It actually feels somehow good to be in the US again. The relaxed attitude of the people, the knowledge to be within a gigantic country, borders are far away.
Flight 309 is still waiting for additional connecting passengers, so we take off 20 minutes late.
The Boeing 757-200 makes a relatively dated and worn impression. Seat 1A - I had that only a few times so far. First class upgrade - that was worth the stopover in Minneapolis! Due to the policies of the Northwest Airlines Elite Miles program, I only can get complimentary automatic upgrades to first class within the US. So it is always beneficial to stop first somewhere on the US East Coast, then take another flight to the West coast which then is eligible for such an upgrade. That also removes the need to sit in those airplane chairs for such a long time - I appreciate the opportunity to get up finally after 8 hours or so, and walk around in an airport. If the stay in Minneapolis had been longer, I could have gone to the "Mall of America", the largest shopping center in the US. A gigantic complex of stores, all within one building, with an aquarium in the basement, and with a roller coaster through the central hall. I had been there once in 2000, with my work colleages, during a business trip - it was quite interesting.
I realise that in the main cabin of the flight (economy class) now they even have to pay for the peanuts! How I am glad to fly now first class. The dinners in the first class of Northwest Airlines have in the past been quite good - sometimes even famous chefs had "designed" the dinner as it was being served to the guests. But a little let-down is that the white wine that I asked for, was served in a plastic cup. A few years ago they would have brought a real wine glass... but at least the plastic cop never gets emtpy - as soon as I take a sip, the flight attendant comes and tops it up again. That is not bad :) but I have to watch it - I will have to drive later tonight a rental car on the LA freeways....
After take-off, we actually get the drinks in real glasses - also a nice little perk of the First Class cabin. But now the jet lag and the long sleepless time finally gets to me, and I doze off. As I open my eyes again, it is already night, we are flying over the Mojave desert, half an hour away form the Los Angeles airport. And I had missed my dinner! But the friendly flight attendant asks me if I still want it, so he brings it, and in 10 minutes I finished it, just as we are already on the
approach to LA.
The endless sea of lights of the Los Angeles Basin is always a great sight during the approach. The whole area is about 80 km wide and 160 km long,
stretching eastward from the coast into the San Bernardino valley. The freeways are busy as always, even now at 22:00. But no traffic jam, as I can see - the chains of yellow lights move fast through the road grid.
After landing, on my way to get the luggage, I suddenly hear somebody calling my name. Halluzination through tiredness? No, there is Peggy and a few youngsters! I had not seen them since last August - they just had come back from Washington DC. And there is John Porter, our team leader of the SciAutonics DARPA Grand Challenge team! What a nice surprise - they had been in Washington DC for the new DARPA Grand Challenge conference. They offer me a ride to Thousand Oaks, but I need to get my rental car, since I will need it in the next days.
The baggage claim in the Los Angeles Airport (LAX) Terminal 2 is chaotic as always. The screen gives a list which carousel has the baggage of which flight. But as always, this is pure fantasy. I have to walk around to each carousel, to see where my suitcase is. Eventually it arrives.
I had never rented from Advantage Rent-a-Car. They had offered quite a low rate - $23 per day for a midsize car. Their facilities are quite away from the airport - it almost takes 15 minutes with the shuttle bus. The clerk offers me upgrades and all kinds of insurances, but I decline and stay at my low rate.
Then driving for another hour on the freeways to Thousand Oaks. Up north the 405, then westward along the 101. It is almost midnight when I arrive in Thousand Oaks.
