SD to LAX

I think this post will be relatively mundane as I'm just waiting at LAX waiting for flight to Hermosillo and then heading to Mexico City. I get in Mexico city by 10pm and taking off to Lima Peru at 3am Tuesday. Probably won't be posting until Tuesday night or Wed so I figured to share my small little experiences so far.

I love the random interactions that happen frequently when traveling. I've already had three and I've just gotten from SD to LAX.
First, On the short flight to LAX I met a guy who was traveling back to Saudi Arabia for the holidays. He was a student at SDSU studying computer science. I always find it fascinating how people from all over the world come just to study at our universities.

My other two interactions were much more interesting though. Airports are always a challenge and I had to change terminals at LAX. On my way to the airport shuttle I met this frantic looking guy who also needed to change terminals for his flight to Africa. I told him he should follow me since I was doing the same thing and there is ways airport shuttles. He said no and ran off in the other direction. Sure enough I found the airport shuttle. I can totally see myself being in his position when I'm in a different country though but also I think I've started to figure out airports a little finally.

And the final interaction was actually most interesting. I may have already gotten conned out of $20 but this one older looking Indian gentleman came and sat next to me and told me a story about how he missed his flight to Chicago and was going there for medical reasons and changing his flight costed $86 more but he was $36 short. I didn't really feel like arguing and gave him $20. Not sure if he was sincere as when he got off the shuttle at his terminal I noticed he picked up his luggage with too little effort for how big it was. Maybe it was empty and I got taken but I figured to start my trip off with some good karma I guess. If he's lying that's for him to live with and if he needs money bad enough to con then he needs my money more than I do I guess. Let's mark that off to ignorance is bliss and hopefully I actually helped someone. When I was in Germany a similar thing happened to me at a train station. This young guy's story was that he got robbed and needed money to buy a train ticket back to his home town. It was like $40 or so I gave him but I actually believed his story because he appeared way more distraught. This Indian guy today at LAX in hindsight wasn't tooooo convincing.

Anywho,  I got a new book at the airport called Wild by Cheryl Strayed and I'm gonna read that as I get through the flights. The book is about her journey of self discovery as she backpacked through the Pacific Crest Trail. Figured it was appropriate. Gonna be reading that now.

Also first rule of international travel, take snacks with you when you're gonna be at airports for over 24 hours. I've had to pay airport prices for everything. Noooooob mistake.

-Z