Early this morning, I drove across the Bay Bridge to take off from Oakland for Austin. By the time we were airborne, the sun was up, but the mist still covered the Berkeley hills.

I was still feeling like I had a bit of a cold. I've had a sore throat and vague cold-like symptoms, but so far the true event hasn't declared itself. I was lucky enough to get the best seat - front row of First Class, with nobody in the adjacent seat. It was great being able to spread out with my novel, my camera and my laptop. Not to mention my overlong legs :)

In between writing fourty or so emails, and eating a decent brunch, I took something like thirty photographs of the awesome topography below, which kept changing so quickly that I had to keep my camera switched on so that I could capture details before they disappeared behind. I spent time going over some emails and articles I'd downloaded about Austin, trying to figure out what I could do in the evenings, assuming I had time and energy, and what to do on my one free day, Saturday.

Waiting for my bags at the airport, I noticed a lot of cute, young guys with short haircuts. It's odd, but lately I feel that I've been noticing goodlooking men a lot more frequently. I'd thought it was due to the many visitors San Francisco gets at New Year's, but now I'm noticing guys here in Texas too. Either Austin men are particularly goodlooking, or my hormones are imbalanced again. :)

I got to Austin early enough to go for a run before sunset. My options so late in the day were few and I settled on just running out of the lobby and into the enormous parking lot opposite, which surrounded the Gateway Shopping Center. This run offered appreciation of the sunshine not the scenery.

By this time, I was quite happy to call room service and collapse for the evening :) We'll do the tourist thing another day.