I suppose I should have saved the company the money!

[oldmanonthesea]

OK, I guess I am getting paybacks for thinking that Continental was the better choice over United. Not only was I stuck on the tarmac in Tulsa for an extra hour, but the same sort of thing happened trying to leave Houston! After they boarded the plane, we spent just under an hour while they redistributed the weight in the cargo hold before we

Comments

[kasheesty]

I love reading of other people's travels--I'm a homebody by nature,
although there are some places I'd like to see during this lifetime.

(I'm 44 & never been outside the US!) Flying sure isn't what it used to be.
In that vein, I enjoy that it's your hassle rather than mine ("you" being anyone other than myself, not you in particular)

[oldmanonthesea]

LOL! It is nice to know that you aren't singling me out for enjoying my discomfort with air travel.

I used to really love travelling, but lately, not so much. I guess like everything else, it can get old if one does it too long. Alas, it is what pays my bills, so at least for awhile longer I'll keep doing it.

[msunshine]

I like the "nuggets" that make me feel like I'm learning something ... King John, Magna Carta, Alaska oil vs. wildlife (well, that last one I already knew).

I hate group dinners. Is there a more boring idea in the history of corporate America? Scratch that ... of course, there is, somewhere!

[oldmanonthesea]

I am glad you came away from my post feeling like you learned something. I try to remember to drink in a little of the local culture, history, whatever with every place I visit related to my work. I may not get the opportunity to visit some historic sites (though some times I do, case in point the pyramids in Egypt, Aberschloss in Oslo, Corcavado in Rio de Janeiro) but I always try to remember to get in touch with some of the local culture. Maybe this is all a part of the strange background I may have with a scientific degree from a liberal arts college, but all things considered I like to make my educational opportunities as well rounded as possible. Even places I have despised (such as India) I try to remember that they have a much deeper history than the United States, even though that is in iteself much deeper than many people realize. If I can share a bit of such cultural learnings, then perhaps I can leave my circle of acquaintances that much richer for my having passed through them.

[msunshine]

*feels enriched and special*

Cheers!

[oldmanonthesea]

Awww shucks, glad I could help you feel enriched and special.

[theladyskye]

I still contend that Cincinatti has the worst airport EVAR. Not only is it a nightmare to traverse, but it takes ten years to get anywhere. You need to plan a couple hour layover AT LEAST just to get to where you need to go. And heaven forbid you need to rent a car when you get there!

[oldmanonthesea]

All one has to do is look at the fact that the Cincinatti airport is not even in the same state as the city to realize that it must not be a good airport. That being said, however, I found Cincinatti's airport to be okish except it was a bit small and had one of the worst anal retentive TSA guys working there that I have ever encountered.

My experiences with DeGaulle and Heathrow both have been much worse for trying to get from one terminal to the next or worse yet to try and get away from and find where things are.

[theladyskye]

I cant remember which airline I took to whine about the particular terminal, but I do know it was horrible.

Also horrible, I cant believe your coworkers left without you. What's wrong with those people?

[oldmanonthesea]

I would imagine the airline you were on when you had problems with the Cincinnatti airport of northern Kentucky was Delta. It is one of their hubs and is about the only airline I can think of that uses it for a hub. My experiences with what I so affectionately call Don't Even Leave The Airport company have gotten better the last few times I have flown on them.

In defense of my coworkers, I have since found out that the cab they were in was full when they left and they thought that there was another driver who was going to pick me up. Apparently, the office screwed the pooch on the arrangements. I have also found out that I was not on the list of people booked to the same car company for travel from the hotel where the course is to the Heathrow Hilton on Thursday evening. I guess I am just the crab grass in the lawn of life for some clerk somewhere.

[edith_mf]

Sheesh, your coworkers don't have much class leaving you behind like that, even if the cab driver cajoled them into it or some such.

It is really convenient for me to take BART (our city train around here) right to San Francisco airport. Maybe I'll write up my recent trip to Boston tomorrow.

[oldmanonthesea]

Wow, haven't heard from you in ages! Hopefully things have been going well with you?