And I flew to New York and back... Part 1.

Departure: 9:20.

8:20 : Brother and friend have dropped me off at Terminal C of San Jose Airport.

Me: Do I check in here for American Airways flights?
Officer: No. That's in Terminal A. You can take the inter-terminal bus from there [pointing in some direction].
Me: Oh. Can I walk there?
Officer: Yea, but it'll take you about 15mins. You'd better take the inter-terminal bus.
Me: Oh. Ok. [Note to self: Strangle brother and friend on getting back]

9:30 : In inter-terminal bus
The only other passengers are an Indian family. They are having a conversation about earthquakes and California. Mother talks of how buildings in California are capable of withstanding earthquakes of up to magnitude 7 on the Richter Scale. Father seems to be in a world of his own. Son asks random questions. Spaces off when mother talks. Then asks another random question.

Terminal A Bus Stop
Both me and the Indian family get off. Both me and the Indian family begin to walk in the same general direction. I'm rushing of course and leave the Indian family behind. Then I get lost and can't decide where to go. Then I stop and wait for the Indian family to pass by and begin to follow them. It's just that they seem to know where they are going and well.. I don't. I'm reminded of Dirk Gently's theory:
"When trying to get somewhere, follow a random car.
You may not end up where you were going.
But you'll certainly find yourself somewhere you needed to be."
I reach a point where road crossing is involved. I decide that this probably isn't the best time to put Dirk's theory to test.

Me: Excuse me. Are you are traveling by American Airways?
Lady/Mother: Uuh.. No. [Weirdo]
Me: Oh..

Check-in counter
I finally find the place. The check-in counter says I can carry one carry-on bag plus one personal item with me.
Me: [Hmm.. Why was I planning on checking-in this bag again.. I could just carry them both with me and save on all the baggage-claim time. :) I'm so smart]

Security Check
Remove shoes, remove jacket, remove laptop. Put them and the 2 bags through screening.
Officer: Ma'am. Could you remove all liquid items from that bag.
Me: [Oh. That is why.] Hmm.. I'm sorry officer. Could I go check it in now?
Officer: Sure. [Weirdo]
Me: [Sigh]

Flight
The plane takes off. A window seat and the view outside is... captivating. The city, with all its lights, looks like a huge PCB. Shiny yellow lights look like pins of ICs and the roads look like interconnects. Hmh. I think of all the other things the view makes me think of. Once the plane gains some more altitude it looks like an open jewelry box or like elaborate work on a sari.. Sigh

That is all I have energy for today. Maybe more about New York in a future post.