05.22.05
Destination: Paris
Sunday, May 22, 2005, 10:36 AM
Portland International Airport
Once again I am traveling, which means that once again it is time to keep a travel log. This time the destination is Paris, France. I am quite excited, as I haven’t been to Europe since 1991 and not to Paris since 81 or so. Even with all the trip planning and preparations it didn’t really sink in that I would be gone until last night. Funny thing is that what made me the happiest was not thinking about being in France (maybe that has yet to sink in) but realizing I would not have to report to work for two weeks… hmm may be that says something about my work.
I am at the airport way early… as I usually am (the flight won’t board for another two hours and wont leave until another half hour after that). Having traveled through many airports in the USA and outside I am still impressed by how well Portland International is managed. To get to my gate I had to stand in zero lines (ok, a brief one at security but that took less than a minute), I have been talked to very respectfully and with helpfulness and best of all, as soon as I popped my laptop open at the gate it immediately found and joined a free Wi-Fi network. The network had me agree to a simple ‘I won’t do bad things’ usage agreement then offered me airport maps, departure and arrival info, and other airport info or on to the web. The arrival and departure info immediately let me know that the gate info I got was bogus and I needed to scoot down two gates. Unlike other airports around the USA (even new and newly remodeled ones to my surprise) there are many outlets around the waiting area. I love living the high tech life.
Briana rocks. Before leaving she gifted me with a little laminated pop up map of Paris (including a map of the subway), a pocket phrase book and a copy of Dispatches from the Tenth Circle: The Best of the Onion. I decided to leave the Onion book behind (it is kind of heavy) but both the phrase book and the pocket map are exactly what I wanted for my trip.