Travel Weary and Joyous

As I have had occasion to mention over the last few months, I have been traveling a great deal more this year than I have for several of the previous years.  And I am getting weary of it all. 

Most of my trips have been to the east (Philadelphia, West Virginia) and the south (Florida several times, Atlanta more than once, New Orleans, Dallas).  They are long and boring flights from Vancouver, nearly always with a layover in someplace like Denver.  Even those destinations in the middle distance, such as Wichita and Las Vegas, take a lot of traveling.

Endless hours have been spent waiting in boring terminals (and even active and interesting terminals such as Dallas pale after five or six hours).  Several flights have been cancelled on me, my luggage has been misplaced twice, and the circumstances of post 9/11 travel are wearing indeed.  I've been smell-tested, hard-patted, and searched.  I've taken my shoes off and emptied my pockets for what seems like a hundred times.  I've shuffled ahead in zig-zag waiting lines for hour upon hour.  And after almost every flight I find a nice little message from TSA that they have have searched through my luggage.  Oh joy.

However...I spent seven or eight hours of free time last week wandering around New Orleans, savouring the atmosphere, listening to fine fine music, and taking photographs.  Last weekend, I was able to show my wife the surreal nature of the Las Vegas Strip, and we were both able to enjoy the 100 degree sun lazing in the pool at 7 in the morning, and front row seats for Cirque du Soliel.  I now know Orlando and Atlanta and Philadelphia and Charleston, West Virginia, better than I did before this year.  In each place I got a shot or two that I'm proud of, that I wouldn't have gotten if I hadn't been traveling.

And the food!

Gumbo, jambalaya, oysters, and alligator sausage cheesecake -- all the greatness of New Orleans' cooking;  one of the great breakfasts in the Bochon Restaurant at the Venetian in Las Vegas; true Chicago hotdogs and onions in the terminal at O'Hare; Philly Cheese Steak in a sports bar in Philadelphia.  So much more I've enjoyed.

I am privileged to visit so many different places.  I just wish it wasn't so much like hard work!

July 22, 2007 in Food, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Photographs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Las Vegas: The Venetian

The_venetian

July 18, 2007 in Las Vegas, Photographs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Las Vegas: The Venetian Lobby I

Venetian_lobby

July 16, 2007 in Las Vegas, Photographs | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack