The fun of air travel
It looked like touch and go for awhile, there. We left Carolyn’s at 6am for a 45 mile, 50-60 minute drive to the airport. Our plane was taking off at 9.50am though they wanted us there at 7.50am. We felt we had enough time, until we hit a freeway snag on yes, Ca-91, that saw us take 30 mins to travel 2 miles! It was getting a little nerve-wracking there for a while, but then the the traffic freed as mysteriously as it clogged and we were on our way again. We dropped our car off at Hertz, caught the airport shuttle and arrived at the terminal not long after 7.50am. Phew!
Airports must be among the least fun places in the world … At least for those of us lucky enough to be able to afford to go to them! And LAX must be up there among the most challenging, partly due to its size, partly to America’s understandably high sensitivity to security, and partly, perhaps, to the American way of doing things.
The size is probably the biggest issue. It’s so large and busy, that the rental car yards are a 5-minute or so shuttle bus ride away from the terminals. It’s so busy that there are people and lines everywhere with the process not being totally clear – or perhaps that’s just because we are more familiar with Tom Bradley terminal than American Airlines’ Terminal 4. The security line was long but moved pretty efficiently. However, it was rather chaotic at the gate where there were constant calls for passengers who’d checked in at home and – for what reason? We weren’t sure what the problem was since if you check in at home, surely the next time they “see” you, if you don’t need to check in baggage, will be as you board and your ticket is scanned? As seems common in America, the flight was oversold so they were also calling for two people to accept a later flight, which involved a change (unlike our direct flight), with a $500 travel voucher sweetener. Needless to say, that didn’t interest us. We had someone to meet.
The flight itself was pretty uneventful. There were no individual movie screens, and we weren’t interested in the movie they were showing, so it was hunker down for some self-entertainment. Sue did the crossword and easy sudoku in the airline mag, while Len, in the row behind her, did the three sudokus. It was only the second or third sudoku Sue has ever done.
We did have a little embarrassment at the baggage claim where Sue didn’t recognise her bag and decided it was lost!! Funny, she thought, how someone had exactly the same mauve-coloured ribbon as hers, even a similar shape and width! Someone must have picked up her bag by mistake, she was starting to figure! Was it her fault that the lighting made her bag look like an odd brown colour and not its usual black!? The less said about this little – politely handled – kerfuffle the better. In fact, we’re wondering why we are even ‘fessing’ up to it.
The main point of the trip
Anyhow, then it was find a taxi – easily and pretty quickly done given the queue was pretty small by the time we got there – and get to our airbnb place where both our host, Ilya, and a gorgeous, smiling Hannah were waiting. Ah, how wonderful to see her again. We were introduced to our apartment by the friendly Ilya, and then headed off on foot with Hannah in search of a much-needed meal. (Not that we were starving after our days of good hearty eating with Carolyn!)
Hannah’s first choice, a place called Gusto, was packed, and deafening, but her second, more upmarket but also more peaceful one, Buca, was not. How lovely to sit together around a table again (though we missed Evan). We had a wonderful – and very interesting – meal. Sue had Rabbit Leg with Soft Polenta, while Len and Hannah both had pastas of different types. Hannah and Sue had the Dolce di Latte dessert and Len the Tiramisu. The Dolce di Latte was made with Goat’s Milk, and was served in a fine fennel-flavoured tube with wild blackberry on the side. At $12 it was was great value and oh so tasty. Oh, and the meal ended, for Sue, with her best coffee of the trip so far, a real Long Black.
And a few pictures of dinner with Hannah …
First of all—-what a beautiful picture of Hannah and Len! I was wondering about the freeways to LAX on the Monday after Easter and the 30 minutes it took to go 2 miles on the 91 sounds nail-bitingly familiar. You even left 30 minutes earlier than planned! Glad you made it safe and sound and were rewarded with a lovely dinner with family and a proper Long Black.
Great photo, I agree, Carolyn. Of course I took it. In the end the freeway was fine but next time we’ll be leaving even earlier … Though of course the next actual time it’s a late evening departure and we’ll be heading into LA earlier anyhow.
Lovely to see all the luscious things – food and people but where is a photograph of the photographer? Len – hop to it! Hope you don’t have any more driving dramas especially when you are heading to an airport. Lovely autumn weather here – hop the Canadian spring is as good. Love and hugs all round.
You so perfectly captured Dad’s expression/feelings as I explained the “fine point” of what Clamato is. Bravo!
So, so happy to have you here. Makes my heart sing. But now I should probably go get ready to meet you for today’s adventures! đŸ˜‰ xoxo
Ah, I see the point. However, I have been taking videos of Sue and Hannah, but as those are often a bit personal, we’ve not been publishing them on this blog. I’ll have to take some stills too, either with my or Sue’s camera, to make up for the published deficit@@#$%! Sorry
The photographer knows her subjects well. Those photos have a aura of love and affection that is reflected in the eyes of her subjects. How wonderful to be with your daughter again – and a lovely young lady is she! I know your visit will not be long enough for any of you. Enjoy it all.
I will say from my experience, LAX is worse in the morning than later in the day. I hope your next encounter with it is more pleasant. It is not a lovely airport and is pretty confusing. I find that just when you think you have it pegged, they make a change that leaves one floundering again. AND the traffic is a pain. When coming home from a trip, Carter and I have made a habit of getting a hotel room close to the airport the night before our flight, if it is an early morning one. That takes a little of the stress and drama out of the airport commute. The later flights always seem to go smoothly.
Len and Sue and Hannah, – again thank you for sharing your visit.
Thanks Trudy. That all makes sense re LAX. We usually do fly out late, from Tom Bradley, and it’s usually been easier as you say. The only times I recollect being early were times I did indeed stay at the airport … But that was because I was essentially just transiting through LA rather than staying. So, good luck rather than good management!