Up at five and out of the house at 6.
Check in went fine, etc etc. As always, the plane was at least 95%
full. We had a middle row of three to ourselves.
Delta serves lunch shortly after take
off, and a hot sandwich & ice cream snack shortly before landing.
They have now added another snack at the halfway point, which is
nice. They also come around frequently with water.
The flight seemed to go rather slowly,
but that was probably because I finished my book quickly. (updated
Isaac Asimov biography – I didn’t know he had gotten HIV from
transfusion during his heart bypass). Fortunately I had enough other
books on my iPad but I had planned on that one lasting for the whole
trip.
The only odd thing about the trip was
that twice within the last two hours they announced that we would be
hitting turbulence, all service would be stopped, flight attendants
take their seats, thank you. And then nothing more than some very
minor turbulence, thank goodness.
We had to separate when we landed in
Atlanta. As a US citizen, I was directed to the new immigration
automats to check in, so I was on the luggage band within probably
five minutes. And a few minutes later our suitcases were there!
Unheard of! How often have we waited up to half an hour just for the
stupid bags?
Norbert and Lucas were not allowed to
the automats but had to go to the long line for foreigners – where
they were eventually sent to the automats.... which didn’t want to
accept Norbert’s fingerprints..... but at least I was there waiting
with the suitcases when they showed up.
Re-checked the bags and made our way to
the gate for our connecting flight, with enough time to buy a snack.
Flight took off a little late, but all worked out. We did have to go
from one end of the airport in Philadelphia to the other (at least it
seemed so) but again our bags came quickly and we got on the bus to
the rental car agency. That took a while but eventually we got a
rather large Jeep SUV (RAV4???).
Norbert and Lucas oohed and ahhhed over
the skyline of Philadelphia and we went right by the ice hockey arena
and the football field. Over the Walt Whitman bridge and into New
Jersey, a new state for both of them.
We decided not to take the expressway
to Atlantic City (for one thing, you have to pay), so took the
“normal” road with all of its strip malls, discount liquor
stores, auto dealers and Wal-Marts. Typical USA, in other words.
Eventually (about an hour later) we saw
the bright lights of the Casinos, and yes, they are impressive.
Missed the first turn to Bally’s but eventually found the Valet
Parking, la di da. Norbert stayed with the car, while Lucas went with
me to check in. He was SOOOO impressed with the hotel lobby, and has
surely never seen anything like that before in his life. I will try
to get some photos Monday.
Nice rooms on the 8th floor,
with an oceanfront view. The guys decided to take a look around, so
they went out. Norbert said they made it to the Boardwalk but there
were too many suspicious-looking persons around and after being
offered drugs for sale, they came back inside. Lucas donated $5 to
the slot machines, and then they went to the Sport Bar. Where they
were astonished to pay $37 for 4 beers.... welcome to Atlantic City!
I judged the best thing for me would be
to stay in, take my shoes off and put by legs up, which I did. Travel
days become harder the older I get....
No comments:
Post a Comment