BRRRRRRRRR!!!!!! January was relatively warm (above freezing), but the past few days have been absolutely FRIGID. Nevertheless, I was very productive and proud of myself for getting so much accomplished in two days. There were lots of good things from the weekend but the best part? I booked my first flight of 2010! It’s a points trip, but I didn’t want to deplete my available mileage because I want to fly to the Atlantic provinces when the weather improves. Also, I wanted a direct flight with specific dates. I’m used to booking flights on Aeroplan, but I usually go to Vancouver with them and that’s not going to happen this time. With the Olympics next month (and the following) Vancouver was impossible to get to cheaply, and I spent part of Friday night searching for other suitable destinations.
My last trip was to Ottawa mid-November and it’s no wonder I’ve been feeling so desperate to take off — this is the longest I’ve gone without a trip since 2006, when Mister Hugh was ill. I need to travel, I need to fly in airplanes on a regular basis, I need to feed my brain with stimuli from a totally new environment, or my chakras get funky and I am out of sorts.
Atlanta, here I come! People have asked me why I chose Atlanta, and there are several reasons. The flight stuff I mentioned (direct/no connections, specific dates, low mileage requirement), but the city itself is a draw because it’s a main city for the American South. I have passed through Georgia, but that was a long time ago (end of 1993) and I don’t remember anything about the city where Martin Luther King, Jr. was born and raised. Time to change that.
After checking flight availability I sent out one couchsurfing request and it was enthusiastically received and replied to within minutes. I was really impressed! I booked the flights right away, then emailed the catsitter in Ottawa. She’s on board, too! Everything’s fallen into place quickly, just the way I like it. Now I can begin my customary research and figure out what I’d like to see. Got any tips for Atlanta? Would love to hear ‘em.
Video for today: “Georgia On My Mind” performed live by Ray Charles