Category Archives: musings

sleepy airport ramblings

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I’m sitting at the PHX airport waiting to board. I got about three hours sleep last night. This is a good thing – hopefully I’ll sleep well on my Helsinki flight.

As I was walking to security, I saw a plane with a giant “HAWAIIAN” on the side. I should be on that flight. Instead, I’m going someplace chilly, wet, and on an interesting but most likely pretty depressing tour. Can’t we go to Hawaii instead? It’s warm there.

There was a lack of assistance at the ticketing desk. A French man in front of me was completely confused. We did some hand waving over our passports and at the kiosks, but ultimately, he was left stuck in line while I received assistance and got checked in rather quickly after having my identity verified. Apparently, a passport isn’t valid until you sign it. Good thing the ticket agent had a pen I could borrow. I was almost invalid and unverified. What a terrifying prospect.

First class is now boarding. Guess I should put my laptop away.

See ya’ll in Chicago! (Actually, probably not. I’m pretty sure O’Hare doesn’t have free wi-fi.)

getting ready

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It’s 12:44 the day before I leave for a fairly short-notice trip to Warsaw, Poland that takes me through Chicago and Helsinki, Finland. (I really like saying “Helsinki”)

I packed my bag, minus my morning toiletries, I have my travel clothes laid out and a note for my dog and kitty sitters on the kitchen counter.

I’ve done one other over-seas trip in my life and that was to Dublin in 2000. It was a direct flight and I slept on the plane. This trip has two plane changes, one where I have to navigate the convoluted and vexing Chicago O’Hare airport and one in a foreign country.

I can’t help but feel tension today. There really is no reason for it. As my grandma says, “I don’t see the problem, you get on the plane, you sleep, and you arrive somewhere.”  Done.

I wish I could be as matter-of-fact. My tension has no real focus, I suppose it’s just a general apprehension of being out of my element. If I was able to pilot the airplane, I’m sure I’d be fine. 🙂

Well, whatever happens, it’ll be interesting.

On the road again….

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I just a few days I will be on my way to Warsaw. Poland.

Fourteen hours of travel to get there. Airplane, wait, airplane, wait, airplane. And Bam! I’m in Poland. I love seeing new places, but over the years I have lost my love of airplane travel. There are parts of it that I quite enjoy, and I think if I could just fly the plane I’d be fine. Dunno how the other people on the plane would feel about that….

It’ll be a fascinating trip full of history and family and sadness. My mom is meeting me there and among other places, we will visit Sobibor which will be intense.

I thought about creating a different blog site to document this journey, but I decided to post here. I’ll keep updated as often as possible, so visit frequently or sign up for email notifications (also see the “Categories” at bottom of main page for “Poland”).