This is the 1st of a series of posts
dealing with my fourth trip to South California. I’ve made minor corrections to
these reports. Also, I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of a ¾ year
later or to add further clarification.
These are indicated by “NOW”. After I booked the trip I unexpectedly had
to move and during that had an Eastern Canada trip that didn’t go that great,
so I was already pretty tired before the trip began.
At the airport killing time. Didn't get a lot of
sleep but got some. Used up my remaining
milk. Was going to take the transit buses to the airport but opted instead to
take the Airporter to clear security faster and avoid the body scanner. YYJ
Airporter replaces Akal Airporter. The shuttle is about the same, but the stops
are more scheduled, so you don't need reservations from the hotels but you also
won't get to the airport much faster than scheduled as the driver maintains
timing points. I was told to go to James Bay Inn, but Royal Scots Inn is right
across the parking lot from my place so I'll know that for the future.
[NOW: The airport is Victoria International Airport
in North Saanich.]
I found out that Air Alaska's baggage fee has tax
on top of the fee but that's okay because while they charge for every bag they
don't charge for advance seat selection, which is normally more expensive.
After checking in I grabbed breakfast at Tim Horton's before passing through
security. They now show wait times. I think they overestimate to get people to
go in faster because it didn't seem even close to 20-25 minutes as indicated.
The body scanner I wished to avoid didn't appear to
be on. Even so after noting it I resisted the urge to keep looking at it and
got into a row a little away from it. Just before I noticed someone get hand
swabbed but that seemed to be it for extra measures while I passed through. Then
I turned on my mini-notebook, finally found the connect button for the
airport's free internet, and here I am! Turning this off to conserve power now.
More later. Have a great day, everyone!
[NOW: The above was written in the morning. The
rest was written in the evening.]
I think the partial insomnia of past few days is
catching up to me. There was a slight delay at Victoria International Airport.
While waiting I surreptitiously took a couple of pics of the infernal body
scanners. Hopefully someday they'll be photos of a relic of an unfortunate era. Cloudy for a lot of the flight to SeaTac but most of Seattle was clear at
least. Got photos of the Space Needle etc.
[NOW: The first flight was a Horizon Air plane (run
by Air Alaska), the second an actual Air Alaska plane. SeaTac above refers to
both SeaTac International Airport and the municipality it’s in, the name a
reference to Seattle and Tacoma.]
Lots of steps at SeaTac. First I walked to a self-serve
passport kiosk. Then I took a receipt from that and gave it to a Homeland
Security representative. Then I got my baggage and went through Customs. Got
flagged and had to answer a few questions while my bags got searched but the
security officer seemed friendly enough and she sent me on my way shortly. I
then returned my luggage to a carousel and had to go through security again,
this time having to take off my shoes. They also removed a few of my items from
the tray as it went through the x-ray. Between my sleepiness and having things
taken off the tray I think I left my coat behind there. A nice light one too.
Getting to my next flight was complicated. First I
had to take a train to another gate. Then I had to take another train from one
terminal to another. Then I had to take another train to another gate. I did a quick
bit of exploring before getting on my plane. It turns out that both planes had
no maps so I'll have to do more detective work than expected when I get
home. Paramedics arrived around the time
I got on. There was also a delay as we had to wait for some maintenance issue
two seats to the left of me.
[NOW: When looking at photos later I never did
figure out for certain which were taken in Oregon.]
The flight to LAX was cloudy about half the time.
I'm pretty sure I saw Tacoma and the Tacoma Dome but not Portland. It was upon arrival that I discovered that
my coat was gone. My bag arrived promptly. I was going to have lunch at LAX but
I was starting to cut it a little too close to the hourly Disneyland Resort Express
due to that delay and needed to find the stop. It took a while but I finally
found the unmarked (at least as Disneyland Resort Express) stop.
[NOW: LAX of course is Los Angeles International
Airport.]
It was a bit late but the bus finally arrived and I
got off at the first stop, Disneyland Hotel, and walked to Downtown Disney.
There I ate lunch at the first place I found. Earl's pop was too much for me
to get but the sandwich was good.
[NOW: Disneyland Resort is in Anaheim. By Earl's I mean Earl of Sandwich]
I wandered around taking photos and looking for a
new coat (was unsuccessful here and elsewhere today and finding a coat at a
price I wanted to pay). In some photos
the Monorail came and went and some places you could see Disney's California
Adventure park. ESPN Zone there had an
ad for Gotham, which was odd because that show involves Warner/DC characters,
rivals of Disney/Marvel.
[NOW: I never did end up getting a replacement coat
this trip. ESPN Zone has closed and Gotham ended after five seasons.]
I decided to see if I could cut across the resort
to Harbor Blvd. I could though I had to get my bags checked and then get escorted
part way. Still, I got photos of Disneyland Park and Disney's California
Adventure. I walked down south and got three five-use passes (I probably should
have just bought two; ah well) and had dinner at McDonald's, not sure if these
were in Anaheim still or Garden Grove. I finished walking alone Harbour Blvd
and walked a ways east along Garden Grove.
[NOW: The passes, bought at a convenience store
were for Orange County Transit buses. That McDonald’s was in Garden Grove.]
I missed one turn-off but finally made it to Orange
Mango Hostel in Santa Ana, house based. Workers a bit noisy here and someone's
phone makes that really noisy whistling when texts arrive. But I shall make the
hostel work. Cute dog here named Smokey.
[NOW: I briefly crossed over from Garden Grove to
Orange before entering Santa Ana.]
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