San Diego time

[nlbarber]

And it's time for the other national committee I'm on to meet, and the chosen location is San Diego. The official meeting starts Tuesday (a subcommittee I've been careful to stay away from is meeting Monday), but I came out today because I've never been to San Diego, and I want to go to the zoo.

The trip out was somewhat eventful. Started out fine, with the baby seated behind me (with Mom) turning out to be an excellent, quiet traveler. However, on a trip to the lavatory I noticed a guy seated in the galley jump seat with some oxygen. A little later on as we were somewhere over western New Mexico, the plane took a turn to the right and the pilot told us we were diverting to Albuquerque for a medical emergency. Took 15-20 minutes to land there, some time for the paramedics and other fire department personnel to board and deplane with the ailing passenger, then a while to figure out if we had enough fuel (yes) and get back in the air. (I gave a general wave at the city aimed at you, idiotgrrl!) We landed in SD about an hour and 20 minutes late. Rumor has it the guy had a panic attack.

I then collected my checked bag, followed the somewhat circuitous signs to the rental car shuttle, and waited for the Thrifty van. (All rental cars are off-site in San Diego, it seems, though a few expensive companies are just across the street from one of the terminals.) Arrived at the Thrifty lot to see a confused mass of people and luggage around the small office. This sorted itself into 3 groups: a few waiting for their car to be brought up, some waiting for a companion who was inside, and The Line. The Line was out the door, down the steps and a short way into the parking lot. Instinct said get back on the shuttle and go pay the extra $10/day at another company, but instead I waited it out. Had a car in a little over an hour. The guy who did my paperwork blamed the line in part on ComicCon.

Things improved after that. Found the hotel (Holiday Inn Bayside, which seems to be in the Point Loma area), and my friend Linda was checking in as I arrived. We set off in my car and found a compact grocery store nearby to purchase some essentials (milk for me, fruit, chocolate), stopped by the hotel to dump these in our room fridges, and then set off again for an early dinner--we both started the day on Eastern time. Linda has been to SD a few times before, and suggested we head out to Coronado to see a little of the area. Ended up having dinner at Peohe's in Coronado (a mixed platter of grilled, teriyaki, and coconut shrimp--nicely prepared though not outstanding, and pricey) with a lovely view of part of the harbor. Sailboats, skiddos, a Honda freighter slowly moving down the channel, and moored warships at the naval base in the distance. After dinner Linda had me drive past the Hotel del Coronado so I could plan my vacation for when I win the lottery, and then we moseyed down to the Silver Strand public beach and walked a little watching the sun get low over the Pacific as a few surfers continued catching waves. Came back up to San Diego by un-scenic but expeditious I-5, and now I'm ready for bed. Midnight in Ga., only 9 out here.

Tomorrow it's off to the zoo.

Comments

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

My husband has actually gotten to stay at the Hotel del Coronado a few times on work's dollar (annual conference). Unfortunately I've never gotten to do more than lunch there, myself.