At my Domicile for the First Time

Out of all twelve domiciles, Minneapolis was my last choice for a base. On my initial bid, I listed every single domicile . . . and then Minneapolis. Yes, even Fresno was given higher priority. Inevitably, every person in my class received Minneapolis, regardless of what they bid for. The company email I received was almost a joke. "Congratulations! You've been awarded Minneapolis!" with not a hint of sarcasm. That was back in August. I had successfully avoided the city for nearly three months including last week's false alarm where I was sent to O'Hare in its place. But eventually, I could not avoid it any longer.

My first impressions of the airport were even worse than my lowest of expectations. The process of getting from the parking garage to the terminal was like an obstacle course. The following was the process (and I'm not even exaggerating) . . . I had to first enter the terminal by taking an escalator down, only to take another escalator up to take light rail to a different terminal, which required about a 10 minute wait. After finally arriving at the other terminal, I had to take an escalator up to take another one down to go through security, to take another escalator up to take a tram to the gates. After all of this effort, the person I was hoping to see to process my parking pass was unavailable and I had to retrace my steps back to the car. I arrived just after 11:00 and left at almost 1:00. That is what is known as inefficiency.

I spent the remainder of the afternoon driving around Minneapolis. I typed "giant spoon" into google maps and found exactly what I was looking for. The weather was a pleasant 58 degrees, but a bit breezy. I thought it was a little chilly, but evidently for Minneapolis, this is the kind of weather where you go for a run without a shirt. Many people were out cycling, walking, or jogging. I walked around a lake through some nice neighborhoods. The city itself seems nice and welcoming. The airport, on the other hand, is some kind of hell on earth. I've now spent two days on reserve and don't want to plan much for my third day. Last time I planned my day, I ended up doing four legs which included a flight to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Besides, now that I've seen the giant spoon, I'd really have to do some research for my next stop.