Big Girl Adventure

I'm writing this from the San Francisco International Airport (called "SFO," though I have no idea why), with about 30 minutes until my plane to NY boards. I've been a little big nervous all day, and I'm not sure that it's really hit me yet that I'm going to New York. I haven't been there since my senior year of high school, and that 4-day, check-out-NYU trip is somewhat of a blur. I didn't like the city much; too loud and dirty and confusing with it's tall buildings and lack of sky, but I'm giving it another chance. I have a fairly packed schedule, or at least I have something to do every day while I'm there. So why am I nervous?

I very rarely travel alone, with the exception of going home to LA, which is a trip I could practically do in my sleep. Bart to AirBART to OAK to SW Terminals, easy peasy (also, this is almost 6 hours, and the flight to LA is barely an hour - this is being up in the air for a LOT longer, and I don't really love flying). This trip involved taking BART to SFO, an airport to which I'd never been, and then finding my way to the Virgin America area (helpful that it's in the International Terminal, which doesn't involve taking a little shuttle somewhere else; though I was confused that a domestic flight was leaving from an international terminal). I was a bit anxious that it would be hard to figure out where I was going, but guess what? It wasn't all that confusing! And even when it was, I figured it out. Because I am a Big Girl and I can figure things out. I don't know why I doubt myself, but I somehow always end up surprised when things work out. I did wander around the Duty Free souvenir shop debating whether or not to buy some chocolate for the flight (I decided not to, for the record. I don't want to buy overpriced calories, no matter how delicious. Let's see how that works in NY, where apparently food costs more than a new car), and I did have a little trouble at the ATM (tried to use the international-money one instead of the USD one first, oops), but other than that, it's been rather low key. I even have time to get some work done and blog before we board. Now how about that!

I am actually getting hungry (gee, maybe because I barely ate anything this morning), so I hope there's good food on the flight - I didn't want to battle the crowds for airport food. The website makes the whole flight-situation out to be pretty spectacular, so I'd assume the food is good, even if it is overpriced - this review seems to think it's ok. Expect a full review once I'm in the Big Apple.

This trip is a real Big Girl Adventure for me - as I mentioned, I'm traveling alone, but also I'm staying alone, and I don't have every minute planned out. Going alone with that whole spontaneity thing, many of my plans are "play it by ear" plans. My first big thing to do tomorrow is to find my way to the Belasco Theatre (alone, probably) to buy rush tickets to Passing Strange. Being a complete stranger to the NY Subway System, this might be confusing, but hey, I made it to SFO, right? ;-) I think this trip will instill a renewed sense of confidence in myself, at least I hope so. Like I said, I don't usually travel alone, especially without set plans, but in an effort to prove to myself that at age 24, I Can Do It, here I go. I know it's not that big of a deal for most people, but it's totally new ground for me.

Updates to follow.

This is apparently what it looks like inside the cabin.
It reminds me of Space Mountain. I'm kind of excited.