Erk's 2014 Pacamerican Circle

[erkpod]

Some odd signs







Atlanta is one of several US cities I've been to that have anti cruising laws.



I forgot my swim diapers. I don't know how much swimming in the Fountain of Rings would be possible.

 

[markis10]

There is a local version of the no cruising sign at Brighton Le Sands in Sydney.

 

[erkpod]

The Centennial Olympic Park & the Fountain of Rings are awesome & would be even better if it wasn't winter. It's a great place to hang out & people watch.

Mr Sun made an appearance around noon & the fog burnt off.









I watched the 1230 Musical Show (think of the fountain version of fireworks & you'll get the idea) before heading off to the CNN Centre.

 

[erkpod]

I highly recommend the CNN Studio Tour & the Studio Experience. Security was tight but there were some photo opportunities.



Start of the tour features a chance to sit at a news desk & pretend to be a host (on site photographer deal).





Main CNN newsroom





CNN International area.

 

[erkpod]

The tour is very informative & you can see a lot of people working in a fish bowl type environment. But with hourly tours, the staff seem used to visitors looking from behind the glass.

In a section which shows a camera & a teleprompter (at CNN, many are combined), we had a chance to see how a teleprompter works. No one else volunteered so I did (no surprise there).

After the tour, I purchased a Newsroom Experience. There's a producer/teleprompter operator & people walking past can see you "perform" but they can't hear you. You get as a base a DVD of you reading the news. Photos etc are more.

Just before my session, the in studio TV feed showed on the ticker that Phillip Seymour Hoffman had just died in NYC. My producer was visibly shocked as she turned up the TV volume to find out more. So here I am in a CNN (pretend) newsroom about to go to (pretend) air with a (pretend) news bulletin & there's breaking news about a (real) celebrity death.

I had a practice run (unrecorded) first & then the real thing. Reading off the teleprompter but with a script as a back up, I got through the 2 runs reasonably well.

A real CNN anchor "throws" to you doing a guest newsread. There's 4 stories & then you end with a chance to say anything you want. I ended with "I'm on TV."



Here's a shot I took while watching a preview of the DVD to make sure it works.

Overall I concentrated well on the teleprompter & didn't see the people outside with the exception of a lady (who I later found out to be Brazilian) who was waiting with her husband for me to finish. A victorious wave to the couple & a pep talk for my relief newsreader & it was time for me to move on.

 

[erkpod]

The sun had done a good job of burning off fog & cloud as I walked downtown to Hooters to watch the Hooters girls & the Superbowl.



Atlanta Skyview. It's Atlanta's version of the London Eye, I guess.



I wanted to go to the top of the Westin but $8 for a quick look wasn't worth it, especially considering I needed to eat urgently.







I'm now at Hooters for the Superbowl. The music has been turned off & the TV audio is now from the Superbowl.

I've just had chicken wings & curly fries.

 

[erkpod]

Had a great time at Hooters watching the Superbowl. They were very busy so I didn't do my normal things of getting photos with the Hooters girls. I was quite happy at the bar talking football with the guy to the left of me & talking as much as possible to the lady who liked my accent on the right of me.

I can't imagine how much money changed hands there this afternoon. My server during the game barely stopped - she was working noticably harder than some of the other girls, especially considering she was working at the bar.

The crowd were fairly good natured during the one sided game. It was interesting to compare this event with similar events (but not to that scale) back home.

If you're a Broncos fan & weren't watching the game live, it doesn't make for pretty viewing.

 

[erkpod]

Day 34, Monday 03 February
ATL - MDW (Chicago)

A nice sleep to end Superbowl Sunday was nice. I woke up with little fog & checked out of the hotel.

The shuttle bus consisted of a retired couple heading to HKG via NRT, a deadheading pilot & FO heading home to LGA & a pilot heading to San Antonio. Various travel tips & weather reports all round & I told the crews "Good luck, we're all counting on you" to wish I got a laugh.

The flight was good (I'll do a separate report) & I arrived at Chicago's Midway close to time. I was a lot fresher leaving ATL on Monday than when I arrived on Friday.

After unsucessfully trying to contact my friend I was hoping to see, I headed downtown on the train (CTA Orange line). They now have a smartcard system & the onboard announcenents are a lot better than I remember.

Getting off downtown, I found a KFC Express that was self serve & only open 1000 - 1600 Monday - Friday. Strange!

I decided on some accommodation (I'd decided to see that I actually did get to Chicago) & started walking there. It was around 20°F (better than the 10°F that the pilot on board the plane said) but snow wasn't falling.

I zigged when I should have zagged & I ended up at Union Station. Powerwhoring near a Pepsi machine, I found I'd walked the wrong way - I'd turned right instead of left.

Retracing my steps over the mostly cleared paths, I finally found the accommodation & I have a bird's eye view of the trains. Just what I need after a difficult afternoon.

I'd placed some money on my VFF Global Wallet on Friday (0400ish in Miami) & it went pending on the card overnight Sunday/Monday. I phoned up & asked when I can expect the money on the card & was told Tuesday (US time). So they can take the money off instantly but it takes 2 - 3 days to put it on? I know that's standard but still annoying. I'm still waiting the pre-authorisation from over a week ago on the NYC hotel & several from the cruise to disappear.

 

[erkpod]

Taking advantage on the US' easing of PED restrictions from seat 2B prior to take off at ATL. I would have had an awesome MD88/90 shot but the guy in 2A moved his head in front of his phone.

 

[erkpod]

The guy in 2A needed to have a sleep.



I can see snow!



We turn to the right.

 

[erkpod]

Plane pics at MDW

 

[erkpod]

My Chicago adventure <START> now.



So where are the Men snacks?



Automatic doors & travelators leading to the CTA Midway station were put on manual or turned off due to the cold?

 

[smit0847]

Hi Erk
This is one of the most comprehensive TRs I have ever read - congrats on 10k views!!
I can't help noticing that your photo quality has increased dramatically since the start of the report, both in size and clarity. Have you changed the way you either took the photos and/or uploaded them?

 

[erkpod]

A train depot is visible from the walkway to the Midway station.



Nice artwork at the station entrance



The sign above the ticket machines seems to be asking a question.



The train indicator at Midway

 

[erkpod]

A train downtown.





The self serve KFC. Limited selection of food from the chicken warmed is arranged by meal/pack.





I thought the KFC closed because it was out of chicken. But it was closed at 1530 because the store closes at 1600. I saw a similar KFC Express store landside at JFK last year that didn't even sell chicken pieces!

 

[erkpod]

Various signs downtown warning of snow and/or falling ice.







Is the sun setting on newspapers? Why bother having these usually empty newspaper boxes on the street?

 

[erkpod]

Chicago FD pics

 

[erkpod]

Train pics from the room.

 

[erkpod]

Time to turn off the light & go to sleep.

 

[erkpod]

Flight Report
DL 2031 ATL - MDW
Monday 3 February



Plane: N372NW A320

Captain: Some guy.

CSM: Some lady.

Check in: Easy. No hassles re bags due to F. Still showing VFF Silver as that's what I was when I booked. DL have rarely changed it.

TSA/Security: Priority (non TSA Pre) line was good once again. For once, I did not need a secondary patdown - the screen for the scanner showed a green OK button. That has not happened to me in America on this trip & possibly never. *fistpump*

My coat went through the x-ray machine twice. The TSA agent I spoke to after that joked after I told him about the green light & he said that I should wear the exact same clothes every time I go to the airport.

Lounge: Sky Club Concourse B near gate B10. Another game of Velo-WHAT? I was told that I was not entitled to entry. Some chat with the lounge angel at the next desk (a lot of them want to think I'm VS!) & I'm allowed in.

Very crowded.

Boarding: Boarded via Sky Priority in F. As usual, much begging by the crew to save overhead bin space.

Seat: 2B. Very nice. Snack service even in F for a 2 hour flight leaving ATL at 1100.

Delays: Basically on time.

Luggage: Beat the luggage to the belts & it came out relatively quickly. Priority baggage worked.