Out of Town/Out of my Mind

So this week is my first official training. I would love to tell you that flowers rained from heaven and birds sang the hallelujah course as I entered California, but that wasn't quite the case. Let me give you a breakdown of my past 30 or so hours.

Got to airport just before 3:00pm to check in for a 4:00 pm flight. Flight was delayed an hour due to mechanical problems. Flight was delayed another hour. Flight was delayed another hour. Four drops of rain fell on DFW airport and the air traffic controllers slowed all incoming traffic - which still didn't affect me because my plane was still broken in San Antonio. Finally received fixed plane (we hoped, anyway) and were loaded up at 8:00pm, a mere four hours later. Then proceeded to sit on runway in Dallas for another 30 minutes. Made 3 plus hour flight to San Franciso where we circled for 30 minutes before being allowed to land. It was now midnight, my time, and five hours past scheduled arrival.

Then the airline (read, AA), proceeded to "misplace" our luggage at the terminal??? Huh? It's midnight. There's only one f'ing plane there. Where could the luggage go? Forty minutes later, they found the luggage.

I found my bag and proceeded to make the ten minute walk to the train, that takes you on a ten minute ride to the car rental places. Waited to rent car, then walked the length of a football field to find it in garage. Attempted to leave airport and get on highway. Mind you, it's dark and I can't see crap at night. And it's not like I've ever been here before, so there's no basis for rememberance. Finally find highway after circling terminal twice and head for San Mateo. Find exit fine, but have trouble in business district where hotel is located. Business districts are dead at night so they don't pay for street lights. In their infinite wisdom, someone in San Mateo decided to post the street signs directly above the green light at traffic stops, so if the light was green, you couldn't read the sign at all. But since it was the business district and I was the only fool out that late (or early, depending on how you want to look at it), I just stopped right underneath the lights until they turned red and I could make out the sign.

Finally found hotel, checked in. It was now 1:30 am my time and I hadn't eaten in about twelve hours. Of course, it was waaaaayyyyy too late for room service so the front desk clerk gave me directions to local fast food, which would be the only thing open at that ungodly hour. The directions weren't exactly accurate and I got completely turned around and it took me an hour to find my way back to my hotel. I did pass a Taco Bell while I was lost, so at least I arrived back with tacos.

Finally ate around 2:30am my time and went to bed a little after 3:00 (1:00am PST). Had to leave for training at 8:15.

Training was a challenge, but it was my first rodeo and I'm sure it will get easier. Left client with full intention to relieve stress, so drove the approximate 12 miles to the Pacific coast so I could stick my foot in the water.


This is the view from my hotel room. Notice the mountains in the background - I'm definitely not in Texas.










This is the view of the Pacific ocean at Half Moon Bay, California. Very pretty and serene. I sat on a picnic bench for about half an hour just listening to the sound of the ocean. I really miss living near a huge body of water.

I will post some more picture tomorrow, as Blogger has suddenly decided to have an attitude about photos right when I was almost finished. But I refuse to let it spoil my improved mood.

Update: Blogger came back up so here are the other two pics.


This is another shot of the beach at Half Moon Bay. It's a cute little tourist town and you can see the beach is long and clean. I walked down the coastline and back about thirty minutes - in sand - so I figure I got my exercise for the day. God, I'm out of shape - I used to RUN in sand when I was younger.

This is a shot of me officially sticking my foot in the Pacific Ocean. You can't see it, but the foot has an excellent pedicure and is sporting OPI You Must Be a Kabuka Queen nail polish. The next wave was a doozy and soaked me up to my hiney. So glad I'm driving a rental car!

So this was the perfect ending to the not-so-perfect day.

Tonight, I'm ordering filet mignon from room service and eating it in bed.