From the Mixed Up Files...

Ok - so I've barely updated this thing. The whole point of a travel blog was so people could actual get some concrete information about my trip. I have a little time here, so I'm going to go to my journal and jump back to my first day at Newark airport. What follows is lifted from the Memoirs of Rebecca Jane Lally:

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May 1, 2009

Jen and Sam dropped me off. We rented a zip car and ended up getting here in under 20 minutes, leaving me with over 3 hours to kill at Newark airport. They were both very cool to drive me - even cooler considering the fact that I neglected to print up reverse directions to get them home. I guess I'm being a bit singleminded about my final destination.
The first thing I did was check in. As I was waiting on line, there were a few people behind me. There was one older man with his adult son. I'm very bored, so I've decided to transcribe their conversation. And because this whole adventure feels very dramatic to me, I've decided to write it out in screenplay form:
INT: NEWARK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT- CEHCK IN LINE - AFTERNOON
Son:
Now Dad, are you sure you didn't bring any lotions?
Dad:
(offended)
No, I didn't.
Son:
Hand cream, shaving cream, any lotions?
Dad:
(Shaking head)
No, no.
(Dramatic pause, then, explosively)
Shaving cream's not a lotion!
Son:
(Shaking head)
Dad, you've just got to listen to me.

Now, this might not seem that interesting to you, but to somebody looking at 3 hours in an airport, this was griping. My exciting checkin was followed by going through security. after taking off my shoes, belt and hat, I stepped through the metal detector. No beeps. The security lady said "Come on through. And while you're at it, zip up." Yes, ladies and gentlemen, my fly was down. Way down, like exposing my brightly colored underwear down. As I zipped up she said "You really must have been in a hurry." But as I reflect on this, can anyone ever be in so much of a hurry that they can't spare the second and a half to zip up their pants?

When I got into the actual airport terminal, I did what all good passengers do. I located the Defibrillators.



That's right, there are three on my terminal wing and I can tell you where each is located.

The next thing I did was swing by the Heineken lounge



Where I briefly contemplated by a nine thousand dollar beer. I realized that I might need to do things like eat and buy art supplies in Italy, so I decided against the beer. With 2.5 hours until lift off, I wanted to kill some time with eating. I ended up doing that at a 50's style diner called Ruby's.



Ruby's is an interesting place. All the wait staff is dressed up in 50's diner style uniforms. I'm not positive, but most of the music they were playing seemed to be from the 30's and 40's. Regardless, the burger and fries I ordered were delicious, and they gave me free refills on my beloved diet coke. All in all, a good way to say goodbye to the states (at least for a while).