(written last night, about 6.30PST)
I’m currently sitting in San Francisco International Airport, looking out towards the bay and watching the fog roll in. It makes for a spectacular sight with the shiny United and American planes reflecting the low sun.
The airport itself is the usual sprawling concrete monstrosity, although it has some interesting concrete forms that appeal to me (but not photographed, as I was too busy hauling luggage) and a goodly number of good quality art installations throughout.
As usual, when travelling I keep a notebook and pen handy so that I can scribble down any thoughts and observations that may occur to me along the way (this is the first time I’ve ever been able to do that with a keyboard on my lap, and it is a very pleasurable experience. All I need to do now is get this thing WiFi enabled, although I see no evidence of WiFi facilities here). Here are the notes I have made so far today (bear in mind that my body currently thinks it is 2.30am, so please excuse any delirium):
- three girls smoking on train
- seafood
- tired check-in – June
- comedy bus driver
- eye candy
- 26 is twice 13
- nearly bumped
- overly made-up stewardess
- wedding party
- wrong seat! 34/35
- you notice the extra inch
- lady from San Fran – son in Georgia
- the Dutch Red Wine Incident
- Peet’s Coffee and Tea
- art in San Fran Int.
- fog on the bay
I’ll gladly expand on any of these on request, dear reader.
Also in my notebook is a longer ramble scrawled somewhere over Greenland:
As I sit here, in seat 34D of flight UA931 to San Fran, I realize I am gently falling in love with life. It may be the two generous G&Ts ("I’ll give you two to keep you going"), or the very good book that I’m reading that forces me, unwillingly, to laugh out loud in the middle of economy class. But more likely it is the realization that I have embarked on an exciting and challenging new career that affords me the opportunity to travel the world, meet people developing the most amazing new plants (something that will always, always, be a passion for me, something I get a kick out of) and visit, albeit often briefly, places, gardens and nurseries that I would never have had the opportunity to see in my old life.
Life is very nearly complete. There is still something missing, and those that have been reading grayblog for a long time will know what that is. I do miss that thing. But life is great without it, on my own account. That’s a Good Thing.
In spite of that absence, life is still extraordinarily good. I’m enjoying it. I have the potential to earn a very good living from it. More importantly, it’s going to be fun along the way.
I’m 32. I think I’ve finally made it.
Did I mention that the drinks are free on United? Bzzzzzzzzz.
I’ll try and sober up and be more coherent and less drippy. I promise.