Well, it hasn’t been 24 hours yet, I’m cheating a bit. But I figured I’d jot down a couple of words with my initial experiences before I lose the little details.Yesterday was a long day. Really it was! About nine hours longer than usual actually. Time difference is weird that way. Getting on the plane in Paris at 10:30 (am) and landing in San Francisco 13:00 (pm) with over 11 hours sitting dead still on a plane with the sun in about the same position all the time is just weird.
I must also say thanks my mom and Sigrun who drove me off to airport in Oslo at an ungodly time in the middle of the night. Thanks a million! It was hard to say goodbye and I felt quite lonely afterwards, but it was really good to be “sent off” by you!
I flew Air France all the way, with a rather hectic transfer at Charles De Gaulle (did I spell it right?). The plane that took us over the Atlantic was a really big one! Biggest I’ve ever been in. Interestingly, the in comparison tiny plane we flew from Oslo to Paris had a whole lot more leg room, but I suppose the free champagne (even on economy class) and the space between the seats must come from the same budget. Well, I must remember to become rich and important so that I can fly first class and have both some day;-)!
I also think the in-flight food was as great, and I say “I think” because I’m not very objective on the matter. I really do like airplane food, and when they serve it on Phillipe Starck designed disposable tray and cutlery I smile a little bit extra. Come to think of it, it’s a bit funny with trendy and cool looking disposable eating utensils when the plane in general looked like worn down remnants of the eighties. Well I should stop moping about the flight, it’s just that I thought Air France would be better than that. And by the way, if you like to check the TED-talk by Starck himself check out here. He is as funny in this setting as his designs is on a worn down plane, and he makes me smile as well!
When I landed in on SFO, things turned for the better. My luggage came fast, my admittance through customs went like a charm and the taxi ride into town was comfortable in the back seat of a California-politically correct Toyota hybrid. The hotel played Miles in the reception and my room was clean. The room is a bit weird though, some kind of fusion between western and eastern cultures, and I must say they haven’t quite landed it completely.
I must also say thanks my mom and Sigrun who drove me off to airport in Oslo at an ungodly time in the middle of the night. Thanks a million! It was hard to say goodbye and I felt quite lonely afterwards, but it was really good to be “sent off” by you!
I flew Air France all the way, with a rather hectic transfer at Charles De Gaulle (did I spell it right?). The plane that took us over the Atlantic was a really big one! Biggest I’ve ever been in. Interestingly, the in comparison tiny plane we flew from Oslo to Paris had a whole lot more leg room, but I suppose the free champagne (even on economy class) and the space between the seats must come from the same budget. Well, I must remember to become rich and important so that I can fly first class and have both some day;-)!
I also think the in-flight food was as great, and I say “I think” because I’m not very objective on the matter. I really do like airplane food, and when they serve it on Phillipe Starck designed disposable tray and cutlery I smile a little bit extra. Come to think of it, it’s a bit funny with trendy and cool looking disposable eating utensils when the plane in general looked like worn down remnants of the eighties. Well I should stop moping about the flight, it’s just that I thought Air France would be better than that. And by the way, if you like to check the TED-talk by Starck himself check out here. He is as funny in this setting as his designs is on a worn down plane, and he makes me smile as well!
When I landed in on SFO, things turned for the better. My luggage came fast, my admittance through customs went like a charm and the taxi ride into town was comfortable in the back seat of a California-politically correct Toyota hybrid. The hotel played Miles in the reception and my room was clean. The room is a bit weird though, some kind of fusion between western and eastern cultures, and I must say they haven’t quite landed it completely.
But I have a window facing south, I see plenty of blue skies from my window and outside is the hustle and bustle of a busy street and the occasional ringing of a cable car one block away. All in all it’s very nice!After a quick rest I went for a short stroll in the neighborhood. I went over to Union Square just two blocks away, followed the cable car line on Powell and Mason st. up to the top of the hill, got a brief view of the Transamerica Pyramid, then sat myself down on a bench in right next to the Fairmont and the Mark Hopkins (looks almost like it looked in the film Bullitt, see for your self if you’re interested: 1968 and yesterday). There’s always some small things that is different from what you are used to, that you seems to have an extra intriguing effect on travellers. For me, aside from the obvious steep ascending and descending streets, I must say that the fire escape ladders just grabs my camera.
I’ll probably have way to many pictures of these on return. Maybe I could turn the photos into art and get them exhibited at “høstutstillingen”? No, don’t think so? Ok, me neither. But they’re nice nonetheless!
All in all It was a short stroll, hunger got the best of me and when I walked by a small almost full pasta/pizza place with decent prizes I thought that would be just the place for me. Air France make better food, haha. But the little table by the window I got was nice!As I already mentioned, it had been a long day, and after dinner I strolled some more, bought some water and a beer at the local grocery store and went back to the hotel. The bed grabbed hold of me and I possibly could not get up until this morning. Yes, I slept well.
Without knowing exactly how much time I have writing these letters in the future, I can almost certainly say that I’ll probably not write as long as this again. It felt good to go write down a lot from these first hours, but now I’m fed up and I’m going to go outside in the sunshine!
-p
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