Text 23037, 97 rader
Skriven 2012-03-29 12:12:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: tr 438
==============
UA 266 SFO ORD 2300 0503 752 2F

Security was pretty crowded. I didn't help things by
forgetting I had 2 6-oz cans of grapefruit juice leftover
from breakfast. Could I chug the stuff right there? No: I
was given the option of yielding the contraband or going
outside to the back of the line. I did the former,
consoling myself at the club with several glasses of
extremely watered-down Pass-o-Guava. After a half
hour of unaccustomed hydrating, I headed off to the gate.
Boarding was a bit of a scrum, and I couldn't force my
way forward until around zone 2 despite being right in
the area at the beginning of boarding. There's something
about this airport that brings out the worst in people.

Upon settling into my place I vaguely heard claims that a
snack in the form of pasta salad was going to be served, but
I ignored that tantalization and went right to sleep.
Midflight I woke with a certain sense of urgency - delayed
Lasix effect perhaps, coupled with Pass-o-Guava - and had to
parcour it over my seatmate, who had sprawled about (as was
his right) and fallen snoringly asleep. On the way back I was
unable to reverse my route so had to wake the guy after all.

I had no idea what time it was when we landed, but someone
out there was having a conversation the gist of which being
that he couldn't meet for breakfast because he had a 0630
flight. Panic time - mine was at 0600. As I was right near
the club and couldn't find a working monitor, I rushed to
the desk and was incoherent enough to cause a less than
pleasant encounter ... all was okay, though, when it turned
out it was only about 0530 and this guy I'd overheard was
just blowing the other person off, and I apologized to
the agent for being incoherent and rude.

UA 376 ORD PHL 0600 0857 320 2F

A goodish flight (Courvoisier-aided), which I managed
to sleep halfway through. The captain announced proudly
that there was going to be air traffic control on Channel
9, for which I was thankful, as it is about as nice a
lullaby as I know.

As I'd had enough booze I went to the big US Air Club for a
lovely breakfast of Quaker baked apple flavored instant
oatmeal and acrid coffee and the e-mail.

US4118 PHL IPT 1115 1208 DH8 4F

This flight is always dicey - it's a low priority route, as
the anticipated influx of business from the gas guys just
hasn't happened - too many private jets perhaps; and the
weather is often dubious. In this case it was another obvious
beat the clock situation, so we loaded up in a hurry and were
out of there in a hurry, which is good. The last time we did
this, the plane had turned around on the runway, snow having
started, and that blew our chances (weird explanation also,
that Williamsport had not got the appropriate kind of deicing
equipment). Anyhow, this time we took off into spitting rain,
and I breathed a second sigh of relief when we lurched into
the air for our often problematic 129-mile flight.

We landed in a moderate snowstorm, complete with shoetop slush.
==
Annie was there to pick me up, and after a slightly adventurous
ride, I was ready for adult beverages:

Lao beer - from the first taste you can tell it's southeast
Asian; hoppier than some. Like somewhat skunked Thai beer. Not
worth any extra effort, but I'd not kick it out of my glass.
Funny, though, to go to Williamsport PA for Lao beer.

Yuengling bock - somewhat darker, sweeter, and quite a bit
maltier than the regular version. Apparently a special that has
worked its way onto the regular list.

Hofbrau dunkel - after a tiny aroma of rotten egg, this turned
out to be a pleasant unspecial Bavarian product, meant to be
drunk in vast quantity, the second tasting better than the
first, the third tasting better than the second.

Sunkist diet orange soda - this did a pretty good impression of
a nondiet soda, and I was impressed: it accomplishes this by
using several sweeteners, including I believe a minuscule amount
of caloric sweetener. Unfortunately, as I discovered later, it
is also shot full of caffeine, which puts it into the adult
category, at least for me.

After visiting for a while and the obligatory afternoon zone out,
I was presented with inch-and-half thick ribeyes for dinner and
managed to overcook mine and make everyone else's perfectly.
Annie made very buttery hash browns to go with. No vegetable
except for me.

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