Travel Part 2

I finally pulled the trigger!  My New Years resolution was to go on a proper vacation this year. At the beginning of the year I had picked out Rio. I've never been to South America and nick has a conference down there in December. But as I started shopping around I had second thoughts. 

The flight is super long - I forget the earth is not flat like shown on maps - deceptive distances when traveling longitudinally. And I've gotten soft flying business on my international trips for work. And the flight isn't cheap and I can't find any good deals. 

I was looking into traveling around Rio and realized traveling alone as a woman isn't the same as in Europe. Doable but requires more heightened awareness. I realized that although Rio is on the list it's not near the top, especially under the category of relaxing and recharging. 

So I reevaluated and was wavering back and forth between Paris (my first trip was on my 15th birthday) and seeing the northern lights. 

I took hours and hours hunting and researching and reading reviews and figuring out logistics and going around inindecisive  circles. This morning, I thought I had figured it all out and started booking. I got as far as my flight and then ran into a hiccup and also realized I was late for work. So I'm only part way done but it's locked in since my flight is booked. What's the plan?  which did I decide to go with? Paris or the northern lights?

I'm doing both!  I cheated a little. Although this is my 2014 vacation I booked it for 2015 for my birthday. The cheap flight is through icelandair (only $650) which has an easy stopover structure. I'm spending three nights in Reykjavik with the hopes one night will be clear enough to witness the aurora borealis. The idea is day one to recover from red eye and jet lag, one day to see the city and one day to go hiking on the glaciers and see the amazing landscapes. Plus it breaks up the flight to Europe. 

Then off to Paris with six full days and two half days. I'm thinking of two day trips - one to see a chateau and the other to visit a Normandy town. And of course a day at the louvre. Last visit, which I think was five years ago, I only spent a few hours in the museum which is way too skimpy. 

And I learned from my second London trip last year to focus on the second and third tier museums. Some real gems. I still wish I had stumbled upon the historic house (name?) earlier in the day instead of rushing through in the last twenty minutes before closing. 

Packing will be interesting between being stylish in February for Paris and packing hiking boots and snow gear for Iceland outings. Good news is this flight has two free checked bags so no issue there. 

I love that I booked two trips to Europe for less than the cost of a normal flight. Pretty good bargain hunting. 

Can't wait!  Just need to finish booking hotels and day trips. And then more fun planning what to see and pack. 

Weird commuter moment

I'm on my way into work and am typing away at emails and reading articles, half paying attention to my surroundings.  I've done this same commute over 2,500 times so the general commute fades to the background - the people getting on and off, the start and stop of the train, the general subway announcements, the occasional platform music performances you hear bits of when the doors open. 

I'm half paying attention, glancing up to see what stop we're at when I'm startled into the moment.  I'm looking at a giant mouse that's six feet tall, with a keyboard slung across it's chest (guitar style) playing with one hand and waving at me with the other, across the subway platform. I'm stunned and while my brain slowly processes this strange reality, the subway doors shut and we pull away.  End scene. Gotta love city living. 

Travel

- Yesterday, flew to NYC and was uncharacteristically early for my flight. For no reason.  It seemed strange, like something was off.

- Found out during security why it felt strange - I left my fluids at home.  It was the one time I was hoping the screening would find the fluids and pull me aside.  But no luck. Luckily there is a CVS by my hotel and I picked up most of what I needed. I do have to say I prefer my clinique foundation to the drug store version. 

- Taxi driver from the airport was a pakistanian man who was very talkative.  Learned about how we went through training and careening for the pakistanian Air Force and then deserted right when they let him in.  And he then went to the US, but then went back 36 years later and turned himself in, because the payments his dad were making to pay off the police were getting too expensive.  And they tried to convince him to join again and then locked him up for 15 days and beat a lot of people in the cell with him - but not him because he new one the officers. And then after 15 days, they unlocked the cell, gave him a check and cleared his record. It was a very strange tale and it was interspersed with a lot of America being the best country in huge world. He also refused to marry any first cousins - that was a big point for him and he wasn't going to let any of his children marry first cousins.  Apparently very common - keeping things in the family.

- This morning I got an email from a colleague about a good airfare deal.  He'll send them periodically but this one was too good to pass up.  I was trying to decide between London or Copenhagen nod decided to go to Copenhagen since I haven't been before.  The flight cost me $360 round trip!  It's with the airline WOWAir. I think it's like a Ryan Air - budget traveling, but I'm up for trying it out if it saves me $700.   The really good prices are for a ways out - next fall, which works for me.  They get you with the add on fees so I went with a 20 lb piece of carry on.  I have no idea what that is.  I'll need to weigh my suitcase when I'm on my way home this week.  I have a feeling I may be wearing a lot of layers on the plane.  I'm excited, and look forward to the planning.

- I got my mouth guard yesterday. I haven't tried it yet - didn't want to bring it on the trip, and allocated this weekend to start using it.  Fingers crossed it works especially since I ended up having two fillings redone yesterday that were cracked. Ended up having to go with the metal instead of resin but if I understand it right, I think my dentist did it for free.  Well, at least no cost to me, just my insurance which never covers everything.  I'm waiting for the paperwork before I believe it. But if so, isn't that nice?

Chat noir update

This never published 9/24/14. 

Picked up the guys last night and got some interesting feedback. 

One, they were the darlings of the day in the office. One technician said that she thinks they are her favorite kittens of the season. They were so friendly and happy and super sweet. Ever since I got them they start purring after two seconds of petting. Of course Wallace is the one full of the most energy. They said she had been chirping away and full recovery. 

Second, they went over the discharge instructions. Wallace had the more invasive surgery so is the one that needs to stay quiet for the next couple of weeks while her stitches heal. Same for Webster but not as long a healing time. No rough housing. Not usually a problem but with these two together I'm stumped. They acknowledged it would be challenging. And the minute I got home they were tussling with each other. I've kind of kept them distracted from each other. 

Last night Webster was all frenzied after dinner. He was bouncing off the walls looking for something - I think food - while the other two watched from their chairs where they had settled down for the night. 

This morning as I was leaving it was Wallace's turn to be crazy. She was all over the place. I tried to snap a picture of them together but Wallace wouldn't stay still. 

And Webster was like "I'd never act like that". 

So safe to say full recovery just need to keep an eye on the healing. And a weight lifted knowing no one can get pregnant. 

Pictures

M I finally uploaded the pic of Wallis in the cupboard in the last post. 

And I took a picture of the crew the other day when we were all snuggled up together. Winston is usually always in the middle and the others will come over and flank him. All at my feet.  I'm loving their personalities as they grow.

Sunday I had brunch with an old friend, Kyra.  We were best friends in high school and hadn't seen each other in over a decade. She was in town with her husband and two daughters to see the sites.  As we were catching up on our lives since high school really we also did a little reminencing and came to the conclusion we were really good kids in our teen years. I had totally forgotten that I didn't start drinking until college (when I turned 21 of course;) and didn't touch the stuff in high school. I think that is what really brought us together.  In a sea of boozing teens exploring their limits across all subjects we were less so and had our own mischievous "clean" fun. 

She reminded me of one time I was in tears. We were heading back from Montreal after a night at the dance clubs and on the desolate highway driving home I hit a bird. I had pulled over and that had woken all my passengers. And John pulled over driving the other car. It didn't do any damage and I think no one understood why I was so upset. I remember the night and feeling really really bad that I had hit bird but forgot I had cried. 

After brunch we went up to the observatory deck at their hotel, the Marriott Custom House, in the heart of the city. It used to be the custom house for banking and was turned into hotels. The views are amazing and I was mentally adding it to my list of places to bring visitors until I learned you could only access it with a hotel key card. Bummer. 

Beautiful day and beautiful views. 

 

Daily Struggles

It's funny how my daily struggles span the gamut. I started the day with a home issue. As mentioned before, I had a mouse (singular) invasion. This morning as I was doing dishes I was conscious of a sound in my cupboards -very faint. I would stop and turn off the water and listen. And there it was. I would open the lower cabinets thinking it was a cat who got in but nothing and go back to cleaning only to hear the noise again. 

I would stop and listen more attentively and that's where the imagination would take over. When I was investigating I noticed yet another hole cut in the wall inside the cabinet to allow for wires but also to allow for mice from the basement. I started imagining more and moreover taking residence and I opened the cupboard doors again to search. But nothing and the mouse would stop making noises. 

Finally a noise catches my attention - it's higher up and I open the cupboard door next to my head. And what am I greeted with?  Wallace!  Rather I should say Wallis which is the feminine spelling. I have no idea not only how she got up there but also closed the door behind her. I was just relieved it wasn't another rodent to deal with. That's my morning home life struggle - worrying about mice. 

Then I go to the dentist for my semi annual cleaning only to find out I'm grinding my teeth even more these days (at night since I've worked on the issue during the day) and have cracked another filling. I had been looking into a night guard but was struck by the price at the drugstore. Well this morning I pulled the trigger and got the full custom version at the dentist for mucho $$. Figures it pays for itself after two replacement fillings. But hate shelling that much money out to deal with stress. 

And then tonight, I end the night with drinks with an old colleague. Over a fancy drink and some steak tartar (with brioche my favorite) we catch up and come to the same conclusions of injustices in our market. I'm going through a professional battle up the corporate ladder currently and it's exhausting but has to be done. And that is my biggest work struggle currently. It's exhausting. 

On a side note I had lunch with a former staff from a previous company and it was great to see how well she has grown and maneuvered through the corporate world. 

And I should be meeting up with an old high school friend I haven't seen since the 90s. We were bestirs in high school and then went different directions in college. It will be fun to catch up and I always find it intriguing what paths people take. I think she went the home route versus the career route. It's just a matter of finding a time that works for both of us this weekend - busy schedules. 

Today has been interesting since I was dealing with home and personal health and career and networking and old friends. The whole spectrum of life!

Travel Alignment

Yet again, I'm amazed about my good luck traveling - at least this time. I'm on a flight from Boston to NYC that I thought I was going to miss. I had driven into work this morning for some meetings and to get work done before my 1 PM flight. My plan was to leave at 11:30 to give me travel time and give me some contigency for what ifs. The weather is rainy and poor, I was leaving during lunchtime traffic, parking headaches at Logan (they've been running out of spaces in central garage and you get kicked to satellite lots which adds a half hour), security lines, and after last time, incomplete ticket bookings. 

I'm giving direction to some staff when I glance at the clock and see it's 11:45!  I hoof it to my desk and scramble to grab necessary papers and shut my computer down since IT has to work on it - and I have a lot of things open. I fly out the door, hoping no one parked behind me in the temporary work spot we have (tandem parking), which would block me in and take time to hunt them down to move their car. 

I race to the airport, minimal traffic, but tons of rain.  So far so good.

I get to central parking and there are signs that it is full and you will be redirected. Oops

I follow the half dozen attendants directing us through the maze set up in the garage and end up parking in the central garage.  So far so good.

I jog to terminal A and get my ticket.  No problem

Security line doesn't exist and I breeze through. Looking good.

I swing by a Legal Seafood and have time to order some lunch to go.  Looking good.

I'm sitting down for a breather at my gate to enjoy my lunch before my flight. Life is good.

And it's only 12:15!  I really love having the airport so close to work. 

And then the desk attendant announces the option for people on the 1 PM flight of boarding the earlier flight.  How sweet is that?!  I walk straight on and grab a seat. 

And that was where I was going to end my story.  Of course mentioning how I was dubious how long I could keep this good streak up considering I'm catching the last flight back to boston tonight and 1) that has never gone well for me when flying out of laguardia and 2) it's a rainy, foggy day that will probably delay flights even more. And I have an 8 am tomorrow so no sleeping in. Ugh. 

Well it looks like the run is done as I sit here on runway waiting to take off. The announcement said there is a line and we're scheduled to take off at 1:05. Which is in 30 minutes. Not looking promising, especially for tonight's flight. 

But I'm good for now. I've got my lunch, a good book, a bunch of work and my meeting isn't until 6 PM (I'm literally flying to NYC for dinner - crazy! - it's a work thing), so no rush on my end.  I can relax and enjoy my afternoon. And hope for the best tonight. 

UPDATE:

You won't believe this. So I booked the last flight back in the evening which was at 9 PM.  It was a bit on the early side and might cut my discussions over dinner short. So when I got a message mid-afternoon that my flight was delayed until 9:50 PM I thought this will work out.  I don't have to rush out at dinner and I'll still get in before midnight- barring any further delays. We wrap up dinner a little after 8:30 and I grab a cab to head to Laguardia. 

Fingers crossed the traffic would be good and it was fairly smooth sailing. As an added bonus the driver was listening to WNYC and the Moth was on. It was a very enjoyable ride and I figured I had a little cushion of time and could finally enjoy the luxurious waiting area that Terminal A Delta has - big leather comfy chairs, papers and magazines, etc. No line at security which is just for the three shuttle gates. As I'm putting my shoes on I hear, "Boston!?  You better run."  Now I'm a bit confused since I thought I was all good and I'm booking it to the gate in heels.  Turns out that with the weather things have been delayed all afternoon and it was the 8 PM shuttle they were closing the doors on as I board at 9 PM. 

 I literally run on (they let me board the earlier flight). And grab a seat as they shut the door behind me. Isn't that crazy good?  No waiting around for 50 minutes at the gate. No matter how comfy the waiting chairs are, I'll take it. I think this is my third time flying through this terminal and I have yet to sit in one of the seats - always walking straight onto the plane - talk about timing. 

And now I'm experiencing a little déjà vu as I sit and write this. The captain just announced there is a 30 minute wait to take off due to limited runways at Logan - there is a backup. Sounds like I wouldn't make it home to my comfy bed before midnight with my original scheduled flight. 

Not quite done with the day, but all in all a good day and worth the tiredness I'll have tomorrow.  I got into our NY office and spent my entire afternoon in impromptu meetings with key staff. I didn't even have a moment to check email before heading off to my dinner meeting and didn't make it through all the people I should have touched base with. The dinner meeting went well and fingers crossed results in my desired outcome.  

Signing off to enjoy a short nap and hoping I'm in bed in about and hour and a half - we should be taking off soon. And fingers crossed my good luck continues on future trips.