If you believe in karma or omens or signs or that sort of thing, you will agree with me that this trip is meant to be.
On the way to the airport in Austin, the U2 song "New Years Day" came on the radio. Now U2 is big, but not often on the radio these days, expecially a 35 year old song on satellite radio that isn't a "classic alternative" station. We took it as a good sign.
Then as we were waiting in the plane to push off from the jetway, a rainshower appeared almost out of nowhere, but it was partly sunny too and rainbows were visible. Now you may be thinking, that isnt a sign. But rain in July in Austin is a rare occurrence, and the British woman seated next to us remarked it was something she had never seen before. Anyway, rainbows in July?...Pot of gold?...Ireland?
Then there was this. Landing in Dublin, we saw U2's jet parked on the tarmac. In the driving rain (did you get the reference? Part of a lyric from The Joshua Tree, "Running to Stand Still").
Still not convinced? My sister kept saying, after 24 hours of planes, trains, and automobile trevelling, that she was very edgy. EDGE-y. Get it? The Edge? Lead guitarist for U2? Ok maybe a stretch, but the references were everywhere in the last 24 hours.
Changing Travel
Now for something different. On the full flight from Austin to London, the city's first direct international long haul flight, it got me thinking about how this airplane model, the Boeing 787 Dreamlike is changing travel. When this daily flight was announced, I wondered it if would struggle to survive with enough passengers to support it. But it has thrived. I thin it is because of this plane. It isn't a huge plane, not like the mammoth double decker Airbus A380, which can't even land at every airport. The 787 isn't nearly as large as the 747 or 777. But by its design and fuel efficiency, and lower seating capacity, but also having a wide body 8 seat across layout, it can carry fewer people much longer distances, and even do it faster than some of those other, larger capacity wide body jets. Places like Austin are getting more direct international flights. Now people in smaller cities/airports than Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago and LA, can fly to more destinations without having to go to a large hub or have connecting flights. I quite enjoyed this flight.
Oh, and on that flight I ate chicken curry. My friend Alyssa will tell you my dislike of some curries, but this was good. And spicy. Maybe I'm coming around. So, Alyssa, you and Kala and Vennela would be proud of me (well, maybe except for the chicken part, Alyssa wink). And yes, I've already had fish and chips, mushy peas, and a Smithwick ale (don't pronounce the "w").
Green
And one more note. Leaving Austin, it was 103 F. In Dublin it is a very nice 62 F. And intermittent rain. It has many nicknames, but I'm going with 50 Shades of Green. I'm pretty sure I saw them from the air. We didn't wear our jackets and we're in short sleeves and it didn't matter, it felt great. Sorry, Texans, so make you green with envy (I had to do go there). Bur I'll be back in the Texas heat soon enough.
Sightseeing tomorrow and Saturday, and the big U2 concert on Saturday night. Until next time.
Sláinte
On the way to the airport in Austin, the U2 song "New Years Day" came on the radio. Now U2 is big, but not often on the radio these days, expecially a 35 year old song on satellite radio that isn't a "classic alternative" station. We took it as a good sign.
Then as we were waiting in the plane to push off from the jetway, a rainshower appeared almost out of nowhere, but it was partly sunny too and rainbows were visible. Now you may be thinking, that isnt a sign. But rain in July in Austin is a rare occurrence, and the British woman seated next to us remarked it was something she had never seen before. Anyway, rainbows in July?...Pot of gold?...Ireland?
Then there was this. Landing in Dublin, we saw U2's jet parked on the tarmac. In the driving rain (did you get the reference? Part of a lyric from The Joshua Tree, "Running to Stand Still").
Still not convinced? My sister kept saying, after 24 hours of planes, trains, and automobile trevelling, that she was very edgy. EDGE-y. Get it? The Edge? Lead guitarist for U2? Ok maybe a stretch, but the references were everywhere in the last 24 hours.
Changing Travel
Now for something different. On the full flight from Austin to London, the city's first direct international long haul flight, it got me thinking about how this airplane model, the Boeing 787 Dreamlike is changing travel. When this daily flight was announced, I wondered it if would struggle to survive with enough passengers to support it. But it has thrived. I thin it is because of this plane. It isn't a huge plane, not like the mammoth double decker Airbus A380, which can't even land at every airport. The 787 isn't nearly as large as the 747 or 777. But by its design and fuel efficiency, and lower seating capacity, but also having a wide body 8 seat across layout, it can carry fewer people much longer distances, and even do it faster than some of those other, larger capacity wide body jets. Places like Austin are getting more direct international flights. Now people in smaller cities/airports than Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago and LA, can fly to more destinations without having to go to a large hub or have connecting flights. I quite enjoyed this flight.
Oh, and on that flight I ate chicken curry. My friend Alyssa will tell you my dislike of some curries, but this was good. And spicy. Maybe I'm coming around. So, Alyssa, you and Kala and Vennela would be proud of me (well, maybe except for the chicken part, Alyssa wink). And yes, I've already had fish and chips, mushy peas, and a Smithwick ale (don't pronounce the "w").
Green
And one more note. Leaving Austin, it was 103 F. In Dublin it is a very nice 62 F. And intermittent rain. It has many nicknames, but I'm going with 50 Shades of Green. I'm pretty sure I saw them from the air. We didn't wear our jackets and we're in short sleeves and it didn't matter, it felt great. Sorry, Texans, so make you green with envy (I had to do go there). Bur I'll be back in the Texas heat soon enough.
Sightseeing tomorrow and Saturday, and the big U2 concert on Saturday night. Until next time.
Sláinte
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