I don't love flying-- I don't care if it's business class or coach-- I don't like being trapped in a seat for X number of hours, essentially on a bus with wings with no 30 minute stops at Roy Rogers for a quick burger. I think the only way I'd dig it is if I could sit up front with the pilot (Note to Airlines-- why isn't a camera put up in the cabin just looking out so we can watch THAT on the little TVs instead of reruns of THE OFFICE?) or if they stripped out all of the seats and put a huge pile of pillows in the back that I could stretch out on.
But we got to Houston on a flight that was as comfortable as possible and walked out into a hot humid night virtually identical to our trip to Tokyo last year. Battling the Houston freeways we found our way to our hotel and had an absolutely delightful dinner with Veronica's aunt Faith at ESCALANTES-- mouth watering plantains and tilapia with incredible service.
On the plane my head had pretty much blocked up and I owed it to the cabin pressure. A few hours later laying in bed I realized it was a sinus infection. I toyed with the idea of heading out in the middle of the night to find a CVS or a Walgreens but opted to wait it out until the morning. I stumbled to Target and got High Powered Sudafed from behind the counter and with one dose I was infinitely better. I will never use anything else.
We ate breakfast at the hotel--which was full on amazing, and then headed over to SHIPLEY DONUTS to have some of the most incredible (and tiny) donuts I've ever seen. We got to hang out with Faith for the day and hit up some of the local sights we wanted to see, including the incredible DOMY BOOKS and THIRD PLANET COMICS.
We're here one more day and then we head up to Austin for the show. One of the biggest surprises for me is that people aren't crazy friendly like they are in Iowa. In fact, I've seen some downright surly folks. I watched a woman try to back out of her parking space in the Heights district and rather than stop and let her get out, countless folks just beeped at her and prevented her exit.
We'll see if tomorrow is any different, but I gotta say Lone Star State-- you haven't impressed me with your warmth yet.
