adiva_calandia

So Seattle, according to the newspaper this morning, is in its hottest streak since 1981. (Hilariously, that was the year my parents got married, and the first year my mother lived in Seattle. In August '81 -- the last time it was this hot for this long in Seattle -- Mom was spending a lot of time glaring at Dad while Dad went "Honestly, the weather in Seattle is never like this!" I imagine her response was something like "Well it is right NOW, Jim.")

To compensate for not getting much sleep last night on the plane, I slept in the back of the car while Mom and Dad went around to stores buying fruit and fans. That meant I was feeling muzzy and just-awoken when we got to the friends' condo where we're staying. I very quickly worked up a sweat hauling bags from the car to the condo (Dad has a bad knee; Mom has the broken kneecap; I'm the only person able to walk at a normal rate in the lot, although Mom tools along pretty well). Quick cold shower, change of clothes -- ready to tackle Seattle.

Mom and Dad, not having had naps in the back of the car, opted to stay and catch up on sleep. I took Dad's laptop, loaded up my bag with computer, transformer, and some books, and ventured out to find Cafe Appassionato (where I am now), a nice cafe with good coffee and free wifi. Mom said there was a set of stairs that led straight down to the main street it's on. "Just turn once you're on the street outside the building and go straight."

So I went out. I spotted stairs straight ahead. I went for them.

It was pretty clear pretty quick that I was going the wrong way, so I backtracked. Well, I have to go downhill, I reasoned, so I turned right and headed downhill. There were stairs! Surely I was on the right track.

It was a very steep hill.

Wait, I thought, that's the Rock & Roll Experience museum up ahead. The Seattle Center is nowhere near where I want to go.

Approximately half a mile down a hill with at least a 20 degree grade, I came to the conclusion that I had gone the wrong way. In nearly 100F heat. With about fifteen pounds of stuff on my shoulder.

So I turned around and went back.

All told, with the various backtrackings and all, I walked about two miles, half of it up hill and stair. I think I lost a pound just in water weight. I think I've earned dessert at dinner tonight.

The moral of this story is: If you are going exploring for wireless, particularly in a hilly city, bring your laptop. Don't bring two notebooks and three paperback books. You don't need all of them.

And for the love of God, make very sure whether you're turning left or right.