Thursday, November 12, 2009

Time zones








Written 6.20 am November 2009




San Fransisco








Time zones are like chess. I know the moves and I have the basic intelligence to grasp the deeper subtleties. If I could be bothered. Dennis on the other hand delights in working out eighteen ways to say "Ha! I got your prawn." Or pawn. But in this case prawn. Because, there we were in the Far East cafe , China Town, San Fransisco and he is saying things like, "Today started at 4am yesterday." Or, "Today is the longest day of my life, with 32 hours," and other logical impossibilities. It makes my head hurt, but with the aid of a mobile set to UK time and a watch on Us time I worked out that, having arrived, checked to the Fairmont, walked the labyrinth at Grace cathedral, I had just ordered a plate of scrambled eggs and the biggest King Prawns I had ever seen at 3am on my body clock, and that, given I had had about 5 hours sleep in fits of 10-20 minutes the night before and then had got up at 5am to fly half way across the world, (Albeit horizontally whilst watching films*), this might be why I was about to fall asleep in a plate of Foo Young.








Since then, I have had a solid ten and a half hours of sleep, uninterrupted save for a text at 3am from my Best Quilting Buddy who sent me a picture of a rainy lorry laden road in Darlington. This was fair punishment since earlier I had sent her the picture above in an unnecessarily bragging text explaining that this was the view from our freely upgraded room. But, that ten hours sleep started at 7pm US time which is why I am now awake in bed with the laptop at 6.20 am watching the sun rise over Alcatraz.








I have made a resolution to download photos every day and actually label them. But also a resolution not to pay $13.95 plus tax a day for hotel wifi so you will be getting releases of this blog in fits and starts as I have internet access.












* Does any one know the ending to the Audrey Hepburn film Guess Who's Coming to dinner? I mistimed my watching on the flight and the entertainment system got turned off before I found out if the couple got their father's blessing.




4 comments:

Terry Grant said...

Oh how I love San Francisco! You picked a good city to start out in, though your future locations will have a lot to live up to I'd guess. Wish I could have come to see you--just not possible right now.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner was Katherine, not Audrey and it has been so long ago that I saw it that I don't remember particulars, but I do believe it had a happy ending.

jewishprincess said...

Hi
BQB is pleased that you have surfaced from jet lag induced coma. Ths sunrise over Darlington's railway cuttings and gas works competes well with Alcatraz. Katharine not Audrey was the star of the film - the difference being hair colour and dress sizes. Sidney Poitiers was in there somewhere - with Katherine whatsit - she who was also in The Graduate. How come you were in a clasiic film fest - did not realise that you were flying BOAC 1972
Very pleased that you are having a good time - see I can keep envy and jealousy at bay !!!

Diane Perin said...

Yes, definitely a happy ending (with a wonderful speech by Spencer Tracy that is worth watching the movie again for, btw). And it's Katherine, not Audrey. I always get especially teary watching that movie as Spencer Tracy was apparently ill when he made that movie and it was the last (or one of the last) he made before he died.

I know you have gone on to other adventures in Monterey, etc but it is fun seeing your SF pics. Yes, leave the time-figuring to Dennis ... it makes my head hurt just reading about it.

June Calender said...

Glad you sprang for the wifi that once, it's good to see your pictures although they inspire mega envy since my older daughter is across the Golden Gate Bridge and I haven't visited in too long.

This is only the beginning of your jet lag episodes, it will be interesting to hear if you find a great coping trick. Doesn't seem to have interfered with your enjoyment and that's the important part. Have a great time.