Well, it’s been over two years since I stepped onto an airplane, and this past weekend it was finally time again. Work travel is opening up, and today I find myself in Palo Alto, California.
This is probably the most laid-back I have ever been for a trip, which is weird because I was anxious before the trip. Not about COVID, mind you, mainly just around having to go to the airport from a new place, somewhere with a great deal of potential to have traffic woes that drastically change the time it takes to get to the airport. But everything went well, I got to the airport with ease. Parking, even though it said “full” online, had plenty of available spaces. Overall… it was a laid-back arrival.
Across the US right now masks are required in the entire airport and for the length of the flight. I stopped by the United club for a quick cup of coffee (where I got to remove the mask) and then leisurely strolled to my gate. I’m sure it will be hard for Jen or Abby to imagine, but I wasn’t even lined up when boarding started! I just watched until my number was almost all boarded, then walked up and strolled on. I wasn’t in a rush; I didn’t have to “be” anywhere right away. I was just taking things as they came to me.
I suppose at some point that will probably reset… but I’m trying to take it a bit easier now with these trips and just see how well I can do being open to variation. Yesterday I went down to watch the Super Bowl, but ran into coworkers. Instead of being glued to the game, we talked through most of it, catching up after years of not seeing each other in person. It wasn’t what I imagined, but it was pretty fun regardless. Similarly…. today has been very fluid, I’m doing a great job of taking things as they come.
A post-Super Bowl drink at the hotel, a “New Old Fashioned” to cap the night.
Tonight… I’m going to try to convince a friend to go to sushi with me, we’ll see if he’s willing or if he just wants to hang around the hotel. Either way… I think it’ll be a fun night. I’m sure we’ll come up with something to do! I’ll update later in the week, and hopefully have a few more exciting photos.
