser Busch beer garden, recently changed to the Hieneken Hole, but still one of the few concourses you can have a drink and a smoke. Their alledgedly free wifi is a labyrinth of redirects that basically make you give up and elect to blow 5 bucks on a direct paid connection, scavengry abounds, but not enough to lure the kid today.
Im also 4 for 4 on running into at least one industry constiuent or former music aquaintance in a connecting airport. On the way thru the food court, 600 miles from home, I hear my name being called by two different voices.
"{him}Dude!! Almost didnt recognize ya with the Gandalf thing going on! That makes ya look about the same age too hahaha. How ya been fuker?".....{me}"Ive been okay, I see that youre eating well at least, that shirt is a quailty testament to the garment manufacter that installed those buttons. Can I get you fellas a drink?"
Gotta love how guys get all the niceties out front and out of the way. We shared a few beers and some catch up stories, and they had to bolt. Ironically the next guy that joined the table in the crowded bar was a fella on his way to Mexico City to visit his sewing factory.
I rode an underbooked fat bird to LA, with more irony, the guy in front of me at boarding, with the world championship rodeo jacket, which spurned small talk about the nature of his involvement, turned out to be sitting right beside me on the plane. Which was cool because he got to finish telling me about his move up thru the ranks to pro, and that he now does clinics and exhibitions for roping. He was coming from Sweden, with the proverbial sidetrip to Copenhagen. I was surprised to find out that was viable market there, but he said it was a huge turnout. He went on to tell me about how taken aback he was by the women there, just naturally gorgeous, with little to no makeup as a norm, and bearing the number one attribute...no idea of how pretty they were.
We exchanged some more puddle jumping and touring stories, then it became apparent that there were empty seats in the center section, and he thanked me for the chat & aptly volunteered to move so we could both stretch out and relax. Which rocked, because I hadnt been able to lay down on a plane in some time, and the several huge drafts in Atlanta made for a great nap.
I awoke to The Day After Tommorrow playing on headrest monitor, just as the they working up to the scene where LA and Hollywood Hills are being torn apart by freak tornadoes, yet more irony, hah.
I had some pretty decent roast beef sliders with a hair curling horseradish sauce. Work lappy settings didnt like the inflight wifi network, so it was down for nap number two.
The always troublesome episode,.....car rental. No problems with the reservation surprisingly, but was sent on a quest with 2 bags, a backpack, and a guitar across a vast parking lot....twice, only to find first time that the parking space number doesnt exist, and second time that the car was not there. Third times a charm right? So you say. I went from an 2010 Impala to Nissan Ultima, to finally a shitty Kia with brakes that have 2 variables,...nothing, and then throw you thru the windshield. Im thinking of calling them to ask for an exchange.
The drive out of LA to Ventura was congested but rolling nonetheless. Camarillo Springs was a nice sea of lights as you break thru the hills. The descent into the valley was marked by teltale ear popping, no doubt accentuated by the long flight, and both familiar and different than the pressure changes of the underwater tunnels back home.
So Im nestled in to the rather nice suite, getting everything in order for the coming week. They have a kickass breakfast spread, even with conqueso eggs they way I like.
Will report on the complimentary happy hour tonight :)
