Real Time Travel

::mood::i love coffee!!!
::music::tropical birds, and mopeds speeding past outside my window

2/9/07

I left home yesterday. Said goodbye to my family.

Only, it wasn’t quite the goodbye I’m used to. It was rather weird. I’ll tell you why: when I left last night, I only had two people to say goodbye to. And both of them were asleep. Michael had an emergency response call. My mom left to take him to the meeting point. While Isaac and Benjamin went along for the ride. Naturally, all the other sisters were away; either because they’re married, or because I was going to visit them!

And what a visit it will be! Three entire weeks of vacation, touring, sightseeing, catching up on old times, doting, and general frivolity. Ah, yes, in case you wanted to ask, I am excited!

Arriving at the airport 40 minutes early was a great way to kick off the day. I got through security uneventfully, then came across a new feature in the Tulsa airport that I’d never seen before. Come to think of it, it was about the only thing new. I haven’t set foot past that security gate to get on a plane for right about two years. But hardly a thing has changed in all that time. Except for this fountain. I had to stop and take some pics of it for Nathan. I thought it would be some great inspiration for his future ventures.

A short flight. Now I’m in Chicago. I call home to see what time it is cause I’m beginning to realize that it’s probably not worth it for me to keep track until I arrive at my final destination. Meanwhile, in the space of a few minutes walking, I do a double take to make sure I’m not walking in circles. Nope. I’m not. That really is just another Starbucks thirty seconds walking distance from the last one. The sixth or seventh to be exact! And long lines at every one of em. I swear, one could probably walk past three in the time it would take him to get through the line of one!

I find an outlet. Power up all my gadgets.

Then I find jon. Or, rather, he finds me. and we power up all his gadgets.

Lunch. Currency exchange. The prospect of a free ticket to Hawaii. Were sitting aboard our plane now. A 747. I frantically text everyone, saying goodbye. Rerecord a voicemail since I wont be turning my phone back on for three weeks! Then I discuss the freedoms of shedding an electronic leash with Jenn.

Ah, turbulence now. Not a lot. A plane this big doesn’t get it too bad. Oh, well. I rather like it when the plan jumps around a bit. Somehow it’s a little soothing. Call me weird!

Two hours and thirty seven minutes into our flight now. The map on the projector says we’re somewhere over the far north of Canada right now. Four-thousand some odd miles left to go. Jonathan moved to the empty seat next to me and is taking a nap. I’ve got Elizabethtown in the dvd player and I’m wondering what it is that motivates me to submit myself to such tortures as being crammed into such a small place with two hundred fifty other people who I don’t know from adam. Don’t get me wrong. I do love traveling…and I know I’m looking forward to the prospect of getting to see my two super-hip sisters. It’s just: why this? Why now? Why at the expense of my elbows and knees and feet and neck and….well, I guess I’m just a lanky guy. What else can I say.

Omie called me when I was in Chicago. So the plan is to meet up with them Saturday afternoon at our hotel. That’s assuming we make it to the hotel! This is all we’ve got to go off of…