My first-class bucketlist trip

[CaptJCool]

Little did I know a strange twist of fate ...

wow - in our next exciting future yet to revealed episode ....I can smell the steak sizzle !

 

[Justinf]

Little did I know a strange twist of fate ...

wow - in our next exciting future yet to revealed episode ....I can smell the steak sizzle !

I know! It's more exciting than Jon Snow being alive.

 

[Justinf]

Woke up at around 9am and just laid in bed for an hour or so. Showered and dressed I was quite excited about checking out the Sixth Floor Museum where Oswald shot JFK (or supposedly if you're a conspiracy theorist). Strolled downtown and it was only a 15- to 20-minute walk to the museum.

No pics allowed inside the museum. I found it interesting. Took a good hour or more wandering with the audio guide to my ears. Some people find that the museum doesn't focus enough on the possible conspiracy theories, but I found that it did. The room where Oswald actually shot from was preserved with boxes still in place from that day. No pics allowed.
After that I visited the Holocaust Museum, which was interesting also, but a little on the meagre side. Quite small and not worth the admission price, but moving all the same.
It was around 2pm by this stage and I'd realised I hadn't eaten anything. Stomach bug still hanging around, but almost gone. I love the burgers in the States so I thought I'd have one on the first full day.

Jetlag was kicking in now and I didn't have the energy to explore much further.
Downtown Dallas is completely lacking in shops. No clothes shops, no shopping malls etc. I found it quite a soulless place to be. I apologise to anyone from Dallas reading this. I have had people tell me that you need a local to show you around and then it becomes a really absorbing place. Alas I was on my lonesome.
I strolled around for a while just looking and watching.


The JFK memorial below.

Back to the room for a rest and a freshen up and then out for a beer.

To be truthful, Miller Lite is pretty repulsive. You may as well drink alcoholic soda water. But I felt like something light and refreshing and with the temp that day hovering around 30 degrees celcius, a few of these went down pretty well.
With jetlag kicking right in, I had a small plate of nachos and decided to call it a night at around 8.30pm.

 

[ABC1]

Really enjoying your report. I went to LA via Dallas back in October of 2011.. Only went to DFW just to say I flew SYD-DFW.. Had a few days there at the Hyatt overlooking Dealey Plaza. Great view of the plaza and the city. But as you said, downtown has nothing. The odd bar and a drive through Maccas, but nothing much else. I tell people its like going to SYD or MEL CBD's, but with no shops. You have to trek out to one of the malls, and they've got plenty of them. I ended up hiring a car and driving to Southfork Ranch and also went to the Texas Rangers stadium and the Cowboys stadium for tours. The Southfork homestead itself was not very big. Three days in Dallas was enough for me. I also think the town was a bit down as they lost the world series while I was there to St. Louis.. another dull place apart from the arch. The day after I got to Dallas, QF was grounded..

 

[Denali]

About 30 minutes before we touched down, the three FAs presented me with a card signed by all of them with a note and also....

Seriously. Youre not suppose to cry at trip reports but yep, tears again.

 

[exceladdict]

Really enjoying this report. Completely agree regarding Dallas. We visited for three days of consecutive events (NFL, wrestling, hockey). In between, very hard to find something to do.

 

[blackcat20]

After the nightmare that is US customs, I finally found my luggage and got into a cab.
Questions that the Customs officer asked me (she was particularly unhappy):
"Are you married?"
"Where is your wife?"
"Are you seeing a girlfriend over here?"

Cab fare from DFW into the Hotel Indigo Downtown where I was staying was $50, which meant $60 with tip.
Room wasn't ready despite it being 2.30pm although I do understand that 3pm is check in time. Happy to leave my bags at the front desk and go in search of a bar somewhere. I knew I wasn't going to last too long so a few mid afternoon beers wouldn't hurt.
Found a place called the Press Box, which I grew to enjoy over the next few days. The bar manager Jesse and I got along quite well.
View attachment 69968
View attachment 69969
After a few pints and a quesadilla, my body clock had had enough. I walked back to the hotel where I checked in and fell asleep at 5pm and woke the next day at 9am, which was probably a good thing. It just shows that no matter whether you are in cattle class or first class, jetlag is jetlag.
A few pics of the room, which you must please excuse me for the absolute mess I created. I think in a zombie-like state, I threw everything on the floor until I found my beloved sleeping boxers, which of course, were right at the bottom of my suitcase.
View attachment 69970
View attachment 69971
View attachment 69972
The Indigo was a decent hotel. Good location, well priced. Booked it through the Qantas website whereas I booked the others I stayed at, independently. Nice park right opposite. Room small, staff pleasant, but the absence of any breakfast.

I thought your hotel looks familiar; I stayed there for my trip to Dallas and it was lovely. Very comfy bed.
And I agree, there isnt much happening in Dallas.... Fort Worth is worth a visit for the stock yards and so forth.

 

[drron]

Actually a lot to do in Dallas but not the CBD.You do need a car or have a friend there.Everything is in the burbs and there are a lot of burbs.
Plenty of shopping then.

 

[snabbu]

After all that and while walking off the plane through the terminal to collect my luggage, I'd realised I hadn't had the steak sandwich. Little did I know a strange twist of fate would occur in 10 days time.

Sounds juicy...

 

[Justinf]

Awake at 4am. Thanks jetlag. By 5am I realised i wasn't getting back to sleep so I decided to go for a jog. I've been running a lot lately after having lost nearly 50kg after my dad died. He was concerned about my weight before he died so I promised him I would get in shape. I know that's a bit personal, but it's all part of the story I suppose.
I left the door of the hotel at around 5.10am and ran around the streets of downtown Dallas. Not the most pleasant of runs I have been on. a lot of homeless sleeping on the street. It was warm (about 20 degrees and humid as hell) and I ran mostly from street to street to see if there were any decent bars that i could head to that night. Mostly ran around the park though. The park was nice and a lot of locals walking their dogs. Still a 45-minute run to start the day was a good feeling.
Back to the hotel and made a coffee with the simple coffee maker. This was going to be a problem. I love my coffee and was wondering where i could get something decent.
anyway, after watching an hour of the Weather Channel (yes, I actually love the Weather Channel) I headed out to see what I could see. I walked all the way downtown to the Reunion Tower and headed up for some pretty amazing views.



But meh, it was no Empire State Building or Sears Tower which I've been to.
By now it was early afternoon and I just decided to walk around. I like walking around and watching and seeing. Some nice buildings.

Jetlag was really taking its toll now and I was ready for bed at 4pm, but pushed through. Went back to my room for a shower and decided to head out to find a cold beer or two. Stomach bug pretty much gone now, which was a relief.
Found a bar and luckily had my ipad with me. I had forgotten to my AFL Supercoach team so settled in for a beer and see whether I needed to make any trades to my team.

Had a relatively early night after a few frothies. Had a nice conversation with a lovely woman who worked at one of the office blocks near to the bar where we both both drinking. She had her two vodkas and was then driving home.
Tomorrow I would be leaving Dallas and making the short flight down to Austin. One thing I did do that afternoon was sus out how convenient the DART would be out to DFW and I discovered the St Paul stop was only two blocks from the hotel and that it would cost $2.50 to get there compared to $60 in a cab. No brainer.
And something cheesey to finish off with. The obligatory pic at the top of the Reunion Tower.

 

[PLANT]

Get to a gun shop and experience a 54 magnum in your hand.... "The most powerful hand gun in the world" Have you noticed most people are carrying..... Holster and all to see.

 

[Justinf]

Get to a gun shop and experience a 54 magnum in your hand.... "The most powerful hand gun in the world" Have you noticed most people are carrying..... Holster and all to see.

Didn't notice it at all. But did notice you can buy a handgun at Walmart.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Didn't notice it at all. But did notice you can buy a handgun at Walmart.

You can buy EVERYTHING you need - or didn't know you needed - in Walmart ! We go into a Walmart at least twice every trip to the good 'ol USA.

 

[Dr Ralph]

You can buy EVERYTHING you need - or didn't know you needed - in Walmart ! We go into a Walmart at least twice every trip to the good 'ol USA.

Agree. Walmart is great.

It would be a game changer if it ever came to Australia. Far better than Costco.

 

[pagingjoan]

.....Stomach bug pretty much gone now, which was a relief.......

So pleased to hear that!

I have been quite in awe of your capacity to eat and drink, while suffering an upset stomach over the duration of your trip to date.
I doubt I could have managed the food and beverage intake you've listed, even when fit and well.

Of course, a glass of Champagne, here and there cures all ills - including an upset tum!

 

[Milboo]

You can buy EVERYTHING you need - or didn't know you needed - in Walmart ! We go into a Walmart at least twice every trip to the good 'ol USA.

My last visit involved walking past the car tyres and the coffins to get to the frozen berries we were there for!

 

[Justinf]

Another early start with a nice run around the park at around 5.15am. It took me around two and a half minutes to do a lap so I just jogged laps until around 35 minutes was up.
I had a flight to catch to Austin at 11.50am so I grabbed some breakfast, packed my bag and hoofed it to the DART stop. Bought my ticket and then on the DART out to DFW, which took just less than an hour.

DFW is huge. On the map, you think you can just walk between terminals like you can at LAX, but there really is a need for a shuttle. Fortunately the DART stops and ends at terminal A and that's where I was flying out of.
Once checked in I was ready for my American Airlines flights down to Austin.


Boarding was fairly painless and I was up the back of the 738 about four rows from the very end.

I can't tell you if there was a snack or drink service. I was asleep a minute after take off and woke up when we were about 1000ft from the ground. Flight time by my stopwatch was 36 minutes.
I was looking forward to Austin. Retrieved my bag and hopped into a cab to the Extended Stay America Downtown hotel.

 

[blackcat20]

Actually a lot to do in Dallas but not the CBD.You do need a car or have a friend there.Everything is in the burbs and there are a lot of burbs.
Plenty of shopping then.

That's what I meant :mrgreen: I was there minus a car and there really isnt much to do once you've done the "tourist" things.

 

[Justinf]

So pleased to hear that!

I have been quite in awe of your capacity to eat and drink, while suffering an upset stomach over the duration of your trip to date.
I doubt I could have managed the food and beverage intake you've listed, even when fit and well.

Of course, a glass of Champagne, here and there cures all ills - including an upset tum!

keep up in mind that the pics of food I could barely finish half. Damn gastro

 

[Major]

Keep the food pics coming. This is a very compelling TR.

Love it