This post is essentially a collection of tweets about my Christmas 2008 experience of visiting wife-side family in Manhattan, Kansas for 5 days. I’m of the opinion that more than 3 tweets in succession should take a different form, so I am sticking them here in one place. This post might also be viewed as an Everyman Links-Lite, instilling faith that the genre has not died and another full-bodied Everyman Links post is coming soon.
- We flew out of Burlington for Manhattan, Kansas on Christmas Day. Christmas is a great day to fly.
- United provided excellent service in both directions. No Jet Blue, but close.
- There were 3 Chinese young people talking loudly in their native language over flight safety instructions during pre-flight from Chicago O’Hara to KCI. Didn’t know how to feel about that.
- Why is it that when I psychologically need my Zune the most (during flight take-off and landing) I’m forbidden to use it?
- Kansas City International is a great airport with exceptional car rental facilities. It needs a lot more outlets to plug laptops into though.
- Stayed in a Best Western near KCI before heading to Manhattan the next morning. $49 a night for a decent room. Kansas has a lot of great qualities…
- The MacDonald’s on the I-70 toll-way between Kansas City and Topeka rocks.
- The more I visit Kansas the more I enjoy its distinctive landscape, particularly as we get closer to Manhattan. Flint hills dotted with grazing beef stock and buffalo if you’re lucky.
- Manhattan is the home of Kansas State University and a great college town. Small town feel. Good honest folk.
- When in Manhattan be sure to enjoy great Mexican food at the La Fiesta. Another Manhattan restaurant I enjoy is Sirloin Stockade, but we didn’t make it there this visit.
- Started each geek day in Manhattan on my laptop with a triple black coffee-of-the-day from Radina’s Coffeehouse in Aggieville.
- I got a ton of work done on the trip and managed to stay in family form. At least my wife is happy with me, so I’m good and all is well.
- The alcohol laws in Kansas are set at the local level. When in Manhattan you cannot buy beer or wine (or bourbon) on a Sunday. Make all necessary preparations!
- Three hour layover in O’Hara on trip back. Two hours is cool. Three is on the long side. O’Hara is a beautiful airport though. It needs a lot more outlets to plug laptops into though.
- We happened to return from Chicago to Burlington on the same flight as a family from church who was returning from a week visit with family in Iowa.
- The weather in Manhattan was over 50-degrees and beautiful nearly every day. Freakishly unusual for a Kansas December, but I’ll take it!
- I started reading Future Files: The 5 Trends That Will Shape the Next 50 Years
heading out of Burlington airport Christmas Day and finished it on the return flight to Chicago. 5-stars. Review coming soon. - Watched two episodes of Deadwood Season Two on my Zune on the final flight from Chicago to Burlington.
- Arrived in Vermont 20 minutes ahead of scheduled arrival time. Happy to be back in spite of the 17-degree temperature on arrival.
I suppose I should add a link to my twitter stream on my blog, but in the interim here’s my twitter stream.