In years past, KrisDi and I have taken notes each day on paper, or mostly kept up with it when we could get a chance to go back and write down notes. Then I would laboriously turn rough handwritten notes into blog posts with photos and links. I was very pleased because we were talking about what to do when we land (airport -> room to drop off bags -> breakfast somewhere -> Cantillon), and I was trying to remember someplace we had breakfast at during two previous visits, and I was able to find it on my blog in like 30 seconds.
KrisDi and I are currently on a plane in between Atlanta GA and Brussels. We’re fancy now — flying on Delta in Premium Select (after a 1st class flight from SEA to ATL). Internet is available on the plane (which is how I’m writing this).
I’ve tentatively decided to just write about daily experiences as we go through the trip and not worry about synchronizing photos or completeness. So this is step one, I guess.
Flights out…flight leaving Seattle was at like 06:00, we got to the airport before Delta’s counter opened to take our bags, got done with that before TSA Pre-check security opened to let us in, and go through that before Delta’s Sky Club opened at 4:15 AM. Nothing particularly notable about any of this.
Flight took off on schedule, made it to Atlanta on schedule, didn’t have any real difficulties (aside from shitty signage) getting to our terminal and finding which of the ~7 Delta clubs were closest to our gate. We chatted in the club with a very talked pilot / ex-cop who lives in Tallahassee, on his way back from a European vacation (Ireland for sure, don’t remember where else they went). His name is Pete. I remember because when we told him he should go to Scotland and try this drink they’re famous for but I can’t remember what it’s called…he’s like, “No way, they make it from peat!”
The topic of me flying to Japan a lot came up, which brought up my employer, which sort of drew in a neighbor who works at a manufacturer of steel and aluminum production equipment who buys a lot of our hand tools.
We talked a lot about travel and food. Apparently he’s a private pilot for “rich people.” He and his wife seem to have similar interests and senses of humor to us, though they’re about 20 years older. I think by the time we parted ways, they wanted to be friends forever.
We didn’t get the upgrade to Delta One (some day, some day…) from ATL to Brussels. Premium Select is pretty good though.
I think we’re about an hour and a half from destination…hopefully next post will be exhausted and saturated with lambic and gueuze, from our AirBnB lodging for the week. Speaking of which, an unusual plan for this vacation: Stay in one place the whole time and just take day trips out to different parts of Belgium. One thing I’m unreasonably excited about is seeing some of my Belgian colleagues in Belgium for the first time, which is funny because I’ve seen them in Japan and Germany and the US so many times.
Y’all always manage to run into interesting people. It’s a gift. Have fun!