Vacuum sealing works! I used bags that had a double zip top without a pump. The sliders came off, but I easily put them back on. I rolled the bags to push air out, and the sliders popped off anyway. I overstuffed a few bags, but the savings on volume helped. Since I was going home to Louisiana, I took back items I wanted to keep but didn’t use when I was in Washington, mostly clothes abandoned from March 2020. They were rescued and relocated for the wardrobe back home, making my future travel a little lighter.
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| Vacuum sealing for my Seattle to New Orleans trip (Summer 2023) |
I traveled with 24” x 18” x 12” luggage which weighed about 45 pounds. I packed my backpack with my laptop, tablet, planner, and notebooks.
I walked over to the UW Husky Stadium Link Station, down the Burke-Gilman trail on a toasty, shadeless Tuesday evening. The Royal Brougham Way rail needed some work that week, so I had to cross over at Pioneer Square Station, a stop I rarely used. The rest of the way to Sea-Tac was uneventful, but I was temped to drop off my bags then leave for the Taco Bell on 188th. Darkness didn’t settle until past 9 p.m., so the temptation to relax over there was real.
Branching Point
United Airlines didn’t deliver a
good experience this time. I used the “bag drop shortcut,” yet the worker who
checked my bags stuck the wrong sticker on it! He even checked my ID, but he
still mixed mine up with a woman headed to Newark. We had completely different
names, and she z-snapped, “I’m not going to no New Orleans.” She proceeded to
complain to multiple other workers, “What are you doing to rectify the
situation?” The ordeal took about 20 minutes to resolve and required the worker
to go through security, to the gate, to get my bag. The actual swapping of
stickers took a few seconds, but we all checked multiple times
to ensure the bags were headed off to the right gates.
The TSA pre-check line had an estimated 12-minute wait, but it only took about
four minutes all the way through. Non-pre-check passengers saw the short line
and tried to go past but were re-directed by one airport staff member holding
the stanchion. She checked the boarding pass on my phone for the green check. One
of the TSA Agents pointed out to the backed-up line “You know, you could go to
that lane. Keep moving, keep moving.”
If the mix-up with my bags didn’t happen, dinner would have been much different. I splurged on a calzone, an almond pinwheel, and a drink, all for around $30. I could have gotten Taco Bell for much less, but the heat, the walk, the risk were less appealing after the ordeal with my luggage. The inconveniences in the airport make it easier to sell.
I’m glad I’m taking Alaska Airlines on the 5.5-hour trip back.
Houston Layover
The south terminal required a train ride, but I had about 90 minutes between dinner and boarding, so I listened to my playlist specifically to figure out if I’d skip any tracks. I went around the terminal in a mix of figure-8’s and circles like a bee navigating a field of flowers.The flight to the layover in Houston went smoothly, but taxiing to our terminal took forever.
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| A blurry, yet grokkable photo of early-early morning Houston. |
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| Takeoff from IAH about an hour later. |
It was full, but nothing eventful, with the attendants emphasizing that they’d let us go to sleep. From Houston to New Orleans, clear skies awaited a quarter-full plane. “You can sit wherever once we’re up in the air.”
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| Science educator bae appeared on morning news over Houston. (Tatiana Erukimova, Texas A&M) |
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| 45 minutes after takeoff, we reached the Mississippi River into New Orleans. |
Sidequests at Home
My mom picked me up from the airport and the various Taco Bells on the way home didn’t have open lobbies for breakfast. Eating at Taco Bell requires the gimmick of dining in to maximize the efficiency for drinking the various Mountain Dews and Dr. Peppers. Otherwise, I’d rather eat elsewhere. We stopped over at our favorite local Thai restaurant for an early lunch, and then we picked up some groceries.
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| With a kitchen island, it was easier to fill up a pitcher with almond milk. |
After unpacking, showering, and
napping, I made some almond milk for the duration of my stay, using more space than my apartment. I also tried out some Impossible meatballs in a spaghetti sauce, and it was far better than previous plant-based spaghetti and meatballs dishes.
I walked my 10,000 steps in the first day back, but Louisiana requires a car to get around. It’s far too hot and humid to walk. That Thursday, I fixed our treadmill, which had some wiring and front panel issues. “It was working before we left!” my mom said. The buttons to slow down sped up the belt, and any of the pre-set speeds registered as 10 mph, so I figured everything just shifted. I removed a few panels on the back, taking out 12 screws, and fixed some loose pins, cables, and wires. I hope static doesn’t build up, but it works now, and I got in my remaining steps.
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| I fixed the treadmill. Robotics experience helped. Mostly unplugged wires and plugged them back in. |
On Friday, I went into the city with my uncle, and I picked up Nimona, Robins Being Robin, and a few issues on my comics pull-list. I didn’t want to get carried away since I’d want to bring some things back to Seattle. I intend to combine the New Orleans and Seattle collections into one library, but first I’d have to clear some space in both places. I also wish I could import Hansen’s snowballs to Seattle. It works for king cakes.
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| A wholesome, James Beard award-winning family business for 84+ years. |
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| Honey lavender pineapple stuffed snowball. Air conditioning for my tummy. |
My uncle and I saw Teenage Mutant: Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem in 3D; I’d recommend it, but not necessarily the 3D; I had a slight headache after. I’m seeing Blue Beetle with my brother on Saturday. And I’ll see Barbie again, but with my mom on Sunday. I ended the day with a Zoom call with some UW students, that lasted about an hour; I took a slow stroll on the treadmill, but it was definitely forward progress.
Other Parts of This Trip [August 2023]
- Visit Days 4-6.
- Visit Days 7-9.
- Visit Days 10-11.
- View a Stylized Reimagining of this trip back home using DALL-E.
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