Boomerang

Again?

2023-11-13T08:27:18Z

Started with sniffles in the morning and progressed to lethargy and sore throat by evening. Shades of last years Christmas Covid…

Hard time sleeping. Got up at 3:30am and checked temp snd O2 saturation, both good. Then ran a Covid antigen test — I brought a few with me. Luckily, negative.

Probably just a head cold. Nothing much scheduled the next couple days so will get lots of rest and drink lots of water.

First Concert

2023-11-13T08:21:55Z

Was held in a tiny hall. I think it’s either a rehearsal hall or meant for chamber music. Either way it was totally inadequate for a concert concert. But the original hall was closed due to structural reasons. So the made do. Good piano concerto by Grieg. But the show suffered from poor acoustics due to using a hall not meant for its purpose.

Plus, things were stupidly packed:

Waite Staff?

2023-11-13T08:17:16Z

Got checked in and proceeded to my room and found this guy watching me for about a half hour.

Flews

2023-11-13T08:15:09Z

From Fairbanks to Seattle and spent the night at an airport hotel. Next morning on to Boston. I was lucky and had all three seats empty. The plane was only 55% full. Good tail wind and we made it in five hours. Spent the night in Boston and had a 787 flight to London. Again lucky, aisle seat and the middle seat was empty. Another tail wind and made it in 6 hours.

Spent the night at LHR hotel and then Heathrow Expressed it to Paddington station to catch the train to Cardiff. My train was cancelled, but the prior train was running. So, hopped in that one.

Paddington Station:

Mystery button on a wall at Paddington:

While was standing there an employee came by and pressed the button in some sequence and then wandered away. I’m guessing it is some kind of tell-tale. Probably a bunch of them around the station. Folks check in with the buzzer to show they are making their rounds.

Thus it starts….

2023-11-13T08:04:13Z

Spent the night prior to leaving Fairbanks in the fabulous Springhill, had a free night to burn.

View across the Chena River:

Current Travel Schedule Subject to Change

2023-11-05T01:02:58Z

In London ….

2023-05-01T14:16:40Z

…waiting for the flight to Seattle.

It’s a big goddamn aircraft:

I’ve flown the A380 twice in the past. I think both times were between New Zealand and Australia. It’s a very quiet plane to be on.

Alas, today’s flight will be on a 787 Dreamliner. Which is fine.

The Last The Band Elwood, The Band!

2023-04-29T18:04:53Z

At the ENO for Henryk Górecki’s Third Symphony, known as the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs. A good piece. Especially so since it’s contemporary music. Would have preferred just the instrumentation. Still, good.