More Airports!

Last night I locked myself out of my apartment. This was not conducive to my plans for packing, cleaning, writing and tying up all the odds and ends that manifest themselves right before a major trip. Then I woke up and realized I was cutting things REALLY close in terms of when I was arriving at the airport. (I got to my gate 5 minutes before the stated boarding time. Not usual for me. I generally like to be at least an hour early.) The security folks were super nice, though. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met nicer.

I offered to transport the materials for my program’s grad booth at this conference. (They said they’d pay for the checked bag, so why not?!) So I’m trotting through America with my computer bag and a poster stand. People keep asking me if I’m a musician. I wish I was that cool. No, I’m just a wannabe academic making my way to a conference.

I do love airports though. I’ve never been through Atlanta before. It’s huge! For some reason I expected it to be like Raleigh’s International Airport, which is pretty small. Atlanta’s got TRAINS taking you between terminals. And nice restaurants that are fairly reasonably priced. I’d forgotten what southern accents sound like. My own sneaks back when I talk to people here, without meaning to. (I’ve kept the y’all but not the rest, generally.)

Ang Syu Kyi has apparently been released from house arrest. I must look this up when I have internet access.

There is a wireless network here in the Atlanta airport that purports to be free and official. But I’m afraid to connect in case it isn’t. (Also my Safari said the security certificate isn’t valid, and my dad has told me stories about such things.) So I’ve been kind of working on a lot of different things. My paper. My thesis. My resumes. I am so excited though that it’s hard to focus on any one thing for long. So I’m taking a few minutes to write this. And then I’m boarding soon. Next stop Phoenix!

Later:

Phoenix is awesome and has internet access. Also, it looks pretty, so I want to come back here sometime. (I had to change terminals so I consider that I have "been" here.) It's so brown! All the hills are this golden brown color.

Also, it is hot here. I was thinking about how interesting the clothes people wear are. I mean, I started in Philly, so I was wearing fall clothes (including a jacket). The lady next to me on my last flight started in Raleigh so she was wearing sort of between season clothes. And the man next to the window was wearing summer clothes because he started in Florida. I don't know why, but that just struck me as awesome, but basically, I'm in my "travel ftw!!!!" mode so just about everything strikes me that way.

Next stop, San Francisco!!! That should be interesting. I have to navigate a train with my bags and the poster holder thingy. Also, it will be dark. Epic times ahead, I'm sure.