All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

Got my ship, and I'm heading out. No idea if I'll have access to this blog from ship's computers - they've been cracking down on stuff like that. Guess I'll see when I get there.

After much fun with delayed flights yesterday, I'm still in Norfolk, but 30 minutes away from boarding... sitting in the airport, enjoying my overpriced wireless access. I'm such a net addict, it's amazing that I'm a sailor... sooner or later, I'm going to get a ship that has no internet whatsoever, and then we'll see just how secure my sanity really is.

First stop's Atlanta, second's Paris - where I apparently have to run-not-walk across half the city to make it to my plane before it leaves, a mere hour and a quarter layover that requires me traversing multiple terminals. I also have to check with the gate to get my boarding pass, so if I don't make it damn quick like they certainly won't be holding the plane for me. Feet don't fail me - I don't particularly want to spend the night in Paris (too little time to do anything, and I'm broke besides), and it means I'll miss the ship's overnight stay in Dubai... meaning I'll have to spend a week in a hotel there, too. Fun. Fun.

I like airports, I like traveling, but I hate flying. I'm never comfortable on planes - they're sized for little people, and me, I'm larger than the average bear. I can never sleep, and I read fast enough where I can finish a good-sized novel in a few hours - meaning I go through one or two on each leg of these stupid halfway across the world plane rides. At least flying home from Africa, they routed me through KLM, Royal Dutch Airlines... movies galore, an individual screen to watch them on, and I could pick the time. No silly kid's movie on the main cabin screen.

My dad surprised the hell out of me when he dropped me off at the airport - he gave me his iPod. Just for the trip, of course, and he's going to try to get mine fixed while I'm out and about - but I was seriously touched. I'm incredibly fortunate to have the family I do.

Ah, well. Once more unto the breach...