Maui Bound

October 24, 2007 @ 9:42 am- from Portland Oregon

I'm sitting here at Portland airport on my way back for winter migration to Maui. I love flying out of Portland - this airport is a great place to fly out of. My flight is delayed by an hour due to maintenance but hey, there's free Wi-Fi and the airport even has public office space like areas set aside in each of the gate areas for a comfortable and somewhat quiet place to work. Power plugs everywhere so at least I can make the most out of the delay. Why can't more airports be at least a little more like that? Ever try to find a power plug in LAX? Grrr...

Summer's flown by way to quick this year. Lots of fun playing on the water in Hood River this year, but at the same time it seems like it's been a very busy work year - I've been meaning to lighten up my work load rather than increasing it and this year certainly didn't get me any closer to that goal. So much for early retirement <g>... nah, not quite.

I'm glad to be heading back to Maui though. Winter came early this year in Oregon with all of October being one big rain fest and Hood River actually seeing a few early season inversion layers. Brrr... that's why I moved away from the HR in the first place - the winters can be brutal without sunlight for weeks on end. Last week in Arizona reminded me what the sun actually looks like <g>...

One more travel session and prep week for ASP.NET Connections next week and I'm done for a while... Yay! I can't wait.

Hopefully house and hearth is still standing...

Posted in Personal

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re: Maui Bound
by Shaun Kester October 24, 2007 @ 10:22 am

Have a safe trip! I'm jealous, it's cold this morning.

re: Maui Bound
by Alan Stevens October 24, 2007 @ 10:24 am

Dude,

LAX can't be any worse than Denver! You are correct about the sun in Phoenix, I returned to Knoxville to find constant rain.

Save journeys,

++Alan

re: Maui Bound
by Steve from Pleasant Hill October 24, 2007 @ 3:17 pm

Seems like a nice balance though -- miss August in HI, avoid rock-fever, see how long you can go without sunlight. :-)

re: Maui Bound
by Kevin Davis October 24, 2007 @ 5:13 pm

I live on Oahu, welcome back home. I hope to hear you in Vegas.

Aloha,

Kevin Davis

re: Maui Bound
by Kenneth October 25, 2007 @ 12:03 am

Well, here in Denmark, it's raining and it's cold and getting darker & darker for each day. Sunrise is 9:00 am, and sunset is 5:00 pm. :-( I love Maui (was there in 99), and I really want to go back on a holiday. It's a lovely island.

Copenhagen airport is great for working. Wifi, outlets and nice blonde girls. :-) :-)

Take care

Kenneth

re: Maui Bound
by Daniel Crabtree October 25, 2007 @ 4:45 am

I sure agree with that. I was in LAX for a few hours waiting for a long flight back to New Zealand. I did manage to get free WiFi by precariously balancing my laptop at the right angle on the back of some chairs. I even managed to find two power points, but alas, they didn't actually provide any power. San Jose airport was worse, I couldn't even get free WiFi there. I think the best airport I've been to would have to be Hong Kong.

re: Maui Bound
by Stephen October 25, 2007 @ 7:48 am

I look forward to your DevConnections presentations, they are always a lot of fun

re: Maui Bound
by yaip.net@gmail.com October 25, 2007 @ 9:45 am

Being from LA, I can confirm that LAX is a zoo. A mad house.

re: Maui Bound
by Jamin October 25, 2007 @ 10:15 am

Perhaps we'll see you in Maui. Been sailing mostly Kanaha. We're here until 11/2. BTW - it's been a great month for wind - we've sailed 22 days already and the waves have been pretty decent last week or so. I've been working 1/2 days, coding in the morning (6-10) sailing in the afternoon. Not a bad schedule if you can arrange it. I am *not* looking forward to the rain and inversion in HR. Might have to figure out how to stay the whole winter next year.

I believe PDX was rated #1 airport in the US by a travel mag. Does *any* other airport have free wi-fi?

re: Maui Bound
by Daniel Crabtree October 25, 2007 @ 1:04 pm

Jamin, McCarran in Las Vegas had free wi-fi when I was there in 2005. Little Wellington here in New Zealand gives free wi-fi too - but only port 80, which makes checking email less pleasant.

re: Maui Bound
by Abdu October 26, 2007 @ 3:59 pm

Personally I leave the laptop in the bag (if I ever take it with me) and read or watch a video on my portable video player. It's a hassle to take the laptop out, look for an outlet (and share one if needed) and try to find a connection. Live lightly and do simpler stuff.

If you can't get wifi and if you have a data plan on your cell phone, check out pdanet software. With just a usb cable, it automatically connects your laptop to the net using DUN.

It's sunny now in Portland and it has been several days this week.

(why do you have captcha code expiration?)

re: Maui Bound
by Samantha Milowsky October 27, 2007 @ 9:54 am

I'm an Oregon native living near Boston now. Kind of a lateral move weather-wise, but at least there are autumn colors mixed in with the evergreens. LAX has to be on of the worst airports I've been to overall. Although there was the time a Logan when I to go back through security to use the bathroom. Throw in a flight delay and I went through the same security 4 times. Maybe they could have used a night club stamp.

re: Maui Bound
by Colin November 19, 2007 @ 5:44 am

you want to try living in england :)