Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Thinking about packing...

...as I have two out-of-town excursions to deal with this month.

Next week, two days in Seattle. I'm somewhat interested in the product I'll be seeing, and the people from the company are just about the best in the business when it comes to dispensing information and being personable after work hours.

There's a computer connection -- justifying Seattle as a location -- and that's the part where my eyes are beginning to glaze over a week in advance. I could go into a long screed about this, but will confine myself to saying that the uses of computer technology being envisaged fill me with...ennui.

Otherwise, I could easy avoid most of the Pacific Northwest and be perfectly happy, thank you. I did my time in Seattle many years ago. This visit will not rekindle pleasant memories.

Two days will be enough.

Two weeks later, I'm off to Montana. Two days will not be enough there, and I am dropping none-too-subtle hints that I might like to hang around a few days to sightsee. No, I'm not trying to get my hosts to come up with extended accommodation or anything of the sort -- though I wouldn't be the first in my field to ask for such a perk, believe me -- but they can render some logistical assistance, for which I would be grateful.

Montana is one of the few states -- Wyoming is another, as is North Dakota -- I have never visited. Well, there is a fourth, but it's not on my must-visit list. Everything I've seen suggests I need to look around, and I can't do that during the program. Not as much as I want, anyway.

At least the flights for these trips are relatively short. And neither requires me to set foot in any United Airlines aircraft. Seattle is a direct flight, and Montana is a one-stop via Denver, I think. I can do that. For short events, a small carry-on bag and a briefcase are all I need.

I needed to get out of here for a while anyway. Neither of these is my ideal choice when it comes to what I'll be doing and where I'll be doing it, but I'll take what I can get.

They might even be fun trips....

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've seen far northern Montana...the Glacier Nation Park area, and found it to be unbelievably beautiful. If you're going that far north you'd better hurry, though, as it gets cold early. Regardless where you wind up, have a great trip. :)

Anonymous said...

The Montana trip sounds promising. I hope you enjoy it.

Anonymous said...

Enjoy your time away. I always enjoy getting out of town every once and a while.

Gill

Anonymous said...

Oooohh....paid for trips. My favorite. I liked Seattle too.

Kimmywoo said...

I've never had any desire to travel to the US (why travel all the way there when you have Australia, New Zealand, the islands and Asia at your doorstep?!), but if I did, I would choose Montana and the like over the cities anytime!

Anonymous said...

Which is the fourth state? The one you've no desire to visit?

Anonymous said...

I am curious too to what that fourth state is.
Sorry Seattle could rekindle not so good memories. Too bad because Seattle is a great city.
Never been to Montana, bet it is beautiful.
Just don't forget to bring along the camera and to share the photographs!

Anonymous said...

I agree with lowandslow about Glacier National Park being one of the lovliest places in the US. In my opinion, only Yosemite can come close.

The east end is much more like the Dakotas.

AO

Dorrie said...

And? what about the IAA? it's coming up again and we have a date still planned!! ;-)

MrScribbler said...

AO -- I'll be about 40 miles from Glacier...wouldn't be surprised if it's on the itinerary.

Birdie -- no invite to IAA this year, doggone it. And I even renewed my passport, too....

Anonymous said...

I remember driving through Montana on my way to Wisconsin. The state seemed to go on forever, but it was beautiful.

On of my favorite memories is when I was a kid and we visited an aunt and uncle there. My aunt's mom made homemade banana ice cream. I can still taste it.

Anonymous said...

do you need restaurant recs or did you do enough time here to be sufficiently guided?
i like seattle, but we're not going steady quite yet. she's a hard city to settle into.

pezdabbler

MrScribbler said...

MsDabbler -- In my Seattle years, I managed to miss most of the "good" restaurants thanks to my rather small income. But I won't have to pick eating places this time...a good thing, since the Arctic Circle drive-thrus went out of business about the time I left....