Day 24 of 89 on the road.

The day began early.

Very early.

Check the weight of the luggage, I am so sick of lifting luggage, my arms ache, but I had to do it again, no one else is there to do if for me.

Scoot down to the lobby and wait for the shuttle to the airport. I didn’t have any coffee in the system so I thought I did pretty darn well.

The lobby was full even at that time of the day and as I walked to the exit, I made sure I had the right amount of cash for a tip to the guy who took my luggage down. There’s nothing worse that trying to find a tip in front of the recipient.

I left a $5 tip for the maid in the room yesterday. Jaya (aged 5) wondered what it was for and I explained that it was a ‘kindness donation’ because the lady worked hard to clean my room and look after me so nicely.  She looked at me quietly with those blue eyes.  As we walked down the passage one of the maids appeared and Jaya skipped up to her and in a loud voice said, “We left you some kindness”      you can’t help but smile.

The man organising the shuttle was very efficient in getting us to line up in order. I felt like I was at school assembly, but he was so excited that he had everything in order that you just had to smile and feel happy for him.

As I got out of the shuttle the driver dropped my bag of computers and digital projector…. I let out an expletive… but then said sorry.

I can manage 4 cases on my own without a trolley, two in each hand, but I get a bit stuck on those pimples on the ground for the blind. My wheels really don’t like them.

You know the routine, and you whip through the lines with a sense of monotony and familiarity, and then I could eat. The new first class lounge for American airlines is wonderful and the food is much better than the bagels and cream cheese given in the past. So I tucked into smoked salmon, ginger, egg white muffin and coffee and listened to the very lolud conversation of the “older ladies” who appear to have joned a clone club, and of course they shared the information about face lifts with the rest of us.  They looked like they were about to depart this world, their faces appear in a waxed state… then again, they don’t have any of the “W” word, hush wrinkles.

Then came time to get on the plane. I had my hand luggage, my camera bag and my hand bag. Far less than those who had huge duffle bags and back packs. The lady in front of me had 4 bags.

I think it must have been the fact that I was in orange and turquoise… but the attendant said “Mam you can’t take that on the plane”. I looked at her in amazement.

“Yes I can” I said, these are computers.

Well that was it, I shouldn’t have said that to her and she made me undo my bag and put my hand bag in it… a small hand bag by the way.  I walked past her and just around the corner. Suddenly she starts shouting, and came running at me…. then she turned and went back to the microphone and shouted. “When I tell you to do something, do it”  OK, all of the airport turned to the lady in orange so I just smiled at her and walked on.

A little miffed was I.

So I drew a portrait of her and sent her flying to an unknown destination. I have no idea where she flew to.

Ultimately, another flight had me flying all day and I arrived in Monterey around 4.30.

But I have to share my exciting evening.

I changed into winter clothes, and walked down the street to find a restaurant. and I found one about 1/2 a mile away. People were lined up out the front and it was only just after 5.00 pm.

So I joined the line and soon I was escored to the last seat at the bar.  Gees I don’t sit at a bar…. but I had no choice so I looked on it as an adventure.

The place was packed despite the early hour and the noise and busyness  was infectious. I’ve never seen people tip up a bottle of wine and sheer drop the liquid into the glass. The guy behind the bar worked at a furious pace.

I ordered a  Mexican squid parmigana, served with eggplant, pasta  and marinara sauce.  It was delicious, the ambience was amazing and I sat for an hour and a half just watching the entertainment. I will say that there were huge lines to get in and people standing for that full hour right behind me waiting for my seat. A little uncomforatble, but I figured this was the way it is.

Monterey’s Fish House is owned and operated by the DiGirolamo family, with deep roots in the Monterey fishing and restaurant industries. David DiGirolamo grew up working in his family’s restaurant, Angelo’s on Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey, preparing and serving fresh fish his father caught daily. Voted Best Seafood in Monterey year after year.

So I did well I think.