I'm on the road tonight. My employer's sent me on a fact-finding mission, and since I have to be on site early in the morning I'm spending the night in a nearby hotel.
The older I get, the more ambiguous I become about travel. It's not travel itself that bothers me; it's other people, and the way things can go wrong. This was a driving trip, and I spent four hours battling traffic on the Interstate highways. There's no shortage of challenges: tractor-trailer trucks (which get especially fun in hilly terrain), impatient drivers, speeders, generalized rudeness. Not to mention road construction, which goes on forever. There were not only speed zones, but lane closures. Few things are more fun than when five lanes suddenly bottleneck down to two. And near afternoon rush hour, too.
Driving itself is fun. I enjoy it, even though it can be a haul sometimes. But give me a few podcasts to listen to, and my iPad to serve as my navigator, and a chance to take a few routine breaks to stretch my legs and use the facilities, and I'm happy to go for a drive. What takes the fun away, though, is the fact not everybody has that philosophy, and seems to think they're racing. They'll ride your bumper, roar around you, cut you off, flash their lights at you...you name it. Don't get me wrong, I like getting there efficiently, but I would much rather get there safely.
With all that, it was a relief to get checked in tonight. I caught my breath for a few minutes, and then went out to explore. Finding a bookstore is always a priority; I successfully did so, and scored a copy of this and a copy of this. They've provided much enjoyment so far. And this is starting on the TV right now; sure, it's stuff I already know well, but I'm interested to see how they do this one. I'm feeling right content as I write this.
Tomorrow it's off to do what they sent me here to do, and then the long drive back home. And then Wednesday morning, bright and early, it's back to the usual routine. For now, though, I'm doing my best to enjoy the diversion.
The older I get, the more ambiguous I become about travel. It's not travel itself that bothers me; it's other people, and the way things can go wrong. This was a driving trip, and I spent four hours battling traffic on the Interstate highways. There's no shortage of challenges: tractor-trailer trucks (which get especially fun in hilly terrain), impatient drivers, speeders, generalized rudeness. Not to mention road construction, which goes on forever. There were not only speed zones, but lane closures. Few things are more fun than when five lanes suddenly bottleneck down to two. And near afternoon rush hour, too.
Driving itself is fun. I enjoy it, even though it can be a haul sometimes. But give me a few podcasts to listen to, and my iPad to serve as my navigator, and a chance to take a few routine breaks to stretch my legs and use the facilities, and I'm happy to go for a drive. What takes the fun away, though, is the fact not everybody has that philosophy, and seems to think they're racing. They'll ride your bumper, roar around you, cut you off, flash their lights at you...you name it. Don't get me wrong, I like getting there efficiently, but I would much rather get there safely.
With all that, it was a relief to get checked in tonight. I caught my breath for a few minutes, and then went out to explore. Finding a bookstore is always a priority; I successfully did so, and scored a copy of this and a copy of this. They've provided much enjoyment so far. And this is starting on the TV right now; sure, it's stuff I already know well, but I'm interested to see how they do this one. I'm feeling right content as I write this.
Tomorrow it's off to do what they sent me here to do, and then the long drive back home. And then Wednesday morning, bright and early, it's back to the usual routine. For now, though, I'm doing my best to enjoy the diversion.
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