Day Two - John Denver Day
"The dawn is breaking it's early morn', the Taxi's waiting and he's blowing his horn " - so goes the song Leaving on a Jet Plane. Which is what I will be doing today. One area in which I hope not to emulate John Denver is dying in a plane crash, that said it wasn't a jet in JD's case so I should be OK. Also I think British Airways are more diligent in making sure they have enough fuel on-board than the late singer so the odds are in my favour.
This morning got off to a great start when I discovered the desk in my hotel room was on wheels so could be rotated to almost any possible angle. This pleased me a lot, that said I am glad I didn't discover this last night as I doubt I would have been able to sleep.
Talking of sleep I managed to improvise a clock using my mobile 'phone docking station so all was well. This plan would have been even better if my Rugby club's Whatsapp group was a bit less active, it seems I play for a team of nocturnal creatures. Still the excitement was about my fellow second row stalwart Steve Lord and his wife having child number 2 so congratulations to them.
Today was my first trip on a Boeing 787 dreamliner. I quite like Boeing as they stick rigidly to a palindromic aircraft numbering system. A highlight of the trip was the pilot letting me take this picture:
It has been a long time since I flew towards the back of an aircraft and today I remembered why, it just needed some chickens running around the aisles to make it a fully third world experience, after two rounds they had run out of my preferred brand of gin FFS. Then again the inflight entertainment had two good features, one the CHiPs movie which was not bad and a box set of Curb Your Enthusiasm series 7 which I managed 7 episodes of.
We also spotted quite a few F1 movers and shakers on the flight including Eddie Jordan, Alex Wurz (son of Austrian rallycross driver Franz Wurz) and TV pundit and all round dour Scot Paul Di Resta. I also met a chap I had met in the Monkey at the baggage carousel in Autin.
On arrival at Austin we collected the hire car, which partly due to an attempt on my part to save a few quid is actually not very good. Luckily we have already broken the windscreen so will take it back to exchange for another next time we are passing the airport.
The hotel we are in in Austin has quite a claim to fame, it has the accolade of being the worst cost / goodness ratio of any I have ever stayed in. By miles. Then again the city is heaving with F1 fans so it isn't a cheap place to stay and who could fail to enjoy a view like this one:
It may not be clear from the photo but the container has a bag on top of it which may well contain soiled nappies. It ain't much but it's home. For now.
In an attempt to stave off the worst of jet lag we are now heading out for town for a few adult beverages and chicken wings. First day of track action tomorrow so semi early start.
Follow me on TWITTER , after all my fellow passenger Alex Wurz is a fan:
This morning got off to a great start when I discovered the desk in my hotel room was on wheels so could be rotated to almost any possible angle. This pleased me a lot, that said I am glad I didn't discover this last night as I doubt I would have been able to sleep.
Talking of sleep I managed to improvise a clock using my mobile 'phone docking station so all was well. This plan would have been even better if my Rugby club's Whatsapp group was a bit less active, it seems I play for a team of nocturnal creatures. Still the excitement was about my fellow second row stalwart Steve Lord and his wife having child number 2 so congratulations to them.
Today was my first trip on a Boeing 787 dreamliner. I quite like Boeing as they stick rigidly to a palindromic aircraft numbering system. A highlight of the trip was the pilot letting me take this picture:
It has been a long time since I flew towards the back of an aircraft and today I remembered why, it just needed some chickens running around the aisles to make it a fully third world experience, after two rounds they had run out of my preferred brand of gin FFS. Then again the inflight entertainment had two good features, one the CHiPs movie which was not bad and a box set of Curb Your Enthusiasm series 7 which I managed 7 episodes of.
We also spotted quite a few F1 movers and shakers on the flight including Eddie Jordan, Alex Wurz (son of Austrian rallycross driver Franz Wurz) and TV pundit and all round dour Scot Paul Di Resta. I also met a chap I had met in the Monkey at the baggage carousel in Autin.
On arrival at Austin we collected the hire car, which partly due to an attempt on my part to save a few quid is actually not very good. Luckily we have already broken the windscreen so will take it back to exchange for another next time we are passing the airport.
The hotel we are in in Austin has quite a claim to fame, it has the accolade of being the worst cost / goodness ratio of any I have ever stayed in. By miles. Then again the city is heaving with F1 fans so it isn't a cheap place to stay and who could fail to enjoy a view like this one:
It may not be clear from the photo but the container has a bag on top of it which may well contain soiled nappies. It ain't much but it's home. For now.
In an attempt to stave off the worst of jet lag we are now heading out for town for a few adult beverages and chicken wings. First day of track action tomorrow so semi early start.
Follow me on TWITTER , after all my fellow passenger Alex Wurz is a fan:
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