bornd2shop

The view from the plane window as we left New Zealand. It seems like there should be angels playing harps.

We were upgraded to Premium Economy on the flight. So exciting. For years I have glared resentfully at all the people in First, Business and Premium class on my way through to the crowded cattle-pens of Economy - on Friday night, however, I sat in my spacious Premium chair sipping on my Premium sparkling wine brought to me by our personal Premium stewardess, and smiled smugly at the Economy people passing me. And they glared resentfully back. So the great circle of life continues. Although I think I spoiled my Premium image somewhat by being very excited by everything that was offered - "Free wine! A four-course dinner! Port and a cheeseboard! Hot towels! Foot-rests!" I don't care. It is exciting, and if I ever get to sit in Premium Economy again, I will continue to behave like a small child.

We had a few dull hours in San Francisco airport and then a few dull hours on a small plane before landing in Austin last night. The friendliness here has really struck me - I know Texas has a reputation for friendliness, so I shouldn't have been surprised, but it is really noticeable. I love it. Being a friendly sort myself, I like to strike up conversations with strangers, and here they smile and chat with me rather than staring at me as if I'd whipped out a knife, which is nice. I really love the city so far - the people are great, the weather is great, the atmosphere is, you guessed it, great, and the vintage is plentiful and cheap (always good!). I went to Cream Vintage on the university campus, which I loved (tempted to buy vintage cowboy boots. Is that cliched in a sad-tourist way or cliched in an AWESOME way? Your thoughts) and Prototype Vintage Design on Milton Street, and have already bought four vintage dresses. I may as well have left my suitcase behind. I also love how many healthy eating options and locally-owned stores and restaurants there are, and how the city as a whole has this wonderful wry sense of humour.

I am not the best holiday picture-taker in the world. I either become over-excited and take a million photos ("Here's my salad after one bite. Here's my salad after two bites. Here's my salad after ...") or forget that I have a camera and take random, unassociated shots when I recollect. Today was one of the latter days. I used up most of my memory card taking pictures of squirrels - we don't have squirrels where I live, so they are exciting - but, after a while, LOML pointed out that if I treated every squirrel as a tourist attraction we would never walk further than our hotel, and so I have resolved to include only one squirrel photo here. Those things are fast.

I love this.

Obligatory tourist shot in front of the Capitol building!

Obligatory tourist shot where I forgot to look at the camera!

People in Austin don't drive cars. They prefer more traditional forms of transport.*

*Not true.

The city is full of fantastic murals and graffiti.

The Capitol building is absolutely beautiful, inside and out. A really gorgeous structure.

View from the University of Texas campus. I saw my first ever sorority and fraternity houses today - some part of me had refused to believe they existed outside of films.