Back in Cola Town

Yesterday I returned from a week long training course from Sun Microsystems in Fort Lauderdale. Here are some Sportscenter-style highlights from the trip:

• - My first ever "aborted takeoff." My 28 minute connection flight to Charlotte literally lasted about 20 seconds to full power and then it felt like we were landing... only we never took flight. Nearly 9 hours later I was at my destination.
  
• - My first experience with lost luggage.
• - My first time actually considering reporting an item stolen from my hotel room
• - Dinner at Shula's on the Beach
• - Dinner at Canyon Southwest Cafe (phenomenal, totally unique restaurant... I rate it higher than Shula's, personally).
• - Dinner at Seasons 52 (light yet very flavorful cuisine in a dim-light atmosphere... though I must admit it I felt out of place, surrounded by hundreds of senior citizens)
• - Bringing home a new friend. I sheepishly admit I was at the Apple Store in the Galleria Mall three or four times this week. Such an awesome place!
• - Seeing Bentley, Maserati, and high-end Mercedes cars in office park parking lots and on the streets. Man, I'm in the wrong line of business...
  

The first part of the week was marked by gale-force winds. I drove down the ocean-front road (unlike MyrtleBeach, the road is between the actual beach and hotels so you can drive it and look out over the water) and it was like a sand blaster. Clouds of sand were pelting the car; I'm glad it was a rental. Then the wind gave way to rain. And lots of it. Enough to soak me into a change of clothes just going from the hotel parking lot to the building one night after class.

Needless to say I didn't come back with a tan. But, I did learn a lot so all in all I'd call the trip a success. I am glad to be back though... as good as mid-to-high-end restaurants are, they are no fun alone. I don't think I saw another "party of one" at any of the places I went, which was depressing.

My next training course is in Atlanta in March. I think this time I'll take the family.


- Scott