Travel Post #3: Murfreesboro, TN

So, I don't have much to say about my experience in Tennessee. Luckily my flight and subsequent SuperShuttle ride were over before the tornadoes started hitting. I was sitting snugly in my hotel room watching the destruction on the news. A few of the conference attendees had some stories though, of seeing semis tipped over on the freeways, and so forth.

I wish I'd rented a car, instead of relying on the SuperShuttle and the conference's promised inter-hotel 'shuttle', which was really just a hotel employee with a van, who wasn't even on a regular schedule until the second day. I got stood up for dinner plans my second night, and if I'd had a car, I could have avoided what was easily the most awkward night I've had in a long time. Here's a travel tip, from me to you: outside of a big city, one cannot easily rely on taxi service. Often, they just don't show up. You may end up having to wait for a long time, or you may end up having to walk.

By the end of the weekend, the Tennessee accent was starting to get on my nerves too. This is not some anti-southern bias. It is just that it was so thick it sounded fake, and I was so stressed and tired that I had to mentally restrain myself from telling people to 'just talk normally.' This also happens to me when I go to London on business though. After a while, you just want what is familiar. This is why I'm not a good traveler. I also found it hard to find vegetarian food.

One of my friends and I went into Nashville for a few hours one night though, and that was fun. We ate at a good bar/restaurant and walked down to the river.



Some of the places I wanted to visit (Hatch Show Print) were closed, but I did end up having a good time anyway. It was nice to see something worthwhile, anyway. There's not much to do in Murfreesboro. I almost missed my connecting flight back, but after a tear through the Cincinnati airport (sorry to the lady I almost knocked down the long escalator! That was an accident! Also, STAND TO THE RIGHT, WALK TO THE LEFT!!! Ever heard of that?!), I was finally on my way home.

And that, my friends, is the story of the three week travel juggernaut that I've been living. Now, I'm desperately trying to catch up on paperwork and getting my personal life into some semblance of order again--gym, how I've missed thee.

I did indeed finish Spanky's socks, as well as 1.5 shrugs and at this point, I'm one DVD away from finishing Stella's blankie. Also, I've been reading a bit, and have some of that to report on. Next time though.