Hello there! I'm new here, as my four-odd posts might give away, so if I miss anything big, don't hesitate to tell me. This summer, I was off to a summer study program at Stanford, and for me, half the fun was getting there. As the title suggests, I fly infrequently, usually once a year, and so this was my annual flight. Well, I love flying, and have a pretty decent memory so here goes:

July 11
EWR:

I arrive at the airport at 7:20, dressed in khakis and a dress shirt due to my mother's idea that it could get me an upgrade (doesn't she know that WN has only Y?). I'm able to check in my bags without a hassle and leave the attendant with a larger-than-anticipated tip. Security is a relative breeze, and the TSA doesn't accost me too much- nicer than they looked, even. The moment I get my shoes back on I realize that the place that I had wanted get breakfast (Golden Krust- beef patties are perhaps my favorite food) from was in the general area. I briefly weighted leaving and going out and getting breakfast, but decided that it was best that I stayed put. Regardless, I was unable to find any substantial food and settled for a- what's that expensive smoothie drink again- Nuella Nwalla? Ogalla? and a rather sad looking tuna half-sandwich. When I say it was sad looking, I mean literally; it was droopy and had two large chunks of celery on the sides that could pass for eyes. In any case, the frowning sandwich was better than anything I could muster up. I bought a WSJ, Scientific American, and Economist, the latter being out of a feeling of obligation, for I had been mentioned in it the prior month, but I found the tales of the demise of the newspaper and partisanation of news depressing.

EWR-PHX, WN, Y, #645
Boarding started on time, and I was in Group C, sadly. I perhaps dug a further hole for myself by standing by the corresponding number pillars (I was C16, or maybe 16C), and by the time I realized people were just lining up regardless of number it was too late. The flight left on time at 9:35. I wound up in either 5C or 6C, but I was lucky enough to have an engaging an interesting seat-mate, an interesting man who had played the drums with big names like Count Basie or Charles Mingus. We were talking the entire flight, and I felt better about my seat. It took most people forever to realize that we were forbidden to stand in the front half of the aisle, and so the aisle was jammed (funny how that works). I laughed at least twice at the "menu" with which I was presented. Despite the brevity of its contents, the service was surprisingly fast, I ended up with about five packets of pretzels, and got no dirty looks for asking for Coca-Cola Zero in a can. I was later served some pretty passable tea. Rest of the flight was uneventful sans some light turbulence over Kansas or the like. Arrived 10 minutes early.

PHX:

I was promptly informed that my next flight would be delayed by an hour due to the "weather in San Francisco". I was rather amused as I read that as "fog" and wondered if that happened regularly. In any case I sat down and finished reading the Journal. Frantically tried to contact Stanford to let them know of delay, given about three different numbers and succeeded on the fifth try. After ten minutes or so I went to find some lunch, settled for some Pizza Hut. I was pleased to speak with the cashier in Amharic. After Pizza, spent about an hour wandering the terminal, I was rather upset to find some better dining choices. Considered getting a shoe shine until I simultaneously saw the price and realized I was wearing boat shoes. Found myself back at my gate only to be told that the flight had been delayed by another hour. Read most of that time re-reading The World is Flat and chatting with some folks from the local Chamber of Commerce or something like that. Terminal became noticeably cold at that point.

PHX-SFO, WN, Y, #828

I was rather tired by this point and concerned on whether or not I'd be able to check in on time: I was supposed to have arrived at 14:50, and was now supposed to get there at 16:50, and check-in closed at 18:00. The flight left just before 15:00, and I wound up in 15B. Flight was mainly composed of me finishing The World is Flat, and starting an exceptionally dry book on privatization before giving up and switching to the more exciting (remember, this is relative) How Countries Compete. Skipping around, I managed to finish that quickly and agreed to swap my Economist with my seatmate's Bloomberg Businessweek. Was well into that when I had some Sprite spilled on me, but the FA was there promptly and cleaned up the mess quickly, giving me about 10 packets of pretzels for my troubles and seemed to half-seriously offer me a beer (I declined). Finished reading the magazine, and slept for about half an hour until waking up 10 minutes before landing. Thankfully, there was a guide waiting and a coach to take us to Stanford.

To be continued (well, unless you want me to just stop now )