30 December 2006 - LA to Boston

Up at 2.5 hours before sparrows fart (otherwise known as 4.30am) to get a transfer from the hostel at 5am, despite the fact our flight left at 7:25am. The reason is that there is a recommendation on the American Airlines website that one arrives at LA Airport 2 hours before any domestic flight. We both thought this was a little early until we arrived at the Airport and went through the process of getting on a domestic flight. Consider this:

• Even at 5:30 in the morning there is quite a queue.
• The queue moves very slow, because despite the fact that are people waiting, there is no urgency from the staff. In particular, the staff at the checkin counter take forever to process people, basically going about their job in cruise mode. Comparatively, I think the queue that took us 55 mins to get through would take somewhere between 15 to 30 mins in Australian airports. The slow service is not just unique to the airports - I thought the same about Macy's (the US version of Myer - its amazing how similar the two are) and fast food outlets.
• There was no 'calls' for any flights that were leaving soon. If you were near the cut-off time, you just had to wing it through the lines ie. push in
• The official "cut-off" for baggage was 45 minutes. Unofficially, this must be greater, because we checked in with 55 mins remaining before our flight, AND tipped the bag bloke $5, only to have our bags miss the flight anyway (if I come across that same bloke the next time I'm at LA Airport, I might be inclined to ask for my $5 I gave him to ensure "good service" back).
• Security is a lot tighter (which I actually think makes sense). In particular, I can never understand why in Australian domestic airports they don't check your ID at the flight gate - I can easily walk onto a plane with anyone else's ticket.

Anyway, we got on board for the flight to Boston. The plane we were on was certainly older than any of the Qantas, Jetstar or Virgin fleet back home. Landed at 4pm Boston time without our bags, and it was nearing sunset, so we basically lost the day in transit. Abi & Nicki did us a huge favour and picked us up from the airport, something I'll certainly have to repay them for. My immediate impression of Boston was that it was like Gotham City, expect not as intimidating as the city that was patrolled by Batman would have felt. Most of the buildings have an old colonial type facade, the consistency of which is remarkable and a credit to the city's administration.

We kicked off our first night of our secondment in the most appropriate fashion - a feed in an Irish pub, a drink in another Irish pub, and then a few beers with Abi and Ryan Hurley (yet to be nicknamed - perhaps Tom, as in Tom Harley / Hurley)?

I'll upload some pics of Boston when I get organised to do it.

jeffie said...

Hi dad here, just getting used to this blog bit.Hurley? there was a country and western singer,Jade Hurley ,yes he sang two types of music , country... and western, or some would say others put the tree in country Hurley put the first part??????? was a friend of the Barlings , remember the next door neighbors from Corio. Call the man jade

January 28, 2007 2:00 AM