I always loved coming to Seattle's airport, but not this time. There's construction everywhere and the atrium where you could sit and eat and watch planes come and go is closed off. They only have one security entrance for TSA Pre-check. I'm stuck in a stuffy, hot, tiny gate with minimal seating and 8 power outlets waiting for a redeye to Boston to connect to my flight to Buffalo...and it's going to be an hour late.
That's not all; when I came to pick up a rental car, I had to stand in line for 20 minutes waiting for the shuttle bus to the rental center...and I was the next to the last person they let on. I don't know what the hell happened in the last year, but this is sad. A once-very comfortable airport is now just like any other -- hateful to its passengers.
Of course, all weekend was insane. The I-5, which is the only real way into downtown Seattle, was cut down to 2 out of 5 lanes and traffic was backed up for miles, so our driver was an hour late. Then one of the smaller dealers moving himself out parked his truck in the worst possible spot and none of the security people would ask him to move it until my truck arrived, even though it was messing with the other dealers getting their goods down to their cars. He cast me several dirty looks when that happened, and it took all I had to keep from flipping him off.
However, feedback I garnered on the fair was good, for the most part. Several dealers had sales in the 5-figures, which makes them very happy. And to be honest, I think the few grumblers whine because they don't want anyone to know how well they actually did.
Unfortunately, the warehouse we deal with out here for the Seattle Book Fair moved to a new location that does not make sense. I mean, it's good from a size standpoint; they now have 100K square feet of warehouse. But try and find it. Seriously. Even my GPS took me wrong. I wandered around an area of run down buildings and rutted parking lots before I happened to notice the company's trailers on the other side of some trees behind what looked like a new office building. It was disconcerting...but now I know how to get there so it may be better. But it's also 5 miles further away from town, which can be an issue.
After I was done, I drove down to Mount Ranier National Park and almost went up to the Sunrise visitor center, but they want $30 to pass through the upper gate, so I turned around...and it's good that I did because it closes in September for winter. I should have researched that before going, but it was spur of the moment so...
I did it mainly to get a feel for where Dair lives and that was enough. The ski lodges are high up in the woods and that forest is thick! And steep! But I could see why anyone would want to live there -- it's amazingly beautiful and helped my mood, a lot. But I have to wonder if it's a place avalanches would easily happen.
More research is needed...
That's not all; when I came to pick up a rental car, I had to stand in line for 20 minutes waiting for the shuttle bus to the rental center...and I was the next to the last person they let on. I don't know what the hell happened in the last year, but this is sad. A once-very comfortable airport is now just like any other -- hateful to its passengers.
Of course, all weekend was insane. The I-5, which is the only real way into downtown Seattle, was cut down to 2 out of 5 lanes and traffic was backed up for miles, so our driver was an hour late. Then one of the smaller dealers moving himself out parked his truck in the worst possible spot and none of the security people would ask him to move it until my truck arrived, even though it was messing with the other dealers getting their goods down to their cars. He cast me several dirty looks when that happened, and it took all I had to keep from flipping him off.
However, feedback I garnered on the fair was good, for the most part. Several dealers had sales in the 5-figures, which makes them very happy. And to be honest, I think the few grumblers whine because they don't want anyone to know how well they actually did.
Unfortunately, the warehouse we deal with out here for the Seattle Book Fair moved to a new location that does not make sense. I mean, it's good from a size standpoint; they now have 100K square feet of warehouse. But try and find it. Seriously. Even my GPS took me wrong. I wandered around an area of run down buildings and rutted parking lots before I happened to notice the company's trailers on the other side of some trees behind what looked like a new office building. It was disconcerting...but now I know how to get there so it may be better. But it's also 5 miles further away from town, which can be an issue.
After I was done, I drove down to Mount Ranier National Park and almost went up to the Sunrise visitor center, but they want $30 to pass through the upper gate, so I turned around...and it's good that I did because it closes in September for winter. I should have researched that before going, but it was spur of the moment so...
I did it mainly to get a feel for where Dair lives and that was enough. The ski lodges are high up in the woods and that forest is thick! And steep! But I could see why anyone would want to live there -- it's amazingly beautiful and helped my mood, a lot. But I have to wonder if it's a place avalanches would easily happen.
More research is needed...
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