Monday, October 12, 2009

Once again, I was in Southern California.

This post was written a couple of weeks ago, in an airport. And never posted, until now. I apologize for the out-of-dateness, but, as I've noted before, this is a blog, not some real-time, Twitter-like social networking thingamabob.

Big Honkin' Airplane

I like airports.

There's a curious sense of being static - outside of "normal" life. Here, in the departure concourse at Pearson's Terminal 1, it's almost quiet - at around 9:45 in the morning on a Thursday, there are flights departing continuously, but there's no sense of bustle, no crowds pushing, no nerve-wracking "run run run". Compared with, say, Heathrow on a Friday night, this is peace and calm.

And there's more to this sense of being "outside" the usual run of things. With no reasonable internet access (although plenty of paid options), and no need to be on the phone, a certain quiet sets in. I've no reason to frantically call anyone, no need to sign up for the only-slightly-extortionate per-day internet access, and thus no immediate ability to check email. I'm not on Twitter, I don't have an iPhone or Blackberry (yet - although that will doubtless spawn its own blog post in due course), and so I feel, strangely, a bit cut off.

In a nice way.

I'm using an honest-to-goodness text editor to write this post, rather than Blogger's online interface, or something more fancy. I've a few photographs from a recent car show, and a trip to the zoo, to edit - that will take up some time, since I've once again overestimated the amount of time I'd need to get to the airport, check in, pass customs and security, and find myself sitting in the departure lounge. I'm completely off-line, which is an unusual situation in this day and age. And one that could easily be rectified - but I've blogged about being cheap before.

So - how do I follow Eva's peregrinations? I can't check in on the quiet that has recently encompassed the Science Advisory Board, nor post at my other nearly-morbid blog. I can't even see if my recent Faculty of 1000 article review is being voraciously devoured by other scientists around the world.

Ah well. I suppose I'll wander the halls, hoping for interesting airport architecture to photograph. But in the meantime, I'm strangely content - a quiet airport, a chance to sit and think, and of course, write it all down for you to read.

Next stop - Southern California. Again.

Orange County at dusk

5 comments:

Aled Hughes said...

Pearson Airport, ah yes, another place to hate. Unlike Ricardipus, I hate airports. Except Carlisle airport in NW England. To call it an airport is a slight exaggeration. It consists of a field about a mile long where small planes fight errant cows for space, and a Nissen Hut. The hut serves as shelter when it rains. Carlisle vies with Wales for rain records.
BTW, why do people who use cell phones at airports always start with "I'm at the airport right now." Maybe it makes them feel important. I call them BFH.
'Illegitimate Offspring Idiots from the Theological place
of eternal damnation.'

Richard Wintle said...

Now Aled, don't hold it all in. Let it out, you'll feel better. :)

I freakin' HATE Heathrow, if that helps. But St. John's airport in Newfoundland is particularly pleasant, especially if one spends several hours chatting with Dawn.

Aled Hughes said...

I've not visited St John's, but chatting with Dawn must have been a wonderful experience :-)
Does Dawn ever visit Toronto, I wonder? Time for planning methinks...

kdoyle said...

I don't travel nearly as much as I used to, but I like airports too, except when I'm running from one end to another, trying to make a connecting flight.

As for being offline--methinks you need an iPhone. 3G at US$99--what's not to like?

Richard Wintle said...

Ken - iPhone not supported by my place of work (yet). And they're not available in this country for USD$99, I can tell you that... ;)

I'm going Blackberry - local company and all that.

Aled - as far as I know, Dawn has never been to The Big Smoke(TM). And I haven't really visited St. John's either... just sat in the airport for a few hours.

Oh, and as for "running from one end to the other" - don't get me started on George H.W. Bush in Houston. Argh. Ack. Gag.