Our vacation in Newark flew by.
After arriving at 10 pm, we considered our recreational options and chose sleeping. After waking up at 2:55 am, we were whisked to the airport by a cheerful Russian person. Sum total of the conversation - "You want I skip train and take to airport?" Yes, Vlad. Yes.
After noticing several dozen TSA workers standing around doing nothing, I made a note to like JSM's next post on the working habits of public employees. But the ones that were working completed their review of our travel documents and decided that our footwear posed no danger to the airliner and we were allowed to mosey to gate C80.
Good gate to have. Made gate C90 look like something you'd set aside for livestock or other people's children.
There was no paella on offer. There were about 30 bars open, but we had to wait until 5 to have breakfast.
Opted for a plain cinnamon raisin bagel and some grapes. The bagel was burned but I actually like it that way, so thumbs up. The grapes were delightful and almost worth the $5.97 we paid for them. The wife and daughter each had a muffin and pineapple. I didn't ask for their thoughts.
Boarding was uneventful.
We're flying United for the first time. I have sized up the flight attendants and if they want to brawl as is their wont, they will not soon forget the thrashing I'll mete out. There are three of them on the plane and all of them would fit in an overhead bin, so I have my plan of attack if things start to go sideways here.
The plane is an AirBus A320. It is far too small to fly across a continent, but it is because it's United and the big planes mean passengers have more open field to run when trying to evade capture. The captain's name is Mark and the First Officer's name is who cares, he's not the captain.
The snack is something called a "stroopwafel". It looks like a flat waffle with sugar on it. I have not tried it - I'm saving mine for bartering when/if society in the cabin breaks down. I've collected the stroopwafels from my wife and daughter. I believe three will make a fine trade and allow us to take ownership of the family behind us - I've always wanted litter-bearers.
Cultural note: Flight 1778 is a diverse bunch. There are many Japanese and Indians on the flight.
The Japanese all fell asleep the second they sat down. They are all asleep. It is a remarkable and useful talent.
The Indians are the exact opposite. They are all over the plane. Some of them will hit their Fitbit numbers before we land.
The Indian gentleman in front of me reclined his seat and then bounced in and out of it for the first two hours of the flight. I don't mind the reclining, but the bouncing is compressing my kneecaps. He has gone to sit elsewhere, so I have returned his seat to the upright position. If he comes back, we will talk.
I am bored. I have hit the point where my daughter realizes that I am not actually listening and she has taken that as a challenge to double her efforts to engage me in conversation. I am realizing why there are 30 bars near C80.
