Fueled and ready

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This morning I got to sleep in a few minutes beyond 3:30 am as my mom was unaware I was relying on her as my alarm clock. We still managed to take off from my parents' house around 4:00 am. I didn't really feel like anything to eat or drink, but I took an allergy tablet. I was very grateful to have Mom drive me to the airport.

I went to get my boarding pass and check my small suitcase. With the help of Mom, Dad, and Levi my suitcase is now packed in a similar way to one of those magic clown cars (with clothes and gifts, of course, not clowns). I can only hope that once I remove gifts in Japan that it will open up some space in case I want to buy something. I was so tired and focused on checking my luggage and getting my boarding pass this morning that it didn't immediately register to me that I had three check in attendants and two of them were age ten. A quick visual survey of the Alaska Airlines area confirmed that either a lot more employees are being hired at age ten, or it is job shadow day. Mom was impressed by the fact that they had official name badges.

As I waited in line to go through screening, Mom went and bought me a bagel with cream cheese for later. By 5:35 am I was through the line and had made it out to my flight terminal. Since my flight takes off at 6:55 am, I figured I had some time to eat my bagel and write an update. PDX is my favorite airport. It is a lovely place to wait and watch out the windows as the daylight arrives.

Since last night, my sister has discovered via an email that I intend to keep a travel blog. She has already sent me many suggestions of what I might relate in this blog. She predicts entries such as "Dear blog, I have jet lag and it is weird here and my room is small" and "Dear blog, I cannot read the signs." We will have to see how many of her suggested entries become a reality, although I can't help feel that "Dear blog, I am tired of fish" might be something I might be more likely to say if I had been the one living in Japan for two years. I also intend to include some photographs on this blog. Unfortunately, I forgot to have my mom take a photograph of me with all of my items before I went through the line.

Alaskan Airlines has announced we will be boarding soon, so I probably will board and read once I get on the airplane.

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Comments

[Mom]

Pictures
Sent you a couple of pictures, too bad my regular light tech didn't get out of bed this morning (really early this morning). Were the extra attendants really ten, so glad, I thought it was another case of the workers looking younger and younger as one gets older.

[EThomas]

Thanks Mom
Hi Mom, I found out later it was a PDX "take your daughter to work day." One does start to feel a bit old, but travel helps with that adventure. :) I just found out that I had comments on my blog as it didn't alert me I had comments that I needed to review.

[Emily]

Sayonara and see ya soon!
Give a big squeeze to that cousin-san for me! Have a fabulous trip and the best remedy for jet lag is ....espresso! I think that there is actually a jet-lag diet that I am going to have to research, but too late for you! Bon voyage!

[EThomas]

Hi Emily
Thanks for the comment. I just found out that I had comments on this blog as my blog wasn't letting me know I had comments to review. It's nice to see some support out there. I'm having a great time and other than tea and one Coke Zero haven't had any caffeine.

[Marjorie]

Children: Working Young
Bring your child to work day! I saw a lot of youngsters at OSU on the 27th. PDX is one of my favorite airports as well. I also am rather fond of Minneapolis's airport, especially the pretty pictures on the floor.