Plan and pack

Day 4 of the Lunar New Year, and it's only Saturday. I'm enjoying this long break. And even lurving it more when I'm not going back to the office till another 11 days later. Mmmm...

Packing my luggage for yet another long journey. It's no fun, after so many years, travelling to Portland for the same old meetings - it's no fun because it's always the same old city, it's always the same old long and dreary flight (I've calculated, it's 20 farkin' hours) onboard nothing less than the 'fantastic' Northwest where 'nice cheery' old aunties and grannies serve you nothing but "chicken or fish?", it's always the same old hotel, same old breakfast, same old everything. And it's not so especially fun this year because I'm flying off in about 18 hours, right in the midst of all the fun during the new year. AND... I miss Valentine's every year.

Dread, dread, dread.

I guess I shouldn't be complaining when I'm better off than a lot of folks out there who don't usually get a chance to fly to the US for business meetings every 4 months. But you would understand my frustration when you see the point that though I do get to travel to the US, I'm always in the same ONE city out of the hundreds others in the great big land. It's like, I'm always in the States, but I never really got to see the states.

So this time, I'm being a little bolder and adventurous. And this is what's making me look forward to the trip to the US albeit in the midst of the festive merry-making at home. I've booked my ticket to route to San Francisco from Portland after my meetings, before heading back home. Yes, I'll be spending 3 days alone in SF, and it's my first trip to SF. Heard a lot about it, but ne'er seen it before.

I've big, adventurous plans for myself (though I haven't really quite worked out the details nor made any bookings yet). Plans to stay in cheap (hopefully tolerable - business trips always end up pampering you) hostels with other folks probably younger than I, walk around the city on foot, take cheap transportation from the airport to the city and wherever, probably rent a bike to cross the Golden Gate. Plans also to check out business opportunities there and to write an article on my experience when the trip is over. See, it's gonna be a real challenge, because I'm gonna make it a real budget trip and I'll be alone in a city where it could possibly be dangerous for an Asian chick walking around alone.

If this trip turns out good, I'll pat myself on my back. At least I'm working on my 2005 to-do list.

Gotta get back to my packing before I head out for more blackjack sessions before I head off to the airport at 4 tomorrow morning. I'm not quite good at deciding the amount of clothing to bring (because of my "in case" theory) and it's probably gonna be farkin' cold in the US.

Plan, pack, pack, plan, pack.