We swapped `awake shift' at about half two in the morning. It certainly came as no surprise to me that I didn't stay awake for long. A good job there weren't any scoundrels roaming the lobbies at night. There were about half a dozen people `camped' out out here and maybe more inside. Honolulu should consider us in their facilities appraisal.
I was awoken at half four by three security people stomping past, it must be shift change. A few minutes later we staggered into life, last as ever, packed away sleeping bag, Therm-a-rest etc. and headed up to the United area for five o'clock. We walked past a queue of sixty or so people lined up waiting for the Agriculture Inspection team to appear and joined the half dozen in the normal queue. Two of these were sent back to the Agriculture queue (poor saps) when the United staff materialised from nowhere at precisely 5:15.
The only problem with being beyond check-in at 5:30 is that nothing's open. Bar Starbucks which has a nice tray of fresh fruit to soak up the latte. This flight with United was a bit poor, some of it procedural. We were given emergency exit seats yesterday (unrequested) and on the plane we were forced to read the safety information. They don't check you actually read or understood it but do force it in your hands. More American legalese, I presume. As we boarded there was a gate announcement to the effect that they would probably get 24 of the standby passengers on the flight. 24! Anyway, that means the flight is full so when a youth decides that a) flying is not his thing and b) spreads it about a bit, at least one other passenger is left with a mucky seat. The crew are almost at pains to be unhelpful. Admittedly there are no spare seats but they could have done something slightly better than shrug their shoulders. The only working toilet appeared to be the one in front of us and the food and beverage service on the five hour flight was very poor. Fruit platter and a dry pastry and coffee for breakfast (take off 7:00) a single offer of a mid-flight drink and a tiny bag of pretzels and a coffee for lunch (land at San Francisco at 15:00). There was an in-flight announcement that Economy could pay US$5 per shot of alcohol. Maybe these are features of United's domestic service.
Again baggage claim means traversing the entire airport but at least we pck up some info about Hostelling International Hostels in downtown and book ourselves in for three nights. That's it, our last accomodation worry. Other than where to live when I get home. I do own a tent, now.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit is the main artery into town -- public artery that is -- though the 1986 proposed extension as far as the airport doesn't appear to have covered much ground. We take a bus which careers down the six lane freeway -- just the sort of highway to cruise up on the final stages of The Big Drive(tm). Next time, eh? There are two fire trucks parked outside the Colma BART but they appear to be there for show. I am thoroughly defeated by the ticket machine but emerge with two tickets, one at the correct US$2.35 fare after largely pressing buttons at random, the other at US$5 by pressing a single button [thinking I knew what I was doing after the first]. We assume that you can use these tickets a bit like cash cards. I am returned mine when we emerge at Powell St. at any rate.
We wander for a couple of blocks past the sort of eclectic collection of people you expect to see in San Francisco (alright, Amrik, the City by the Bay) though perhaps more bums. The room is adequate and I'm assuming good value for round here at US$60 all in. We shower and head to one of the 24hr diners just up the road where we have a bit of a feasting (OK, too much, but it's the first meal in 24 hours) and get a 20% discount. As with Ruby's, though, it's not obvious about tipping. You pay the cashier but they're always quick to give you exact change. They'll live.
We wander round the corner to Union Square which has affluence bleeding off it. There are half a dozen galleries claiming to have Monets, Picassos, Warhols etc. on the one sidestreet. Helen is finding the temperature drop a bit hard to bear but spots Borders so we're inside in no time. Looking for `Wired' I peruse some Unix periodicals [loser!] and am pleasantly surprised that I can keep up still. There's hope of a job yet. Can't hang around forever, though, so we head back to find the teechy radiator is boiling hot and doing a passable job at keeping the room warm. The traffic is quite noisy, mind.
HI Grant & Mason, San Francisco N37.78644 W122.40950 Elev. 12m
Copyright 2003 Ian Fitchet. All rights reserved.